Director, Business Analysis

ryansg; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 132,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

RT Specialty, a division of Ryan Specialty, seeks a Director of Business Analysis in Chicago to lead the BA function across initiatives. You will mentor analysts, define standards, and partner with IT and business stakeholders to ensure accurate requirements and testing strategies.

The role requires 10+ years in P&C insurance or tech, strong leadership, and strategic execution. Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and equal opportunity employment are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or technology field.
• Minimum 10 years post-graduate experience in the P&C insurance industry or with a technology company serving the industry.
• Strong domain expertise in insurance coupled with a deep knowledge of business applications software development processes.
• 7+ years managing teams and mentoring individuals in a highly distributed setting.
• High sense of urgency and entrepreneurial work ethic required to drive business outcomes.
• Ability to think strategically and execute operationally, with a focus on driving results and achieving business objectives.
• Excellent analytic and problem solving skills.
• Able to cultivate interpersonal client, partner, co-worker, and executive relationships

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of business analysts, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Define and champion a team mission, vision, and values for the Business Analysis function, and hold team members accountable to them through regular check-ins, performance conversations, and project retrospectives.
• Provide hands-on coaching and guidance to each business analyst on a per-project basis, reviewing individual approaches to requirements gathering, documentation, testing and stakeholder engagement to ensure consistent application of BA best practices across the portfolio.
• Mentor and develop new and early-career business analysts, creating structured onboarding and growth plans that build both technical BA skills and insurance domain knowledge over time.
• Work collaboratively with Corporate PMO to develop and implement a comprehensive business analysis strategy, including effective requirements gathering and UAT artifacts.
• Using shared resourcing tools, allocate business analysts appropriately to projects and estimate future needs and allocations.
• Working with Solution Owners, serve as a liaison between business units and IT to ensure alignment on projects and initiatives.
• Identify areas for process optimization and recommend solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead initiatives to implement best practices in business analysis methodologies.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of RT Specialty's initiatives and focus for each year.
• Working with your team, raise key risks and issues associated with the team's projects.
• Promote a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous learning within the team.

Skills

Leadership & mentoring

Strategic thinking

Analytical problem solving

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or technology

Job description

RT Specialty, a division of Ryan Specialty, is a leading wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products and services. Our experienced brokers are specialized in property, casualty, professional lines, transportation and workers' compensation, providing creative solutions to retail brokerage firms. We define ourselves through our superior execution on behalf of our clients, which has established us as a leader in the industry.

Position Summary

The Director, Business Analysis is a key role for RT Specialty, focusing on leading the business analysis team for all initiatives for RT Specialty. The director, business analysts will ensure accurate requirements and effective testing strategy is used for all projects, often times acting on behalf of the business stakeholders. This role requires a strategic thinker with deep understanding of wholesale insurance, strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

What will your job entail?

Essential Functions:

• Lead and mentor a team of business analysts, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Define and champion a team mission, vision, and values for the Business Analysis function, and hold team members accountable to them through regular check-ins, performance conversations, and project retrospectives.
• Provide hands-on coaching and guidance to each business analyst on a per-project basis, reviewing individual approaches to requirements gathering, documentation, testing and stakeholder engagement to ensure consistent application of BA best practices across the portfolio.
• Mentor and develop new and early-career business analysts, creating structured onboarding and growth plans that build both technical BA skills and insurance domain knowledge over time.
• Work collaboratively with Corporate PMO to d evelop and implement a comprehensive business analysis strategy , including effective requirements gathering and UAT artifacts.
• Using shared resourcing tools, allocate business analysts appropriately to projects and estimate future needs and allocations.
• Working with Solution Owners, s erve as a liaison between business units and IT to ensure alignment on projects and initiatives.
• Identify areas for process optimization and recommend solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead initiatives to implement best practices in business analysis methodologies.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of RT Specialty's initiatives and focus for each year.
• Working with your team, raise key risks and issues associated with the team's projects.
• Promote a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous learning within the team.

Education/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor's degree in business or technology field
• Minimum 10 years post-graduate experience in the P&C insurance industry or with a technology company serving the industry
• Strong domain expertise in insurance coupled with a deep knowledge of business applications software development processes
• 7+ years managing teams and mentoring individuals in a highly distributed setting.
• High sense of urgency and entrepreneurial work ethic required to drive business outcomes
• Ability to think strategically and execute operationally, with a focus on driving results and achieving business objectives
• Excellent analytic and problem solving skills
• Able to cultivate interpersonal client, partner, co-worker, and executive relationships

Ryan Specialty is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse workforce throughout the organization. Our vision is an inclusive and equitable workplace where all employees are valued for and evaluated on their performance and contributions. Differences in race, creed, color, religious beliefs, physical or mental capabilities, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and many other characteristics bring together varied perspectives and add value to the service we provide our clients, trading partners, and communities. This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, firing, promoting, transferring, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms, conditions, and benefits of employment.

How We Support Our Teammates

Ryan Specialty seeks to offer our employees a comprehensive and best-in-class benefits package that helps them - and their family members - achieve their physical, financial, and emotional well-being goals. In addition to paid time off for company holidays, vacation, sick and personal days, Ryan offers paid parental leave, mental health services and more.

The target salary range for this position is $132,480.00 - $165,600.00 annually.

The wage range for this role considers many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, licensure and certification, business needs, and market demands. The pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the f