Lead Business Analyst

Financial Times; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Medical cover

Parental leave

Subsidised gym membership

Job summary

The Financial Times is seeking a Lead Technical Business Analyst to shape change delivery within the Product & Technology organisation. You will oversee assessment, discovery and technical analysis for new initiatives, collaborating with Product, Technology and Data teams to scope and assess feasibility before planning.

As lead BA, you will establish best practice, mentor other analysts and influence investment decisions to align with the FT’s strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Significant experience as a Senior or Lead Business Analyst in technology or digital transformation.
• Led discovery, requirements gathering and solution assessment activities.
• Strong analytical skills translating complex challenges into clear requirements.
• Experience with engineering, architecture, product and delivery teams.
• Knowledge of software development lifecycles, systems integration and modern tech platforms.
• Experience supporting business cases and portfolio planning.
• Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation and communication skills.
• Experience in media, publishing, digital subscription or tech-led organisations.
• Experience supporting portfolio governance or demand management functions.
• Knowledge of Agile, Lean delivery approaches and modern product operating models.
• Exposure to enterprise architecture, cloud technologies or data platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assessment and triage of new change initiatives entering the Product & Technology portfolio.
• Facilitate discovery workshops to understand business needs and define outcomes.
• Produce high-quality business, functional and non-functional requirements.
• Partner with Product, Architects, Engineers and Delivery teams on feasibility and complexity.
• Identify risks, dependencies, assumptions and constraints early in the lifecycle.
• Support business case development and portfolio prioritisation with clear analysis.
• Contribute to portfolio planning with insights into delivery effort and roadmap sequencing.
• Build trusted relationships across Product, Technology, Editorial, Commercial and Data teams.
• Define and champion business analysis standards and mentor other analysts.

Skills

Senior/Lead BA experience

Discovery & requirements gathering

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Facilitation & communication

Agile / Lean delivery

Enterprise architecture exposure

Cloud / data platforms awareness

Job description

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world.

In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing.

Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

The Role

We’re looking for a Lead Technical Business Analyst to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of change delivery across the FT’s Product & Technology organisation.

Reporting into the Portfolio & Programmes team, you’ll lead the assessment, discovery and technical analysis of new initiatives entering our change portfolio. Working closely with stakeholders across Product, Technology, Data and the wider business, you’ll ensure ideas are well understood, appropriately scoped and assessed for feasibility, complexity and delivery readiness before they progress into prioritisation and planning.

As the lead business analyst within the portfolio function, you’ll establish best practice for business analysis, mentor other analysts and act as a trusted advisor, helping teams make informed investment and delivery decisions that support the FT’s strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the assessment and triage of new change initiatives entering the Product & Technology portfolio.
• Facilitate discovery workshops to understand business needs, define outcomes and clarify requirements.
• Produce high-quality business, functional and non-functional requirements that support successful solution design.
• Partner with Product Managers, Architects, Engineers and Delivery teams to assess solution options, technical feasibility and delivery complexity.
• Identify risks, dependencies, assumptions and implementation constraints early in the change lifecycle.
• Support business case development, investment decisions and portfolio prioritisation with clear analysis and recommendations.
• Contribute to portfolio planning by providing insights into delivery effort, resource requirements and roadmap sequencing.
• Build trusted relationships across Product, Technology, Editorial, Commercial, Data and Corporate teams.
• Define and champion business analysis standards, tools and best practices across the organisation.
• Coach and mentor other Business Analysts while driving continuous improvement across portfolio intake and discovery processes.

Required Skills and Experience

• Significant experience as a Senior or Lead Business Analyst within technology, digital product or transformation environments.
• Extensive experience leading discovery, requirements gathering and solution assessment activities.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex business and technical challenges into clear, actionable requirements.
• Experience working closely with engineering, architecture, product and delivery teams throughout the change lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycles, systems integration and modern technology platforms.
• Experience supporting business cases, investment decisions and portfolio planning.
• Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Experience within media, publishing, digital subscription or technology-led organisations.
• Experience supporting portfolio management, governance or demand management functions.
• Knowledge of Agile, Lean delivery approaches and modern product operating models.
• Exposure to enterprise architecture, cloud technologies or data platforms.

What’s in it for You?

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here .

We’ve embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning. Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments or personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, please send an email to [e-mail] and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Further Information

At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications.

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact [e-mail] .