Senior Business Analyst

Kinetic Advantage; Carmel (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinetic Advantage in Carmel, IN is seeking a Senior Business Analyst to join the Strategic Initiatives and Business Execution team. The role is split roughly 50% analytical project work and 50% process improvement, requiring hands-on technical analysis, data modeling, and data-driven recommendations for leaders.

You will map current processes, build KPIs and backlogs, document requirements, and support system changes from LOS to go-live.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in business analysis, process improvement, or operations.
• 3+ years in floorplan or commercial lending, or related financial services setting.
• Proven track record mapping and redesigning end-to-end processes with measurable results.
• Advanced SQL (multi-table joins, CTEs, window functions) and Power BI dashboard development.
• Ability to turn large data sets into defensible conclusions using root cause and trend analysis.
• Experience supporting system/technology implementations (e.g., LOS) from requirements through go-live.
• Familiarity with lending/financial services operations and rapid learning of new processes.
• Ability to gather input from field and corporate teams via interviews, workshops, surveys.
• Ability to facilitate workshops and influence stakeholders without formal authority.
• Exceptional, clear writing for requirements, process docs, and executive updates.
• Knowledge of AI tools for analysis, with validation against source data.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery, analysis, process mapping, and solution definition for cross-functional strategic initiatives.
• Own analytical processes for solving business issues with data-supported recommendations.
• Write and optimize queries, build models in Excel, validate data quality and lineage.
• Apply root cause, trend, cohort, and variance analysis to quantify performance changes.
• Build business cases and scenario models with assumptions and sensitivities.
• Gather input from field and corporate staff and translate into analysis and design.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify data-driven opportunities and desired outcomes.
• Deliver concise presentations of analytical findings to stakeholders and executives.
• Mentor junior analysts and review quality of analyses and data validation.
• Document end-to-end process changes including requirements, data mapping, and acceptance criteria.
• Support system changes through design reviews, UAT, defect triage, and validation.
• Establish baseline metrics and maintain data sources/Power BI reports.

Skills

SQL

Power BI

Excel modeling

Data validation

Root cause analysis

Process mapping

Stakeholder interviews

Workshop facilitation

Technical writing

AI analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/information systems

Tools

LOS (loan origination system)

Python or R (data analysis)

ETL concepts

Job description

About Kinetic Advantage

Founded in 2020, Kinetic Advantage is an independent floorplan financing company built by experienced automotive industry leaders. We combine decades of industry knowledge with an entrepreneurial approach, innovative technology and a commitment to helping independent dealers succeed.

Description

Founded in 2020, Kinetic Advantage is an independent floorplan financing company built by experienced automotive industry leaders. We combine decades of industry knowledge with an entrepreneurial approach, innovative technology and a commitment to helping independent dealers succeed. Our success is built on strong relationships with independent dealers, auto auctions and industry partners. Through transparent communication, responsive service and simple, innovative solutions, we help create exceptional experiences for our customers and team members while supporting the broader independent automotive industry. This position is required to be onsite in our Carmel, IN office. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship, including H-1B or other employment-based visas, now or in the future.

Role Summary

The Senior Business Analyst adds analytical and delivery capacity to our Strategic Initiatives and Business Execution team. The role is split roughly 50% analytical project work and 50% process improvement. It requires deep, hands‑on technical analysis: querying and modeling data, quantifying process performance, and turning findings into recommendations leaders can act on. It also requires listening closely to the people who run our processes every day, in both the field and the corporate office.

