Business Analyst (Senior) at Discovery Limited

Key Purpose
Understanding the business requirements, and through a structured process documenting, validating and translating it into functional specifications that are used by developers to craft a technical solution. Testing and validating the functionality of the technical solution against the business requirements. Ensuring that the business requirements are delivered in the implemented solution. Translate the business vision into the design. Connect the business model to the systems architecture. Interfacing between the business client and the development team with regards to the business and functional requirements. Working with multiple business areas and multiple teams that require deep integration of solutions. Involve scope that stretches across departmental boundaries, or which scope impacts on multiple business areas. Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, and acting as consultant on the application. Lead a team of business analysts in a business area. Stand-in for his Development Manager if necessary in an advisory capacity.
Areas of responsibility may include but not limited to

Business Cases
Identify and highlight opportunities for improvement. Act as a consultant to the client on the application. Gauge the extent and depth of a problem which may or may not be confined to his/her own business or development area through his/her insight into the extent of the problem or opportunity. Advise when a requirement is raised which does not fit in with the business strategy.

Customer Requirements Specification (CRS)
Follow a structured process to listen to, understand and document client requirements. If needed, facilitate activities like interviews or JAD sessions to expand the understanding of the business requirements. If required, perform analytical tasks, data extracts, run queries or any other form of analysis to gather information. Following up with clients to clear up ambiguity and possible misunderstanding. Documenting the requirements in a Business Requirements Specifications (CRS) document (which may include UML models, business process documents). Ensuring alignment between the Business Case and the CRS.
Manage the quality of the documentation produced by the members in his or her team. Review the functional requirements with the client, using appropriate formats such as presentations and walk-through discussion. Obtain sign-off on CRS. Conduct peer reviews of other BAs Requirements Specifications.

Product Requirements Specification (PRS)
Design and validate the functional solution. This involves interpreting the BRS into a set of Functional Requirements Specifications (PRS). Apply knowledge of the system, interfaces and dependencies to highlight integration aspects that must be considered. Identify a set of stakeholders that need to be involved in creating and validating the PRS. Interview business and technical owners, as well as experienced members of the development team (Dev Manager, Architect). Identify and Involve other teams and domains that must be integrated to for the solution to work. Build & demonstrate GUI prototypes, to validate the designs. Perform modelling & build data models that simulate the solution. Utilise a range of techniques such as JAD, interviews, observations, questionnaires, GUI prototyping, benchmarking, data modelling, focus groups, and state diagrams.
Highlight risks and benefits of alternative solutions. Advise business on the impact of implementing the solution, specifically risk associated with resourcing or secondary impacts such as training needs & post-production support. A dvise on compliance and legislative considerations. Identify and design a set of test cases/scripts, test scenario's and test data sets to accompany the PRS. Validate the PRS and Test Basket with the client and identified stakeholders and obtain sign-off.

Solution Proposal
Review the approved CRS and PRS with the development team. If required, revert back to client or other stakeholders if technical issues require business decisions in order to proceed. Answer queries from the development team on business or functional aspects of the required solution. Defend the client business requirements.

Project Documentation
Perform Project Management activities across multiple projects, such as providing the client as well as relevant team members with estimates of the duration of tasks. Provide updates to project schedules. Maintain and update the scheduling system. Coordinate work activities between the client and development team (e.g. scheduling JAD sessions). Maintain project documentation, and update the master documentation. Provide input to technical design, and liaise between the client and the technical team. Validate and verify the project documentation.

Test Basket
Once developers have completed unit testing, test the solution by applying the test basket. Record test results and log bugs/issues back to development team, with appropriate documentation and commentary as per the test procedure. Log change controls. Once business (super users) proceed to UAT, handle client queries and do analysis on errors (if required). Refer errors back to development team, and maintain logging and documentation aspects. Validate and verify the test results obtained by others in the team. Once testing is complete, obtain client sign-off on testing.

Release Notes and Training Material
Update and publish release notes related to the current system changes implemented, and notify impacted parties. Assist trainers with queries or release notes. Present initiation papers to other teams at the Channel Forums. Maintain and update the CRS and PRS with any added content. Upload CRS, PRS and TS to the SharePoint server, and load links into the scheduling system. Keep status updated. Check documents in and out of system. Validate and verify the release documentation.
During go-live, perform live monitoring of the new system. If required, make configuration settings/updates, version number changes, workflow and configuration table changes.

Query Reporting
Respond to incidents escalated by the Incidents team, log issues in the appropriate issues tracking system, conduct preliminary analysis on issues, provide reporting to Dev Manager or PM on project activities and status.

Guidelines, Standards and Reference
Participate in internal forums such as Business Analysts Work Group and lead work streams. Conduct training with own team, take reusability into account when designing client solutions. Contribute to the design of the methodology and templates (BABOK). Conduct peer reviews and QA audits on other teams.

Requirements Validation Report
Review the requirements specifications from Junior BAs and BAs in context of the business strategy. Identify gaps, inconsistencies, and initiatives that do not make sense with in the bigger context of the business unit's objectives. Review the requirements against standards and established methodologies, policies and practices. Submit a validation report and address issues identified.
Personal Attributes and Skills
Behavioural Skills

• Customer service orientation, results orientation, conflict resolution, negotiation skills, time management, professional communication (written, verbal, presenting and listening), creativeness, innovation, stress management, assertiveness, tenacity.

Technical Skills

• Project management, SQL queries, business writing skills, presentation and facilitation skills, solution architecture, process mapping, entity diagram mapping, software testing pack design, functional testing.

Education and Experience

•  Informatics or relevant degree (CBAP or Master’s degree – beneficial)
•  Exposure to a Pre-Sales environment including RFP's
•  Minimum 6 years’ experience as a BA
• Strong Consulting exprience
• Business experience and product knowledge
• Knowledge of ITIL, CMMI, PCMM
• Technical knowledge of SQL, UML, XML, OO
• Solution architecture, data modelling techniques, UML Process Design, Industry compliance standards and legislation

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.