To provide Business Analysis on the more complex City Council projects and programmes. The role will also support Assistant Business Analysts.
Main Areas of Responsibility:
Technical:
Act as Business Analysis lead on the more complex City Council transformation projects and programmes
Lead and deliver all aspects of complex strategic improvement and change activity in a defined functional discipline or cross-business process
Identify opportunities to capitalise on existing or emerging technologies to meet customer needs
Identify the best-fit business analysis approach such as Lean, six sigma etc. to ensure business analysis outputs meet the needs of programmes and projects. Advise Assistant Business Analysts on this where needed
Take full responsibility for the business analysis phase of the project lifecycle and act as a key contact for customers and senior managers throughout this phase
Assess complex customer activities to identify opportunities to streamline processes to deliver added value, reduce costs or maximise project benefits
Challenge non-fact based decisions and create both innovative and disciplined ways of working
Complete comprehensive, cross-functional as-is business process documentation to identify current processes and responsibilities as well as more effective, efficient to-be processes to allow customers and stakeholders to visualise and understand suggested improvements
Produce detailed documentation such as statement of requirements to fully capture customer requirements
Use a variety of documentation methods and templates to ensure requirements are captured clearly and without risk of ambiguity. Take ownership of these documents to ensure they remain fully fit for purpose
Present business analysis findings to the customer, key stakeholders and senior management
Take accountability for final customer sign off of business analysis activities.
Liaise with technical design professionals to ensure proposed solutions meet with customer requirements and expectations
To lead on embedding a 'business improvement' way of working at all levels of the organisation that delivers sustainable improvement including improved customer satisfaction, increased revenues and decreased costs
Demonstrate the value of using 'business improvement' techniques by helping people to understand what and how they will help them to achieve their goals
Lead on continually reviewing internal business analysis practices to ensure they are fit for purpose, in line with industry best practice and delivering exceptional outcomes for customers and stakeholders
Support or, where required, lead on the production of business cases to ensure proposed programmes deliver best value
Lead on the delivery and documentation of post implementation benefit reviews
Develop and maintain an excellent relationship with key internal/external customers and suppliers as appropriate for ongoing improvement initiatives/activities
Provide support and occasional supervision to Assistant Business Analysts and other junior team members
Manage personal workload and schedules to ensure activities meet customer expectations, business drivers and do not put project or programme delivery timescales at risk
Identify and assess changes to national, regional and local legislation and policies and understand and explain the impacts of these changes on the business environment/processes as well as contributing to the development of local policy
General
Ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to provide for a positive work/life balance both in terms of personal workload and that of direct reports
Other
Undertake, where required, other responsibilities and duties including work related to all areas of business, on behalf of the organisation, where this is commensurate with the grade of the post. This may entail working from other locations
Supervision and Management Responsibility:
Will be responsible for supervising junior project team members including coordinating operational tasks, coaching and mentoring, and providing feedback on performance
Budget and Financial Responsibility:
Being fully accountable for managing the councils resources well and complying with statutory requirements. This includes managing time, avoiding unnecessary waste, reuse and recycle resources to reduce personal impact
Set, monitor, and remain within budget whilst challenging the team to deliver increased efficiencies
Explores different options for funding and income generation
Drive for social value through all activities, ensuring wider social, economic and environmental benefits for the council, residents and communities
Personal Specification
Qualification and training
Essential
Degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline
Successful completion of one or more Practitioner level Business Analysis training courses, or relevant experience
Desirable
Knowledge and understanding of project management methodologies (e.g. Prince2, Agile)
Experience
Appropriate experience of carrying out business analysis activities (A, I, P)
Experience of working on enterprise-wide transformation programmes (A, I)
Experience of working with cross-functional teams with competing priorities and business drivers. (A, I)
Evidence of facilitating, hosting and presenting meetings and workshops with key stakeholders including senior management (A, I)
Desirable
Authoritative knowledge of techniques associated with business process improvement
Evidence of the preparation and successful submission of business analysis documentation
Appropriate evidence of utilising a range of methods to capture and analyse customer requirements
Experience of working within Local Government
Skills/Abilities
Essential
Analytical skills (A, I, P)
Process management, design and implementation (A, I, P)
Demonstrates attention to detail when completing documentation and presenting findings (A, I)
Understanding of change in an organisation (A, I, P)
Desirable
Excellent inter-personal skills
Listening skills
Presentation skills
A good understanding of digital transformation with a strong technical and ICT awareness
Ability to undertake appropriate background research
Ability to elicit the customers views and concerns
Ability to work in a professional and tactful manner when dealing with customers and staff
An assertive and innovative approach to problem solving
Ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines
Ability to identify issues and challenges by using proving questioning techniques
Business improvement, quality systems/tools and techniques design and implementation
Confident and ability to communicate and present complex detail in a format that is understood by all
To present a professional and competent image of the business to internal/external customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders
Ability to work independently or with minimal supervision
Understanding of service level agreements and supplier relationships
Commitment
Desirable
An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council
Focused on project delivery and customer satisfaction
Understand and anticipate customers needs and aspirations, owning their issues through to resolution
Ownership of problems
Desire to learn; improve and progress, personally and within the context of a team