IT Business Analyst

Starting annual salary:  $72,780, DOE

General Statement of Duties

The IT Business Analyst is tasked with translating customer processes into actionable IT projects within the scope of the Project Management Office (PMO). The Business Analyst works with the Project Manager to coordinate, organize, execute, and deliver approved IT projects to County Offices and Departments by partnering with IT and the business to develop test scenarios and test scripts with a focus on requirements.

Classification Summary

The Business Analyst develops and maintains business relationships with the County; analyzes user needs; and develops specifications for internal and third-party IT applications based on those needs.  This position is expected to communicate effectively and professionally with management, vendors and IT staff to identify opportunities for process improvement and creating solutions to improve these deficiencies. The IT Business Analyst acts as the liaison between the business units and technology teams in project implementation. The work is performed under the general direction of the Project Manager, but considerable latitude is granted for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Analyze the performance of IT solutions and suggest actions to correct deficiencies based on consultation with users and IT personnel;
• Gain understanding of needed changes or modifications of existing programs;
• Work with stakeholders to gather detailed business and/or project requirements including initial scoping, issue statements, goals and objectives, cost estimates and preliminary milestones for proposed IT projects;
• Create or assist in the development of all project documents and deliverables;
• Translate business needs into application and operational requirements in the form of user stories, functional requirements, use case, or use case scenarios;
• Manage, report on, and resolve issues encountered during the execution of a project, with approval of the project team and management;
• Identify project risks and changes to project plans;
• Be an active participant in all phases of the project lifecycle and work with several parties to ensure that all business requirements are understood, documented and met:
• Coordinate and track implementation with users and ensure  sufficient user training takes place;
• Work with the Project Manager to develop, track and report project milestones;
• SharePoint Administration and site creation for the purpose of project documentation, time tracking, and other uses directed by the Project Manager;
• Identify business needs via industry-standard gathering techniques such as interviews, workshops, and analysis of existing documentation or procedures;
• Assist the PMO with developing a deeper understanding of business needs through deliverables including, but not limited to; business requirements, process mappings, mock-ups, As-Is and To-Be process gap analyses, and flowcharts;
• Define test conditions, develop test plans, and conduct or assist testing according to approved plan;
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication;
• Work cooperatively and constructively with fellow workers and members of the public to provide public service of the highest quality and quantity;
• Prioritize multiple tasks effectively;
• Perform all work assignments and activities in accordance with County policies, procedures and safety policies;
• Other duties as assigned by the Project Manager;

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated working knowledge of:

• Requirements gathering methods;
• Technical and formal Writing skills;
• Project management concepts, techniques, tools and processes;
• User acceptance testing;

Demonstrated ability to:

• Capture, Analyze and document business and user requirements;
• Understand and carry out instructions in a courteous, professional and effective manner;
• Operate standard office equipment, including a personal computer using program applications appropriate to assigned duties;
• Communicate in a team-oriented and collaborative environment;
• Collaborate with developers, programmers and System Administrators in conceptualizing, development and modification of software programs and applications;
• Coordinate and monitor software testing on new & existing programs for the purpose of correcting errors, isolating areas for improvement and general debugging;
• Lead the development and maintenance of user manuals, guidelines and other documentation;
• Institute training for end-users to operate new or modified programs;
• Be flexible and remain open to new ideas and processes;

Acceptable Experience and Training 

• Associate’s degree in a science related field; and
• Eight (8) years of IT experience and;
• Three (3) years of business analyst experience; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge and abilities necessary to perform the work;

Desired Skills and Experience

• Current PMP or similar certification desired;
• Experience with Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Project, SharePoint, Excel, MS Office Applications;
• Knowledge of and experience with projects in an enterprise-level IT environment;
• Experience in data gathering and facilitation techniques;
• Strong knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices and procedures within the IT field;
• Familiar with change management practices;

Special Qualifications

• Must possess a valid Driver’s License;
• Must successfully complete a background investigation through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC);
• Local travel may be required for the purpose of analysis, consulting, and training;

Essential Physical Abilities

• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to discern verbal instructions and to communicate effectively in person and by telephone;
• Sufficient visual acuity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to comprehend written work instructions, comprehend and prepare written technical reports and diagrams;
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to operate and make adjustments to computers, tools and equipment;
• Sufficient body mobility, flexibility, agility and strength to work in an office environment, perform duties that may require bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching and to occasionally move or lift up to 50 pounds;