Senior Business Analyst - Financial Services

IBM; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company is seeking a Senior Business Analyst in Manchester to lead the analysis and documentation of business requirements. You will facilitate communication between stakeholders and technical teams, manage project objectives, and contribute significantly to cross-functional teams. Ideal candidates have experience in financial services, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and proficiency in tools like JIRA and Microsoft Office. The role offers opportunities for professional growth and a supportive work culture.

Benefits

Comprehensive training programs

Promotion opportunities

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Flexible working arrangements

25 days holiday plus public holidays

Private medical and dental cover

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in business analysis and stakeholder management.
• Strong understanding of financial services processes.
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead elicitation of business requirements from stakeholders.
• Work with stakeholders to design effective solutions.
• Facilitate communication between technology teams and business leaders.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Agile methodology

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

JIRA

Confluence

Microsoft Visio

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Business Analyst to join our team. This individual will lead the analysis and documentation of business requirements, as well as facilitate collaboration between stakeholders and development teams.

Responsibilities

• Requirement Elicitation : Obtain requirements (Functional and Non-Functional) by conducting requirement gathering with all business and technical stakeholders document and map the processes associated.
• Solution Design: Work with the stakeholders in investigating situations and analyse alternatives to find the best solution.
• Stakeholder communication : Serve as a liaison between business stakeholders and technology teams.
• Project Management: Work with Project Managers to define scope objectives and deliverables.
• Support cross-functional teams in translating business needs into functional and technical specifications. Contribute to the creation of business cases, process flows, and user stories. Facilitate workshops, meetings, and training sessions to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Qualifications

• Professional Expertise: Demonstrated success in business analysis, requirements elicitation, and stakeholder management within complex financial services environments.
• Industry Experience: Proven track record leading or contributing to Financial Services and Solutions (FSS) projects, with deep understanding of industry processes, regulatory considerations, and technology ecosystems.
• Analytical Excellence: Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate business needs into clear, actionable requirements and strategic solutions.
• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills – able to engage effectively with technical teams, business leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Adaptability & Leadership: Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and drive outcomes in dynamic project environments.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced command of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with business analysis and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Visio, JIRA, and Confluence.

Eligibility

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds. However, to be eligible for this role, you must have the valid right to work in the UK. We do not offer visa sponsorship and have no future plans to do so. You must be a resident in the UK and have been living continuously in the UK for the last 10 years. You must be able to hold or gain a UK government security clearance.

Preferred Experience

• Technical Proficiency: Skilled in business analysis and process modeling tools such as Lucidchart, Microsoft Visio, and JIRA for documenting workflows, requirements, and user stories.
• Methodology Expertise: Strong understanding of Agile principles and the Scrum framework, with experience collaborating in iterative development environments.
• Process & Lifecycle Knowledge: Solid grasp of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and ability to align analysis activities with project delivery phases.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Proven ability to analyze data, generate insights, and produce clear, actionable reports to support business decision-making.
• Professional Development: Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with industry best practices and emerging technologies.

Certifications (Highly Desirable)

• Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
• Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
• Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC)
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM)

About IBM CIC

At IBM CIC, we provide technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients in the UK. A career in IBM CIC means you'll have the opportunity to work with leading professionals across multiple industries to improve the hybrid cloud and AI journey for the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. You will get the chance to deliver effective solutions, driving meaningful business change for our clients, using some of the latest technology platforms. Curiosity and a constant quest for knowledge serve as the foundation to success here. You'll be encouraged and supported to constantly reinvent yourself, focusing on skills in demand in an ever‑changing market.

Benefits

• Many training opportunities from classroom to e‑learning, mentoring and coaching programs and the chance to gain industry‑recognized certifications.
• Regular and frequent promotion opportunities to ensure you can drive and develop your career with us.
• Feedback and checkpoints throughout the year.
• Diversity & Inclusion as an essential and authentic component of our culture through our policies and process as well as our Employee Champion teams and support networks.
• A culture where your ideas for growth and innovation are always welcome.
• Internal recognition programs for peer‑to‑peer appreciation as well as from manager to employees.
• Tools and policies to support your work‑life balance from flexible working approaches, sabbatical programs, paid paternity leave, maternity leave and an innovative maternity returners scheme.
• More traditional benefits, such as 25 days holiday (in addition to public holidays), private medical, dental & optical cover, online shopping discounts, an Employee Assistance Program, life assurance and a group personal pension plan of an additional 5% of your base salary paid by us monthly to save for your future.