BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST

Description:

Under general direction, assist project sponsors and application owners in defining and documenting business objectives, processes and high-level business requirements for assigned projects.

Develop use cases and business, process, and/or data models to communicate scope of required changes that map into broader business and systems strategies.

Identify impacted systems and functions and work with owning systems development staff members to propose and recommend technical solutions.

Develop detailed business requirements which can be used by developers for project estimating and systems development; and/or which can be used to assess external vendor systems.

Assist in facilitating project sponsors and business units through the “Buy vs. Build” decision-making process when external vendor systems are a viable option.

During systems development, participate in systems design reviews and update models and requirements documentation as changes occur.

Work with business unit representatives to develop and maintain user acceptance test conditions and test plans.

Function as MSD project leader during business requirements phase of large enhancement and medium development projects that require process and/or data modeling and involve multiple MSD resources.

Routinely responsible for multiple projects and effectively integrates project priorities. Under general direction, responsible for planning, directing and controlling project progress to meet cost and schedule requirements. When presented with significant project scope changes, identify the impact of the changes and develop/implement a plan to accommodate approved changes.

Provide guidance and assistance to less experienced staff members. Guide and assist fellow team members in the successful completion of tasks.

Responsibilities:

Maintain high level of proficiency in selected methodologies for assigned tasks in order to complete own assignments and to provide guidance to other team members.
Maintain advanced analytical and communication skills (both written and verbal) in order to create requirements which define sound, flexible solutions to business problems.
Effectively communicate requirement definition for business problems to business unit representatives, management, impacted project teams, and executives.
Maintain proficiency in project management methods to plan, track, and report status of projects. Proactively manage expectations of all customers and management by identifying, communicating, and mitigating risks.
Continually enhance knowledge of financial services industry in general and Waddell & Reed business functions, in particular.
Train new employees, serve on standards subcommittees and participate in the evaluation of tools and methods for business system analysis.
Maintain high level of personal productivity and quality and help others within team, organization and company to make improvements.
Positively respond to change and influence others to do the same.
Operate with a strong sense of urgency, emphasizing action; Rapidly resolving issues with own and with team’s work, plan and direction.
Foster cooperation and build consensus; Gain agreement and resolve issues and conflicts, often among multiple external entities or persons.
REQUIREMENTS
Skills, knowledge and experience needed:

•Three or more years of work experience in a Business Systems Analyst position (or equivalent) utilizing structured analysis tools and methods; including demonstration of successful implementation of moderately complex systems solutions.
•Experience leading business representatives through process and/or data modeling and the business requirements gathering process utilizing FAS (Facilitated Analysis Sessions) and/or JAD (Joint Application Design) methodologies.
•One or more years relational database experience, including working knowledge of logical data modeling.
•Two or more years experience in developing use cases to capture business requirements in support of client/server and/or object-oriented systems preferred.
•One or more years of formal project management experience required, including successful management of a moderately complex project(s) through completion.
•Two or more years experience working in a technical software development organization required.
•Highly skilled in verbal and written communications; experience in presentation development and delivery preferred.
•Must work effectively in a team environment.
•Proven ability to solve moderately complex business problems.
•Experience working with tight deadlines in a continuously changing environment.
•College degree in software development discipline or equivalent experience.
•Proficient in MS Office products.
•Previous experience in mutual funds or financial industry preferred.
•Siebel experience a plus.