Key Responsibilities

Analytical projects (~50%)

• Lead discovery, analysis, process mapping, and solution definition for complex, cross‑functional strategic initiatives across the business.
• Own the analytical process for solving business issues, producing recommendations that are effective and well supported by data.
• Perform deep technical analysis, including writing and optimizing queries against operational and lending data, building analytical models in Excel and other appropriate analytical software, and validating data quality and lineage before drawing conclusions.
• Apply root cause, trend, cohort, and variance analysis to explain performance and quantify the impact of process changes, such as cycle time, volume, exception drivers, and cost.
• Build business cases and scenario models (e.g., capacity, staffing, throughput, and risk tradeoffs) with clearly documented assumptions and sensitivities.
• Seek input and feedback from field employees, corporate employees, and functional leaders through interviews, workshops, surveys, and observation of work as it is performed, and incorporate it into analysis, solution design, and prioritization.
• Partner with senior leaders to understand their objectives and identify opportunities to leverage data to help them reach their desired outcomes.
• Produce and deliver succinct presentations that communicate analytical findings to stakeholders and executives, including what was learned from field and functional input and how it shaped the recommendation.
• Partner with the project manager on scope, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder communication.
• Mentor and review the work of the analyst on the team, including the quality of their queries, models, and data validation.

Process ownership (~50%)

• Own end‑to‑end design and documentation, including current‑state and future‑state process maps, KPIs, and the improvement backlog for assigned business processes.
• Engage field and corporate employees and functional leaders at each stage of process work. Gather their input on current pain points, validate current‑state maps with the people who do the work, test proposed future‑state designs, and collect feedback after implementation to confirm the change is working.
• Produce complete documentation of business process changes for use in operational implementation, employee training, and IT enhancement requirements, including detailed business requirements, data mapping, business rules, and acceptance criteria.
• Support system and technology changes through design reviews, user acceptance testing, defect triage, and validation that delivered functionality meets the documented requirements.
• For assigned business processes, establish baseline metrics such as throughput capacity, turnaround time, exception rates, and rework. Build and maintain the data sources, queries, and Power BI reporting behind those metrics, and report on them at an appropriate frequency.
• Ensure that new business processes are designed to optimize the dealer and auction experience, maintaining or improving Kinetic's competitive differentiation in this regard.
• Identify, prioritize, and lead process improvements using Lean or similar methods, grounding prioritization in both quantitative analysis and stakeholder feedback.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on current and completed process improvement projects, including results against baseline and feedback received from the field and functional teams.

Required Qualifications

We are looking for someone with 6+ years in business analysis, process improvement, or operations, including 3+ years in floorplan or commercial lending, or a closely related financial services setting.

• Proven track record mapping and redesigning end‑to‑end processes (ideally in Business Process Model and Notation or equivalent) with measurable results, such as shorter cycle times or fewer exceptions.
• Advanced technical analysis skills, demonstrated by complex SQL (multi‑table joins, CTEs, window functions, performance tuning), advanced Excel modeling, and Power BI dashboard development, with a rigorous approach to data validation and reconciliation.
• Demonstrated ability to turn large, imperfect data sets into defensible conclusions, using root cause analysis, statistical or trend analysis, and process performance measurement.
• Experience supporting system or technology implementations, such as a loan origination system (LOS) or servicing platform, from requirements through implementation, including data mapping, testing, and go‑live support.
• Familiarity with lending or financial services operations, and the ability to quickly learn new business functions and their processes.
• Demonstrated ability to gather and synthesize input from employees at all levels, including field staff, corporate staff, and functional leaders, using interviews, workshops, surveys, and process observation.
• Ability to facilitate workshops and influence stakeholders without formal authority.
• Exceptional skill in clear, structured writing for requirements, process documentation, and executive updates.
• Skilled in the use of AI for analysis and documentation, with the judgment to verify AI‑generated outputs against source data.
• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, information systems, or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in floorplan or inventory finance for independent used vehicle dealers.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher, CBAP, CBPP, or PMP certification.
• Experience with workflow automation.
• Experience with Python or R for data analysis, or with data modeling and ETL concepts.
• Experience building a process improvement practice or KPI framework from a small starting base.
• Prior experience in a PMO or business execution team and mentoring junior analysts.

This job description reflects essential functions of this position but is subject to change at any time and does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other factors prohibited by law.