Senior Business AnalystJob Title: Senior Business Analyst
Department: Product Management
Reports To: Director of Product Management
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Summary of Position: The Senior Business Analyst’s main focus is to operate as the product owner for a solution targeted at specific market(s). Being a product owner requires continuous contact with the market (customers, evaluators and potentials) to understand market problems, market segmentation, distinctive competence, competitive landscape, business value, and solution requirements using interviews, document analysis, research workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, user stories, acceptance criteria, business analysis, task and workflow analysis. The Senior Business Analyst must critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to manage the entire product line life cycle from strategic planning to tactical activities.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to specify market requirements for current and future products by conducting market research supported by on-going visits to customers and non-customers.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to drive a solution set across development teams (primarily Development/Operations, Customer Support and Marketing) through communicating market requirements and positioning.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to develop a business plan that includes a definition of the market problems, the definition of the market segmentation, distinctive competence, competitive landscape, pricing and projected profitability for the solution.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to function as a company and solution spokesperson for current clients, prospective clients and market associations.
The Senior Business Analyst must be able to communicate effectively internally and externally.
The Senior Business Analyst must proactively seek opportunities to broaden and deepen their knowledge base and proficiencies and be willing to share acquired skills with team members through formal and informal channels.
The Senior Business Analyst must encourage more junior innovators to take responsibility for their development within the company.
The Senior Business Analyst has the ability to develop, document and implement new processes and procedures to support client implementations as well as the internal guidelines to be followed.
The Senior Business Analyst must develop and implement a company-wide go-to-market plan, working with all departments to execute.
Senior Business Analyst
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Key Tasks, Functions and Responsibilities:
• Elicit market requirements using interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, user stories, acceptance criteria, business analysis, task and workflow analysis.
• Critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs.
• Proactively communicate and collaborate with external and internal customers to analyze information needs and functional requirements and deliver the following artifacts as needed: (Functional requirements (Business Requirements Document), User Stories, UI/UX, Screen and Interface designs).
• Manage the Product Backlog.
• Determine Themes and content for development Sprints.
• Determine product release schedules and release components.
• Assure issues are identified, tracked, reported on and resolved in a timely manner.
• Communicate and apply project standards.
• Assist in the facilitation of team and client meetings.
• Utilize experience in using enterprise-wide requirements definition and management systems and methodologies as required.
• Strong analytical and product management skills required, including a thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements.
• Serve as the conduit between the customer community (internal and external customers) and the software development team.
• Develop requirements specifications according to standard templates, using natural language.
• Collaborate with Developers, other Business Analysts, Quality Assurance team, Operations, Sales, Marketing and Customer Support to establish the technical vision and analyze tradeoffs between usability and performance needs.
• Be the liaison between the business teams, technology teams and support teams.
• Anticipate market needs and present solutions to management that encompass issues at hand.
• Travel to customer and non-customer sites in North America.
Minimum Qualifications, Key Skills and Competencies:
• College degree in related field with five or more years of experience.
• Must be able to successfully engage in multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Must have strong analytical and product management skills, including thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements and build a business case.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to write professional papers, present at conferences, and interact professionally with a diverse group, including executives, managers, end users and subject matter experts.
• Must have an understanding of the product as well as be proficient in the key technologies used internally to analyze and manage customer needs.
Minimum Personal Attributes:
• Must be able to work in a team oriented, collaborative environment and to interact professionally with other employees, customers and prospective clients.
• Must have the ability to perform excellent work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Must be able to work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments and understand the necessity of effectively communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees.
• Must be able to negotiate with team members to balance diverse requirements in achieving the business case.
• Must have a high degree of resourcefulness, innovation and creativity.
• Must have extensive problem solving skills to manage tradeoffs in time, capabilities and cost to achieve the goals for the solution.
• Must uphold, safeguard and promote the organization’s values and philosophy relating particularly to corporate ethics, integrity and priorities.
• Must have a desire to grow in areas of expertise as dictated by the evolving needs and goals of the company.
Recommended Qualifications, Key Skills and Competencies:
• Pragmatic Marketing Certified
• Knowledgeable in technology including mobile technology
• 3-5 years of K-12 education management experience
• 3-5 years of human resources management experience
• 3-5 years of business analysis experience
• 1-2 years working in an Agile (scrum) software development environment
• Published author and/or a featured speaker at related professional conferences
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