Lead Business Analyst

Feel Good Investing starts with great decisions, and as a Lead Business Analyst at AJ Bell, you'll help shape many of them. You'll work closely with senior leaders across the business to drive strategic change, improve customer experiences and identify opportunities that support our continued growth. Your insight and leadership will help us deliver innovative solutions that make investing easier, more accessible and more rewarding for hundreds of thousands of customers.

Job Responsibilities

• Work with executive stakeholders to determine the contribution that business and IT improvements can make to achieving business objectives; defining strategies, agreeing and prioritising business requirements, conducting feasibility studies, producing both organisational-level and detailed business models, and overseeing the definition and implementation of holistic solutions.
• Responsibility for the business analysis service provision for an organisation or business unit, where advice given and decisions made will have a measurable impact on the profitability or effectiveness of the organisation. Determining the value proposition for the business analysis function.
• Recognise opportunities for the business from organisational and technological change and define change initiatives that will exploit such opportunities.
• Advise and influence executive management throughout the business change lifecycle, ensuring that change initiatives are aligned with the strategy and enterprise architecture.
• Writing and presenting fluently and persuasively on all aspects of business analysis work will be a core skill of yours, while communicating effectively with executives and staff at all levels

• Manage the day-to-day tasks of the team to support timely and high-quality delivery in accordance with the agreed practices and methodology
• Remove blockers to delivery or escalate for resolution where appropriate
• Liaise with external suppliers on deliverables
• Support production incidents as appropriate
• Conduct performance reviews acknowledging achievements and areas for development and improvement

Your Skills and Competencies 

• Agile working. You can coach and lead teams in Agile and Lean practices, determining the right approach for the team to take and evaluating this through the life of a project. You can think of new and innovative ways of working to achieve the right outcomes. You can act as a recognised expert and advocate for the approaches, continuously reflecting and challenging the team.
• Business analysis. You can set the direction for business analysis within a programme of work, enterprise or wider sector. You can guide tactical decision making and influence the formulation of longer-term strategic plans in an evolving, complex and unpredictable environment. You can give colleagues the means and authority to make decisions about their approach to business analysis activities. You can ensure that the proposed solutions align with the organisational strategy and vision.
• Business modelling. You can set the direction of scope and methodology for the representation of real world complex situations across a programme or organisation
• Consultancy (business analysis). You can provide advice, guidance and recommendations based on your specialist knowledge and experience. You can propose methodologies to follow and approaches to implementation. You can frame problems so they can easily be understood, and troubleshoot where required, to support the business in operating more effectively
• Enterprise and business architecture (business analyst). You can work with limited direction to translate business drivers, goals and constraints into business objectives. You can help to define required capabilities and support organisational changes to create operating models that meet business objectives.
• Requirements definition and management. You can direct the approach to requirements management. You can enable others to select and apply appropriate life cycle methods. You can influence the prioritisation of complex requirement sets, enabling long-term strategic decision making and short-term tactical fixes. You can ensure the proposed solutions align with the organisational strategy and vision. (Skill level: expert)
• Stakeholder relationship management (business analysis). You can develop engagement strategies and lead on communication with stakeholders at all levels. You can actively establish relationships and apply the benefits of professional networks. You can act as a point of consultation and escalation to resolve conflict in complex situations.
• Systems analysis. You can set the direction for the identification and analysis of IT system capabilities. You can identify gaps in functionality and enable others to explore and assess the effect of software changes. You can demonstrate a strong understanding of business perspectives and technical concepts, and can bring them together to form recommendations and a common understanding. You can communicate this effectively between users, development teams and external suppliers.
• Testing (business analysis). You can recommend the value of testing and apply the relevant tools and techniques to ensure test validity.
• User experience analysis. You can advise on the approach to analysis, prioritisation and validation of user experience needs. You can recommend a range of techniques to analyse the user experience and ensure that it meets business and user needs.

About AJ Bell 

At AJ Bell, we believe investing should feel good. Whether you're looking for an ISA, pension, or dealing account, whether you want to invest with the help of a financial adviser or do it yourself, we have easy-to-use solutions to suit people from all walks of life.

We're one of the UK's fastest-growing investment platform businesses, trusted by everyone from professional financial advisers to first-time investors.

Today, over 762,000 customers trust us to manage more than £121.5 billion of assets. By continually striving to make investing simpler and more accessible, we're helping more people take control of their financial futures.

Customer insight plays an important role in that ambition. By understanding what customers need and using evidence to improve how we communicate with them, we can create experiences that are more relevant, useful and effective.

We're proud to be recognised as a Great Place to Work® for the past two years, building on six consecutive years as one of the UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For. It's recognition we're proud of and a reflection of the supportive and collaborative culture we strive to create for our people.

What we offer 

• 27 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays 
• 8% Pension with matched contributions 
• Discretionary bonus scheme 
• Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE) 
• Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare 
• Free gym 
• Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria) 
• Travel and bike loan schemes 
• Employee Assistance Programme 

Life at AJ Bell 

• Regular social events including summer and Christmas parties 
• Learning and development opportunities tailored to you 
• Casual dress code 
• Friendly, supportive team environment 

Our ways of working 

We offer hybrid working, with a minimum of 60% of your working time per month spent in the office. This role is based in our Salford Quays Office. 

For new starters, there is an initial period of full-time office working to help you settle in and build relationships. 

Inclusion & diversity 

We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and able to be themselves at work. 

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience, and potential.