Business Analyst (ITS4)

While this announcement is open until filled, it is to your advantage to apply early. First review of applicants will occur on March 19, 2018. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision at any time.
 

WSDA is seeking an intelligent, analytical and ambitious individual to fill our Business Analyst position. This permanent, full-time positon works out of our Headquarters in beautiful downtown Olympia, WA. 
Olympia has something for everyone, from colleges to boutique shops to walking trails and restaurants serving locally sourced meals – without the crazy Seattle traffic.
 
In addition to the great location you will get to enjoy other benefits as a state employee including 11 paid Holidays and outstanding benefits including Life Insurance, Long Term Disability insurance, Health Insurance, and 100% employer-paid Dental.
 
Accomplishing the WSDA mission is dependent on the ability of this position to assist in the development of new business systems, migration of old mission critical business systems and enhancing existing ones. If you are excited about the opportunity to lead the agency in providing current technologies to address the many legislative directives, mandates and rising demands of agricultural business in Washington State – apply today!
 

 

Some of what you will be doing:
As the Business Analyst you will be the liaison between business units who have a problem to solve, and the technical staff that knows how to create automated business solutions. The major focus of this position is discovering and communicating the software needs, desires and ideas of the business unit to the software developer. When the work performed by this position is executed effectively it will ultimately improve the performance, accountability and effectiveness of agency programs.

• Learns/understands the business unit's goals and objectives, for a given project, and leads the interactive analysis and gathering of data to define solution requirements that meets the needs of the business. Able to provide the information gathered in these interactive events in an understandable way to the various levels of information technology staff including Project Managers, Business owners and vendors, Architects, Quality Assurance staff, Developers and Executives.  
• Gathers information from business unit(s) through the use of various techniques and processes such as:
  • Creating context diagrams
  • Process models
  • Project requirements definitions
  • Success measures
  • Acceptance criteria
  • Use cases
  • Business rules
  • Prototype screens/Mock-ups
  • Business process flow diagrams (current and future using a LEAN process improvement methodology)
  • Facilitating group sessions
  • Conducting individual interviews
  • Requirements workshops
  • Document analysis (reports)
  • Researching key client processes and functions
• Serves as management advisor and technical consultant within the agency for large-scale projects or enterprise systems.
• Acts as a liaison between the business and technical worlds. Understands the business unit's goals and objectives as well as the potential use of technology and its limitations and can explain the constraints in understandable terms to both business unit(s) and technology workgroups.
• Provides support to business partners who are requesting new development or major enhancements to existing business systems.
• Defines solution requirements for applications that have significant statewide impact, and are organization wide, high risk/high impact or mission critical.
• Collaborates with Business Unit(s) and Technology workgroups in the development of; process models, project requirements definitions, business process flow diagrams, design documents, work breakdown structures, success measures, acceptance criteria, user acceptance testing, and deployment/post implementation documentation.
• Builds and maintains a working relationship with members of the supported business areas.
• Consults with business unit(s) to analyze technology needs and business problems or opportunities.
• Facilitates change management processes to assist the business staff through transitions caused by culture changes associated with large technological and business process changes (a collaborative effort with the Business Sponsor). These steps include providing a benefit analysis, risk assessment, performance metrics, communication strategies, user preparation, training, product implementation strategy, etc. to ensure that users are ready for the implementation of new technology solutions or changes to products.
• Works with project teams, especially the Business Sponsor and Project Manager, to ensure business expectations are timely and effectively articulated and understood by the project team.
• Learn/understand the products and processes of the business unit to comprehend what the customers are experiencing and be able to articulate that to the technical staff.
• Analyzes and evaluates complex process and/or system changes to applications supported by the agency's technology workgroups.
• Facilitates the resolution of functional and other business issues by reviewing requests from users, gathering statistical data, and conducting studies to determine needs.
• Facilitate testing activities, including test case identification, preparation, and execution and provides structured user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Works with testers in setting up test data and provides them with an understanding of the business and system processes that will be tested.
• Facilitate training activities, including training material review, creation of training schedule, and ensuring staff are adequately trained in preparation for implementation.
• Facilitate application data activities, including data conversion, data bridging and any preparatory data cleansing effort.

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Knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be successful in this position:

• Ability to create effective solutions to problems.
• Ability to quickly come up to speed and understand the goals and objectives of a business unit in order to successfully collaborate with that business unit on a software project.
• Ability to adapt easily to changing priorities in business needs, conditions and work responsibilities.
• Ability to make independent decisions about work priorities and perform multiple tasks with conflicting timelines.
• Accept personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work. Can be relied upon to achieve results with little or no need for oversight.
• Appropriately prioritize and concurrently service multiple, long-term assignments, integrating many factors into decisions, and ensuring accurate, high quality service delivery.
• Actively partner with co-workers to provide them with information, techniques, instruction, feedback and encouragement to maximize their success on the job.
• Help others resolve complex or sensitive disagreements and conflicts. Effectively lead a rational process of illuminating issues, enhancing understanding of divergent interests, and identifying common grounds for a workable solution.
• Ability to clearly and effectively communicate with all types and levels of individuals via speech, written word and non-verbal communication methods. Ability to build constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation, and mutual regard.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, self-starter that keeps current on developments in technology and security that may affect, benefit or be a risk for the agency. Ability to adapt and learn new skills with minimal transition time.
• Demonstrated organization and time management skills.
• Ability to apply negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated skill in group presentations and the ability to present complex information in a way that is understandable to the audience.

 
Required Qualifications:

• *Bachelor's degree in computer science or closely allied field.
• Three years of direct experience performing business analysis functions including elicitation, tracking and documentation of business requirements, user centered design, development of design documents, use cases, user acceptance testing and customer training.
• Effective oral communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to conduct effective interviews, apply effective listening skills, and resolve issues.

 
*IT Experience may substitute year for year for education requirement. This includes experience consulting, analyzing, designing, managing projects, or providing customers with technical support and consultation. 
 
In addition to the above, our ideal applicant will also have:

• Certified Business Analyst Professional certification (CBAP)
• Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)

 
 
How to apply:
You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and attach a letter of interest describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position
 
If selected for an interview, please be prepared to bring a business process flow diagram that you have created. All materials will be returned at the end of the interview.
 
To take advantage of Veteran's preference, please attach your DD-214, member 4 long form, or your NGB-22. Please blackout your social security number and date of birth before attaching.
 
 
Supplemental Information:
The final candidate will be required to successfully complete a criminal history background check prior to employment. Information received from the background check does not automatically make a candidate ineligible for employment.
 
This position requires the incumbent to obtain and maintain a valid Washington State Driver's License.
 
The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.
 
If you are unable to apply on-line, please contact Lyndsey Beaupre, Recruiter, at (360) 902-2020 or jobs@agr.wa.gov. Please include your last name and the position title in the subject line of your email.
 
The Human Resource Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months. 
 
The State of Washington actively supports diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants who need assistance in the application process or who need this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2020 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf at 800-833-6388.