Senior Business Analyst

IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis); Riyadh; On-site; SAR 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the Emerging Technologies sector seeks a Senior Business Analyst to drive AI and Machine Learning initiatives aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The successful candidate will bridge business goals with AI capabilities, ensuring solutions meet strategic objectives across sectors. Responsibilities include leading requirement-gathering sessions, defining the business strategy, and collaborating with cross-functional teams on innovative AI solutions.

Benefits

Competitive salary and performance-based incentives

Health insurance and family coverage

Opportunities for professional development and AI/ML certifications

Participation in high-impact national transformation projects

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience, with at least 3 years in AI/ML projects.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, including supervised/unsupervised learning and data governance.
• Experience in digital transformation projects in Saudi Arabia.

Responsibilities

• Define the business strategy and roadmap for AI/ML initiatives.
• Lead requirement-gathering sessions with stakeholders to identify AI opportunities.
• Translate complex business needs into detailed AI/ML use cases.

Skills

AI/ML concepts

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and insightful Senior Business Analyst to join our Emerging Technologies department, reporting directly to the General Manager - Emerging Technologies. This role focuses on leading the business analysis function across AI and Machine Learning initiatives that are shaping the future of intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and data-driven services in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for bridging business goals with AI/ML capabilities, identifying innovation opportunities, and ensuring solutions are tailored to meet the strategic objectives of public or private sector stakeholders.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Work under the direction of the General Manager - Emerging Technologies to define the business strategy, roadmap, and scope for AI/ML initiatives across various sectors.
• Lead requirement-gathering sessions with internal stakeholders, government clients, and industry partners to identify pain points, digital transformation priorities, and AI opportunities.
• Translate complex business needs into detailed AI/ML use cases, functional requirements, and data specifications that are aligned with both technical and strategic goals.
• Evaluate current-state business processes and propose target-state models enabled by AI solutions, including automation, intelligent classification, and decision support systems.
• Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and architects to define model inputs, expected outputs, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Oversee documentation of Business Requirement Documents (BRDs), user stories, and acceptance criteria. Ensure traceability across the solution development lifecycle.
• Support PoCs and pilots for AI solutions, providing feedback on business performance, feasibility, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Ensure AI use cases comply with local data laws, including the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), and align with SDAIA's National Strategy for Data and AI.
• Drive change management, stakeholder alignment, and user adoption for AI-enabled digital services.
• Stay updated on local and global AI/ML trends, ethics, explainability practices, and regulatory frameworks.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience, with at least 3 years in AI/ML projects in a business analysis or product role.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, including supervised/unsupervised learning, NLP, model lifecycle, and data governance.
• Experience working with government or enterprise-level digital transformation projects in Saudi Arabia.
• Proficiency in requirement documentation, process modelling (BPMN/UML), and Agile frameworks (Scrum/Kanban).
• Familiarity with AI product workflows, PoC lifecycle, and KPIs such as accuracy, recall, and business impact.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English; Arabic language proficiency is a plus.

Preferred Knowledge and Context

• Direct experience working with or within Saudi government entities, Vision 2030 programmes, or Giga Projects (e.g. NEOM, Red Sea, Diriyah Gate).
• Understanding of national frameworks and policies such as NORA (National Operations Reference Architecture), NDMO data governance, and enterprise architecture guidelines.
• Exposure to cloud-based AI platforms (Azure ML, AWS SageMaker, or Google Vertex AI) and tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Jupyter.
• Knowledge of AI ethics, model transparency, and bias mitigation frameworks.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking with a strong focus on business value.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a cross-functional team environment with agility.
• High attention to detail and documentation quality.
• Passion for innovation, emerging technologies, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Health insurance and family coverage
• Opportunities for professional development and AI/ML certifications
• Participation in high-impact national transformation projects