Business Analyst

Job Description

Responsible for investigating business situations, identifying and evaluating options for improving business process & systems, defining requirements and ensuring effective use of information systems in meeting the needs of the business.

Key Accountabilities:

• Takes full responsibility for business analysis within a portfolio where the advice given and decisions made will have a measurable impact on the profitability or effectiveness.

• Establishes the contribution that technology can make to business objectives, supporting strategies, validating and justifying business needs, conducting feasibility studies, producing high level and details business cases, taking into account the implications of change on the organization and all stakeholders.

• Guides senior management towards accepting change brought through process and organisation change.

• Provides Quality Assurance work on the BA deliverables for other Business Analysts or contractors if leading a team.

• Knowledge & Experience Required:

• Good Leadership skills and a tracking record line management in significant business or IS influence.

• Undertaking roles in which analytical thinking is applied to produce business improvements across a variety of business situations and complexity.

• Knowledge of IS project development processes and wider organization units of IS

• An understanding of how things are organized as a business, what the business functions do and how makes money

• Understanding of the purpose of business process teams and the new RIIO regulatory framework.

• Takes ownership for delivery of analysis deliverables for large sized projects and programmes of work up to multimillion.

• Potential for direct reports if working within a network infra project in which client is leading the analysis.

Core Business Skills:

• Commercial Awareness - Strongly contributes to business objectives / strategy.  Analyses commercial information to ensure sound business decision making.  Frequently pursues added value ideas and actions. Understands the global marketplace and impact upon the business function.

• Leadership & Team Working - Frequently encourages other team members and helps the team in decision making and planning. Works to build team spirit and to resolve any conflicts. Acts as a role model within the team and as a representative to customers / stakeholders. Leads continuous improvement activities.

• Customer Focus - Manages customers’ requirements and underlying needs. Has a depth of understanding in monitoring and reviewing service levels and actively seeking to improve them. Anticipates customers long term needs with increased input into decision making process. Seen as a trusted adviser.

• Drive and Initiative - Without Focuses attention of self and others on key objectives and tasks. Frequent demonstration of personal commitment to do whatever it takes. Responds positively to setbacks and takes appropriate action to get back on track.

• Business Analysis Techniques - Supervises others in the appropriate use of analysis tools. Can knowledgeably advise on selection and use of most suitable techniques. Acts as a trusted advisor for subject area. Consistently demonstrates ability to lead analysis work on large scale projects. Handles complex business areas with numerous influences/external interactions. Uses initiative and provides leadership in terms of delivering effective analysis objectives. Shows clear perception of business goals and areas of strategic influence in relation to analysis activity. Ensures consistently effective business recommendations. Influences business direction as a result of thorough analysis. Carries out impact assessments across a wide area. Has effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including internal and external business partners. Has a wide knowledge of the functional structure of all business areas within the organisation. Has a sound understanding of the range of business objectives, strategies and CSFs for the majority of the business functions within the organisation.

• Information Capture - Has a command of appropriate information modeling tools. Demonstrates clarity and understanding. Works independently on information modeling activities.  Able to supervise others on the selection and use of appropriate modeling tools. Sees all relationships between data in different views and effectively selects appropriate models to demonstrate or determine an overall view of a process or problem.

• Communication Skills - Works independently to conduct stakeholder analysis to understand communication preferences and characteristics (e.g. scope of influence, their influencing and persuasion skills, attention to detail and approaches required to manage the characteristics). Applies analysis without supervision. Without supervision, regularly selects the most appropriate communication method based on goals and characteristics of the audience. Independently facilitates and manages meetings/workshops with complexity. Able to supervise and support others on facilitation techniques.  Has good influencing skills and communicates in a persuasive and convincing manner. Workshops/meetings are fully inclusive and interactive. Consistently achieves objectives of meeting/ workshop.

• Business Process Improvement Skills - Analyses all aspects of current business processes and business aims to identify improvements, both at a project level and strategically.  This includes end-business aims as well as IS business aims. Evaluates wider issues including cultural, organisational and business constraints affecting options for change. Leads identification of potential alternative processes to achieve or exceed business aims.  Assesses the risks, costs, potential benefits and feasibility of the potential approaches. Facilitates cost estimation by obtaining information and costs from potential suppliers and from experience of previous projects.  Prepares business cases and investment papers for the recommended approach for all sizes of project. Leads in ensuring the successful implementation of new processes. Develops means of identifying that the changed business processes deliver the expected improvements. Helps to improve and develop the Solution Delivery Process within IS

Project Management - Can support production of detailed project plans. Is able to supervise colleagues with Project Planning Activities. Applies appropriate control techniques at all times unsupervised. When needed, supports others. Has basic knowledge of Financial Planning techniques; manages small budgets and where necessary, takes corrective action Identifies and manages risks associated to the project including mitigating actions and running risk workshops. Has an understanding of other projects in portfolio and associated dependent risks. Acts as advisor to less experienced colleagues.