Senior Business Analyst

Senior Business Analyst

We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and professional Senior Business Analyst with a background working with working knowledge of airline booking tools, Travelport or other GDS systems to join a highly skilled team based in Manchester.

Previous BA experience at Senior level, managing a team and delivering business system and process change is essential

Role:

• The Senior Business Analyst is responsible for managing the analysis function and being a Subject Matter Expert, defining and owning the capabilities of the business systems.
• This position manages a small team of Business Analysts and works closely with technical stakeholders and colleagues in capturing as-is and proposed changes to processes and systems and supporting them through to realising business case benefits.
• The role of Senior Business Analyst provides governance and oversight across a portfolio of complex initiatives spanning one or more lines of business across various business units.

Essential functions of the job

• Be the go-to expert for software platforms, product sets and business system capabilities.
• Seek solutions and address deficiencies in a product, process or knowledge and manage delivery into production and live use for business across all regional offices.
• Define and develop capabilities of an existing product or process in live operation.
• Capture and transform business requirements into technical solutions using appropriate techniques such as Use Cases, User Stories, UML diagrams and other artefacts.
• Test new functionality as defined and developed with individual and/or instrumental involvement.
• Analyse APIs for integrating third-party platforms such as airline reservation and airport operation systems, hotel booking facilities, payment gateways, insurance services etc.
• Run workshops with internal and external stakeholders, and work with third-party providers and experts where necessary, to understand the behaviours and requirements of interface systems.
• Demonstrate and present product and resolution ideas both internally and externally to existing/potential clients, supplier partners or third-party providers.
• Supply visibility of product or process changes, ensuring awareness and clear requirements for technical teams to work to.
• Provide assistance, support and guidance to all appropriate personnel for business and technical system requirements.
• Drive and support feasibility studies, vendor selections and proposals for stakeholder evaluation.
• Assist in defining the success criteria of any given initiative and report on the actual realised benefits.
• Oversee governance across a portfolio of complex initiatives, spanning multiple global divisions and regions, ensuring alignment to company strategic objectives.
• Identify how proposed solutions will address business goals while maintaining adherence to Travel industry rules and best practice.
• Prepare progress reports, proposals, requirement documentation and presentations for various audiences such as project teams, sponsors, CTO and relevant stakeholders.
• Establish analysis practices, policies, templates, tools and partnerships to meet and mature business needs and capabilities specific to the company.
• Manage a small team of Business Analysts including general day-to-day people management, coaching and mentoring, motivation and supervision, workload distribution, performance, appraisals, absence etc.

Other responsibilities of the job

• Manage the lifecycle of small change, enabling continuous improvements to be made to processes and systems with minimal disruption to the business.
• Keep up-to-date and familiar with industry standards and trends.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Education, experience and skills

Education to Degree level or higher

In lieu of education: equivalent combination of education and directly related experience

Previous BA experience at Senior level, managing a team and delivering business system and process change.

Working knowledge of airline booking tools, Travelport or other GDS systems.

Working knowledge in commercial IT/software delivery, and airline or general travel industry experience.

Track record of working successfully in a fast-paced environment and collaborating across multiple business areas to achieve common organisation objectives.

Track record of producing effective technical and non-technical documentation.

Demonstrated understanding of common interfacing and integration technologies and standards.

Demonstrated understanding of UML and other common modelling languages and tools

Competent user of Microsoft Office 365 and collaboration tools.