Business Analyst Job Description
What is a Business Analyst?
A Business Analyst (BA) plays a crucial role in enabling business change. Acting as the bridge between business problems and technology solutions, a BA gathers, analyses, and translates requirements to help deliver projects successfully.
While often engaged on IT and digital transformation projects, business analysts also contribute across departments, helping to streamline processes, improve systems, and drive strategic decision-making.
Key Responsibilities
While responsibilities can vary between industries, typical duties include:
- Gathering, validating, and documenting business requirements
- Analysing commercial data such as budgets, forecasts, and sales
- Modelling business processes and identifying opportunities for improvement
- Evaluating risks, benefits, and potential impacts of proposed changes
- Developing functional specifications for technology solutions
- Translating technical jargon into plain language for broader teams
- Supporting the testing and implementation of solutions
- Assisting with change management and business transition initiatives
7 Essential Skills of a Business Analyst
Stakeholder Engagement
Ability to work with stakeholders at all levels, from technical teams to C-suite executives.
Critical Thinking
Able to analyse complex problems and identify the best course of action.
Problem Solving
Creative and collaborative approach to addressing business challenges.
Decision-Making
Confident in prioritising requirements and evaluating solution viability.
Communication
Excellent listening, questioning, and documentation skills.
Documentation & Writing
Able to produce clear use cases, business requirement documents, and other materials.
Presentation Skills
Confident presenting insights and recommendations to leadership teams.
Qualifications
While a university degree isn't essential, many business analysts have a background in business, finance, or IT. Postgraduate options like an MBA can also add value.
Experience in system integration and digital environments is increasingly sought after. Joining the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) and becoming familiar with the BABOK framework can also enhance your credibility in the market.
Business Analyst Career Path
Business Analysts can follow a wide range of career paths depending on their strengths and interests. Many progress from junior to senior BA roles and then into specialisations such as:
- Business Architecture
- Product Ownership
- Project or Program Management
- Business Intelligence or Systems Analysis
With experience, BAs are entrusted with larger, more complex projects and often evolve into strategic roles.
Reporting Structure
Business Analysts typically report into:
- Project or Program Managers
- Product Owners
- Heads of Transformation
- CTOs or other senior executives
They also collaborate cross-functionally with developers, designers, testers, and subject matter experts.
Looking to Hire a Business Analyst?
Whether you're delivering a digital transformation, launching a new product, or reworking internal systems, we can help you find the right business analysis talent for your team.
Get in touch with our team to start your search.
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