About us
We have been at the heart of the UK energy market for 25 years and are today playing a critical role in decarbonising the UK energy system. As a major energy services and smart metering company with technology, data and sustainability at the core of our ethos and business model, SMS is committed to delivering the future of smart energy.
We are proud of being both an equal opportunity employer and an accredited real living wage employer! We look out for our customers and our focus is ‘putting our people first’.
Our people enable us to do all of this by living our 5 core values: Safety, Customer excellence, Sustainability, Innovation and Pride.
The Role
The Software Delivery Business Analyst uses their skills and experience, as well as domain and business process knowledge, to work with internal and external stakeholders to understand the nature of business requirements, and to communicate that understanding in the form of clearly specified functional and non-functional requirements capable of supporting estimation and development by the Agile software development team.
This is an important role within SMS as we work towards not only growing our business but in achieving continual improvement to ensure efficiency across the business.
Reporting into the Business Enterprise Architect, you will engage with all departments across the business and external suppliers where needed. Travel may be required to other sites for workshops and team meetings.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Comply with all SMS plc Health, Safety and Environmental requirements
- Work with the business and our clients to shape and form implementable solutions and project plans to transform their business model. You will lead and take part in workshops, undertake research, business analysis, ideation, and ultimately create solution blueprints.
- Use a variety of elicitation and user research techniques to identify and map out business domains, identify problems and articulate opportunities which will provide business benefit;
- Provide clear actionable advice and recommendations, based on expertise, knowledge and hands-on experience, that helps clients and teams to overcome their business challenges with the use of digital technologies and best-practices in Agile software delivery;
- Writing of high-quality user stories capable of supporting estimation and development by the software delivery team
- Prioritising and clarifying requirements to ensure that each sprint delivers the value to the business;
- Confidently take ownership of achieving results for your clients and your team – by doing and by coaching – whilst working in changeable environments without supervision
- Work independently or under the guidance of the Head Product to represent the IT function to the wider business
- Work with internal and external stakeholders to understand business requirements, analysing business processes, regulations and standards, studying system capabilities, and determining project scope.
- Assesses business requirements against business goals and objectives, analysing the effect of the requirements on IT systems, and managing stakeholder expectations appropriately.
- Support the business, providing subject matter expertise on key customer bids, projects, and issue resolutions.
- Produce timely specifications of functional and non-functional requirements, and associated acceptance criteria, capable of supporting estimation and development by the agile software development team.
- Facilitate and guides UAT, with the assistance of the Quality Assurance team, to assist stakeholders in performing tests with structure and purpose
- Gather and analyse feedback on features and products
- Co-ordinate product launches and activities with relevant stakeholders
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS –
- Relevant Business Analysis Accreditation from BCS (The Chartered Institute of IT); IIBA (The International Institute of Business Analysis); Project Management Institute (PMI) or equivalent.
- Relevant experience in a Business Analysis or Product Owner role
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Ability to manage change
- Excellent planning and organisation skills
- Interpersonal skills for relationship building
- Results oriented
- Leadership skills – Opportunity for progression to Lead Analyst role
Beneficial
- Knowledge of Smart Metering or DCC
- Knowledge of HR, Finance, SHEQ or Digital System requirements
- Knowledge of App Migration, Immutable Storage, Back-up and Recovery
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Problem Solving
- General Consulting Skills
- Quality Focus
- Process Improvement
- Core Business Analysis Skills
- Experience using modelling techniques as a tool for application design and development
- Agile Scrum Methodology
- Ability to understand, and clearly relate to other members of the organisation the business value of application development disciplines such as System Development Life Cycle, version control, and software releases
- Ability to initiate and maintain cooperative relationships with co-workers, managers and supervisors, customers/clients
- Ability to present and discuss applications and processes to customers of SMS as part of the pre- and post-sales cycle
In Return
We support Mental, Physical and Financial wellbeing, and we're proud of our benefits package to reward great talent which includes:
- 25 personal holiday days per year with additional allocation of 8 public holidays (includes options to buy and sell)
- After 5 years’ service, you will be rewarded with an additional 5 days annual leave increasing your total to 30 personal days and 8 public holidays.
Smart Health
Keeping our employees mentally and physically healthy is one of the things that matters most to us.
- Employee Assistance Programme (free access to counselling & support) with easy access via My Healthy Advantage app.
- Access to SmartHealth app - includes a free 24/7 online GP and a range of wellbeing services.
- Cycle Scheme - lower your carbon footprint whilst staying healthy.
Smart Savings
- Eligibility to join our Share Incentive Plan following 6 months employment
- Life Insurance cover where your next of kin will receive 4 times your annual salary
- Refer a friend bonus (£500)
- Corporate season ticket travel
- Length of service cash incentive
- Automatic enrolment into the Company Stakeholder Pension Scheme following 3 months employment.
The future looks bright
Your development is important to us - we support and encourage development including internal and external accredited courses, study support and E-Learning and internal promotion.