Lead Business Analyst

Role Description

My Dublin based client is looking for a Lead Business Analyst to join their team. In this position you will be joining a team who act as the primary interface for business engagement in the delivery of the project and service portfolios. You will lead a team of business analysts, implementing and executing an effective business analysis methodology, and work closely with Business Change teams and experts to ensure that solutions meet detailed requirements.  You should be able to move seamlessly between waterfall, agile and bi-modal methods of project development.

The Lead Business Analyst will coordinate the day to day activities of the team, and provide leadership and direction in ensuring that the business needs are effectively communicated to the project teams and acting as an escalation point as necessary. This is a cross functional group-wide role and requires an ability to collaborate with stakeholders throughout the business to deliver successful business outcomes.

You will report to the Head IT Portfolio & Business Engagement.

Key Responsibilities

The Lead Business Analyst will be responsible for the following:

• Lead the business analysis functional area, utilising best practices and a standard business analysis methodology in the delivery of my clients IT transformation in digital, data analytics, and cloud;
• Promote the role of the business analysis team and the value-add it can bring through show-casing output, providing thought leadership and providing coaching and guidance to colleagues on best practice;
• Review and enhance people, process and technology capabilities within the business analysis functional area, to develop the team and accelerate the delivery of solutions;
• Build a high level of trust and confidence with the business, strategic partners and of proposed solutions;
• Supervise and contribute to Business Analysis activities (e.g. requirement gathering, creating specifications, workshop facilitation, interviews, the creation of user stories, business process design and modelling);
• Engage with Project Managers to understand new and future requirements, and manage the allocation of Business Analyst resources to meet multiple project requirements;
• Effectively manage stakeholders (both technical and non-technical), delivering presentations, contributing to design workshops, meetings and forums as required;
• Review Business Requirement Specifications (BRS) and Functional Requirement Specifications (FRS) to ensure they meet the required quality standards;
• Take an active role in solution design including ensuring cross system impacts are assessed;
• Manage risks and issues as they arise, coach staff, provide technical expertise and act as an escalation point;
• Facilitate requirements prioritisation to enable effective decision making;
• Work with 3^rd party vendors and strategic partners in the definition and delivery of effective solutions to accelerate the delivery of the business strategy;
• Provide innovative ideas and solutions drawing on external best practice and expertise; and
• Support the Head of IT Portfolio & Engagement in recruitment, development and training of team members.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Third level qualification or equivalent in a relevant discipline;
• 6-8 years’ experience in a Business Analyst role including requirement gathering, creating specifications, workshop facilitation, interviews, business process design and modelling;
• Strong customer and service delivery focus; demonstrating a thorough understanding of the customer needs;
• Demonstrable track record of motivating and managing teams and planning and allocation of resources to maximise capability and capacity;
• Extensive experience of establishing and maintaining effective relationships with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including proven experience in influencing and managing stakeholder expectations;
• A tenacity to drive excellence and quality in all aspects of their areas of responsibility, identifying and embracing best practice;
• Confident operating and managing in an environment of change;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with significant experience in the analysis of complex business systems;
• Ability to operate within agile, waterfall and bimodal methodologies; and
• Understanding of the need for effective governance and oversight process.