Senior Functional Analyst | Belgium

Thoughtlabs; Belgique; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Thoughtlabs in Belgium is seeking a Senior Functional Analyst to bridge business strategy with technical execution in enterprise Agile IT projects.

The role focuses on requirements gathering, UML/BPMN modeling, and creating exhaustive functional documentation while coordinating testing cycles and REST/SOAP API specifications.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in functional analysis within Agile/Scrum IT projects.
• Experience in requirements gathering, functional specification, and test management.
• Advanced UML/BPMN modeling and user story creation.

Responsibilities

• Lead business requirements gathering and functional scoping for enterprise Agile/Scrum IT projects.
• Author detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, UML diagrams, and BPMN flows.
• Create functional documentation, system specs, and UAT testing protocols.

Skills

Requirements gathering

Functional specification

UML modeling

BPMN process mapping

User stories

REST APIs

XML/XSD contracts

SQL/PL-SQL

IBM MQ

Elastic/Kibana

Multilingual communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Business

Tools

IBM MQ

Elastic Kibana

Job description

Position Summary:

We are seeking an exceptionally skilled and experienced Senior Functional Analyst to join our technology team on a full-time basis in Belgium. In this critical enterprise systems and business analysis role, you will be responsible for bridging business strategy and technical execution across complex Agile/Scrum IT projects. The ideal candidate will bring 10+ years of professional experience in business requirements gathering, user story mapping, functional documentation, UML/BPMN modeling, and multilingual communication capabilities (French/Dutch and English).

Detailed Job Description:

As a Senior Functional Analyst in Belgium, you will serve as the principal functional authority responsible for translating complex business needs into precise technical specifications and user stories. Your daily responsibilities will encompass gathering business requirements, designing UML and BPMN process models, authoring functional documentation, and coordinating end-to-end testing cycles. You will work extensively with REST/SOAP APIs, SQL, PL-SQL, IBM MQ, and Elastic/Kibana log analytics, while ensuring strict adherence to XML/XSD contracts. Candidates must be EU citizens or hold a valid work permit in Belgium.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead business requirements gathering, stakeholder interviews, and functional scoping across enterprise Agile/Scrum IT projects.
• Author detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, UML diagrams, and BPMN process flows.
• Create comprehensive functional documentation, system specifications, and UAT testing protocols.
• Design, analyze, and validate REST/SOAP API specifications and XML/XSD data exchange contracts.
• Execute complex database queries and data analysis using SQL and PL-SQL.
• Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot enterprise messaging flows using IBM MQ and logging analytics via Elastic & Kibana.
• Collaborate proactively with software developers, enterprise architects, QA engineers, and business stakeholders.
• Ensure strict alignment between technical deliverables and business objectives throughout the Agile sprint lifecycle.
• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog grooming, and retrospective reviews.
• Author system integration runbooks, functional verification reports, and user training materials.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10+ years of professional experience in functional analysis within Agile/Scrum IT projects.
• Proven expertise in business requirements gathering, functional specification authoring, and test management.
• Advanced proficiency in UML modeling, BPMN process mapping, and user story creation.
• Strong technical knowledge of REST/SOAP APIs, XML/XSD contracts, SQL, and PL-SQL databases.
• Practical experience with enterprise messaging systems (IBM MQ) and log analytics platforms (Elastic & Kibana).
• Exceptional multilingual communication skills: Fluency in French or Dutch (C2 level in one, B1 in the other) plus professional English (C1 level).
• Mandatory residency/work authorization: Must be an EU citizen or hold a valid work permit in Belgium.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Professional certifications such as IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) or Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO).
• Prior professional experience working within telecom, banking, or large-scale European enterprise IT environments.
• Familiarity with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD deployment pipelines.
• Immediate availability for on-site mobilization in Belgium.

Job Details:

• Salary/Rate: Competitive market rate
• Deadline: Immediate
• Notice Period: Immediate to 30 Days
• Contract Duration: Full Time / Permanent (Belgium)