Business Analyst : Digital (Jhb)

FACILITATE the full lifecycle of a strategic project via the Transition Value Chain of a Joburg Retail and Consumer Finance Concern seeking your expertise as a strategic-thinking Business Analyst who can lead digital transformation.

Your role will entail performing first assessment of project ideas as input for the group's digital project grooming and management process, identifying project risks while facilitating workshops to document the current business processes & ensuring solutions are implemented.

The successful incumbent must possess a University Degree in BSc, BSc (Eng), BSc (Comp Science) or BCom (Informatics) or equivalent, have 5 years work experience in Business Analysis / Business Consulting, 3 years in the Retail or Financial Industry including Lean and / or Six Sigma experience and accreditation advantageous.

You must also have knowledge and understanding of Project Management principles with a command of Business Analysis techniques – including the application of industry-standard methodologies, techniques and use of software & Business Process Mapping.

DUTIES:

1. Initiate and execute Project Establishment Initiation Activities – Contribute at a high level in providing expertise in defining the best solution options for any given opportunity.
2. Perform first assessment of project ideas as input for the group's digital project grooming and management process.
3. Ensure that the definition of the project scope and all other documentation needed in the Project Concept and/or Project Charter document/s is obtained by facilitating a project definition workshop.
4. Provide advice, investigating, estimating and calculating costs, timelines, resources and plans for the composition and approval of the project stage business cases.
5. Create and present business proposals to senior management in order to attain approval and prioritisation.
6. Evaluate and ascertain the KPIs affected and Business Value and advise Senior Management on the improvements expected as a result of the proposed change/s.
7. Gather and document business requirements – Investigate and perform a business needs analysis, by interviewing the Product or Business Process Owners, to determine business requirements and identify possible alternatives and/or solutions to achieve these requirements and ensure that the project is suitably defined, designed and implemented.
8. Identify project risks either by consultation with key stakeholders and/or a risk assessment workshop and develop mitigating action plans in agreement with the Project Sponsor/Project Owner, thereafter, document such risks and actions in the Project Risk Register for ongoing monitoring.
9. Ensure all the business requirements, evaluations and recommendations of possible business solutions, assessments and feasibility analysis are documented, circulated and signed off by the relevant stakeholders for use in defining and designing the project.
10. Source, evaluate and make recommendations on any external vendors which may be required to assist in the development and/or implementation of the project.
11. Analyse and document the changes required in system architecture – If required, facilitate workshops to document the current business processes.
12. In consultation with the Business Owner and identified solutions partner, ensure the proposed processes are documented.
13. Consult with IT Architects on the IT architecture to determine the required changes to existing architecture based on the business requirements and updated processes and document the envisaged architecture design.
14. Identify IT interfaces and IT integration points to ensure integrated functional specifications, by consulting and workshopping with the IT System Analysis teams, Group Strategy, Enterprise Architect, Vendors, etc.
15. Ensure that the Functional Design document is completed by the identified solutions partner, whether internal or external, and is signed off by the relevant parties.
16. Analyse the data flow required in the new solution in consultation with IT architecture and the solutions partner/s and ensure that the data flow diagram is documented.
17. Investigate options available, including best practices, based on the updated business processes and functional design document.
18. Undertake a feasibility and impact analysis of solutions identified (people, process and system infrastructure) with key stakeholders, internal, external and technology staff to further define project requirements for the definition, design and build of the project.
19. Ensure that the solution is tested and validated against the business requirements – In consultation with the relevant parties, assist with the documentation of user test cases required to assess that the implemented changes meet the business requirements.
20. Co-ordinate all User Acceptance Testing with regard to securing test users, the test location, the relevant access rights and by documenting all results and where required perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT) as undertaken and stipulated by the IT methodology.
21. Evaluate the vendors' products/solutions and the integration capability of the products/solutions with the Group to ensure the solution is compliant in terms of required standards, design and fit to the Enterprise Architecture.
22. Obtain sign-off of the Proof of Testing, including Unit Testing and User Acceptance Testing.
23. Ensure the IT Service Catalogue is updated to sufficiently cater for the proposed changes.
24. Implement the solution and conduct a handover to operations – Ensure that the implemented change is successful once deployed, logging all issues on the issues log where required.
25. Update process library in line with the deployed change/s.
26. Ensure that change programs are coordinated, support one another and move along the critical path.
27. Create and maintain the imperative for the change, establish priorities and provide visible sponsorship for the change.
28. Ensure that the skills, knowledge, processes, organization structure, tools and training required to deliver the change is provided by the required parties.
29. Ensure that the individuals involved buy into the change, actively support it, are adequately trained and adopt their behaviour accordingly.
30. Manage the project through its lifecycle – Coordinate a matrix of team members across departments within an organisation to ensure completion of project tasks.
31. Develop the detailed work breakdown structure of complex activities and form them into an integrated plan.
32. Provide time-based schedules and resource allocations for complex plans or implementations.
33. Manage Program/Project teams to ensure program stays on schedule, on budget, and meets performance expectations.
34. Conduct a Project Close-Out workshop and collate the feedback for future efficiencies.
35. Conduct an analysis on the project's ROI, KPI improvement and/or Business Value increase and document the findings.
36. Present a post-project evaluation to Senior Management to provide feedback on the implementation and operationalisation of the project.
37. Effective self-management and teamwork – Actively and consistently maintain high standards of professionalism in all aspects of personal presentation and delivery.
38. Apply knowledge of the organisational systems, structures, policies and procedures to achieve results.
39. Demonstrate initiative in follow through to ensure that personal quality and productivity standards are consistently and accurately maintained.
40. Provide appropriate resolution for tasks or deadlines not met.
41. Support and drive the business' core values.
42. Maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback.
43. Take ownership for driving own career development.
44. Show commitment to teamwork and a willingness to go the extra mile to achieve team objectives.

REQUIREMENTS:

Qualifications – An appropriate University Degree with preference for a BSc, BSc (Eng), BSc (Comp Science) or BCom (Informatics).

Experience / Skills – 5 Years Business Analysis / Business Consulting experience. 3 Years' work experience in the Retail or Financial Industry. Lean and/or Six Sigma experience and accreditation advantageous. Knowledge and understanding of Project Management principles and command of Business Analysis techniques – including the application of industry-standard methodologies, techniques and use of software.