Business Analyst

Job Description

Analyzes complex business problems in the areas of identifying, evaluating and developing processes, procedures, policies, training, functional testing, data quality and workflows that are cost effective and meet business requirements. Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. Expected to develop business requirements with expertise provided from business system analysts including understanding and analyzing the competitive situation; understanding business practices and approaches; recommending business process changes; understanding how to integrate systems and business possesses; driving their work into systems initiatives; understanding business organization, politics and culture; managing change in the business; developing business processes, procedures, and training; exercising any required project management. There are two major roles required to complete business requirements. One is the person from the business-side called a Business Analyst (BA) and the other is the Business Systems Analyst (BSA). In the design of the BA and BSA roles, there is overlap in the areas of understanding the business and eventually how the automation supports the business. The BA focuses in-depth on the business functionality. The BSA focuses on being the expert partner on how to take that business knowledge into automation and systems. The BSA is responsible for bringing the best practices on how to define and implement business functions, process, workflow, and organizational change management. The BA is responsible for making sure the business needs are met using the expertise brought to the table. A Business Analyst is fully knowledgeable on the business's processes, workflow, controls, and functions. Depending upon the person and the situation, this person may just be a resource for helping define the business processes or responsible for additional roles related to the business processes and the projects that are pursued. They may be responsible for defining these processes, workflow and controls and then actually helping get them executed. They can be held accountable for the training, quality and accuracy of the processes. They may serve as the business owner for these processes but this is rare. When it comes to projects, they may be assigned roles related to the project and the business's responsibilities on the project. Sometimes they may be assigned the role of business-side project manager on a project. If they are a business project manager, they may be teamed up with a project manager from the IT side. In a project, they will be the primary person for approving the business requirements, completing the policies and procedures, addressing business side data conversion and quality, and conducting and approving user acceptance testing. They will be involved in the implementation of business controls related to the project. They will be responsible for the business's side of training and rollout of the project into the various business departments.