IT Business Analyst

About the Role:

As we continue to grow and add top talent to the Baird technology team, we are currently seeking a Senior Business Analyst for our Milwaukee office.  The Senior Business Analyst is responsible for eliciting requirements to facilitate a shared understanding across the team and leading the delivery of high-quality solutions for our stakeholders along with mentoring Business Analysts.  

This is a hybrid opportunity working 2-3 days/week in office at our Milwaukee, WI headquarters.

The Impact You'll Make:

Analysis and Solution Development 

Business Process Analysis

• Independently elicits functional & nonfunctional requirements using interviews, workflow analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, etc. to provide business process descriptions, business requirements, use cases, and user stories - and mentors others
• Assesses situations and appropriately applies advanced BA approaches and techniques
• Develops analysis approach for large and/or complex efforts with support and guidance
• Quickly develops an understanding of value streams and end-to-end processes, while looking for opportunities for improvement
• Connects day-to-day work, for self and team, to strategic outcomes and goals of the firm
• Able to work in ambiguous situations, with minimal guidance, and create an actionable plan

Systems Analysis

• Facilitates collaboration with project team members (developers, architects, product owners) to establish the technical vision and analyze tradeoffs
• Leads execution and may mentor others
• Quickly develops an end-to-end knowledge of technology environment and partners to understand business impacts
• Begins to provide guidance to their team on concepts, approaches, and best practices for leveraging data to drive requirements 
• Uses a variety of tools to generate data visualizations and diagrams in support of analysis approach

Relationship Management

• Builds trusting relationships and represents IT in strategic conversations between business partners and CRG leaders, with minimal guidance
• Identifies and resolves conflicting objectives/expectations between senior leaders, with minimal guidance
• Knows when to communicate information and does so effectively, with minimal guidance
• Tailors message and communication style and can pivot as needed, with minimal guidance
• Leads interactions with associates at all levels of the organization, including COOs and senior business leaders, with minimal guidance
• Leads the definition of team and strategy, with minimal guidance
• Has awareness of organizational dynamics and, with minimal guidance, navigates to drive decisions and achieve outcomes
• Has an established network throughout Baird and, with minimal guidance, leverages it to navigate complex situations

Business Analysis Practice Leadership 

• Serves as a business analyst role model across the IT portfolio with strong expertise and understanding of the Baird business they are aligned with and how it serves our internal/external clients
• Knows how to assess development needs and mentors other Business Analysts, with guidance
• Is considered a leader and subject matter expert within the BA Community of Practice

Delivery Leadership

• Articulates thoughts and recommendations effectively
• Recognizes the strategic business needs and leads the team, IT- and business- leadership to deliver business-impactful results
• Leads large and/or complex initiatives and helps coordinate organizational changes
• Effectively challenges and drives continuous improvement on immediate team and across the portfolio
• Experienced in identifying the appropriate project methodology and coaching the applicable delivery principles and best practices within teams and initiatives

Solution Delivery

• Provides leadership and team facilitation for aligned project team members
• Effectively manages stakeholder expectations
• Leads and executes work using a variety of project methodologies (lean, agile, waterfall, iterative) based on project need with minimal guidance
• Identifies and manages project risks, issues, dependencies, and milestones in accordance with project need

Technology Strategy

• Maintains the department’s technology backlog and prioritizes work. Must be comfortable assessing and articulating the ROI of prioritized work.
• Conducts regular meetings with technology end users to understand business needs, including ongoing feedback loops to keep end users aware of progress. Must be comfortable weighing and articulating competing priorities across end users.

Quality Assurance

• Participates in the design and execution of a quality approach
• Facilitates requirements validation and User Acceptance Testing with the client, third-party vendors and other team members

What You'll Bring to Baird:

• At least 7 years IT related experience including a minimum of 5 years Business Analysis and/or Product Management experience
• B.S. in Computer Science, MIS, Business Administration, or Finance is preferred and we will consider equivalent experience.
• Two years serving as a Business Analyst and/or Product Management in the financial industry is preferred
• Experience in an agile/lean delivery environment is preferred
• Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office is required. In addition, experience with a variety of tools for prototyping, modeling, data analysis, reporting, backlog and value stream management is preferred (MS Visio, PowerBI, Balsamiq, and Rally).
• Exposure to data visualization techniques (SQL) is preferred
• Exposure to Salesforce is a plus
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, ability to influence without authority including with senior business leaders
• Detail-oriented and possesses exceptional organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills

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Baird is committed to diversity and provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.