Business Analyst

Summary

Reporting to the Project Manager, the primary role of the Business Analyst is to work with the business stakeholders to assess current and future processes, with a view to capturing detailed requirements, identifying solution options and providing pragmatic, balanced recommendations. The Business Analyst role is pivotal in ensuring the solution fulfils the requirements of the business, understanding the business impact of changes, and working with the business and test team in supporting the solution sign off through effective testing and business process change delivery.

Responsibilties

Work closely with all areas of the business, using an understanding of the business processes and functional models to facilitate in scoping and documenting requirements

Build strong relationships with the business stakeholders and become the functional expert for the team. Provide knowledge of the processes and job functions within the business as a resource to the user and development teams

Work with cross functional systems teams to ensure that Instore Systems requirements are documented and the impact of other team's requirements are understood

Research, analyse and evaluate alternative business solutions and recommend the most applicable and cost effective solution. Investigate potential business solutions whilst being aware not all requirements must have a systems solution but may have a process solution

Elicit requirements gathering using a variety of appropriate methods to include: interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys and site visits

Undertake data analysis and data modelling activities to support the systems enhancement processes

Produce relevant project documentation (e.g. requirements documentation, configuration documents, business process flows )

Work with the Development Teams to translate business operational and functional requirements into effective solutions

Work with Third Parties where relevant to provide a functional solution and ensure that the design of each solution is validated against the requirements and business processes

Work with the Test Team to create detailed scenarios and test scripts to ensure effective quality control of each solution, to predefined acceptance criteria

Work with the business to facilitate their user acceptance testing

Drive and challenge the business on their assumptions of how they will successfully execute their implementation plans

Ensure that the implementation and transition of each solution is appropriately managed and supported and handed over to the business with all supporting documentation

Communicate and represent the team effectively at all levels; including (but not exclusive to) external companies, business users and other systems departments

Stand in and represent the Project Manager in their absence

Criteria

Essential

• Has detailed knowledge and understanding of the function and processes of relevant existing systems, development tools, environments and database structures including their constraints
• Excellent research and analysis skills with strong problem solving skills and the ability to analyze existing systems for enhancements and support resolutions. Have a proven ability to analyse complex systems and processes accurately and create functional specifications based on that analysis.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills at all levels of the business. Strong communicator with an ability to constructively challenge, facilitate and probe to fully understand the business need, as well as excellent listening skills
• Excellent inter-personal skills in order to build up and maintain effective relationships
• Ability to produce an advanced level of documentation such as Process Flow Diagrams, UML or any appropriate modelling technique
• Ability to effectively plan and prioritise workload as well as work to strict deadlines and remain positive and calm under pressure
• Ability to work in a challenging and demanding environment with changing priorities
• Commercially aware with capability to understand business issues and key events
• Ability to think strategically and develop creative and innovative solutions to problems, as well as being comfortable with detail
• Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure at pace and persists despite obstacles and opposition

Desirable

• Experience of formal Business Analysis methodology
• Experience of user interface design and the ability to create prototypes and wire frames
• Understanding and experience of an retail environment