Technical Business Analyst

Simon and Schuster Books; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Simon & Schuster, a global publishing leader, is modernizing core systems for order management, fulfillment, partner integration, and financials. You will bridge business needs with data-focused analysis, map processes, and translate legacy behavior into actionable specs and validation criteria.

The role emphasizes strong SQL, data validation, and cross-functional collaboration with developers, testers, and business users.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant technical business analysis, systems analysis, or data-focused QA experience, including requirements analysis and hands-on validation of production business systems.
• Strong SQL skills — independently write queries using joins, aggregation, and set comparisons; recognize data-grain, duplicate-record, missing-data, and timing issues that can distort reconciliation.
• Requirements and process analysis — translate stakeholder needs into process maps, functional and technical specifications, data definitions, and actionable acceptance criteria.
• Data-centric validation experience — investigate reports, batch processing, ETL/data pipelines, or migrations by comparing datasets and explaining discrepancies.
• Experience preparing test datasets, running established automated checks, coordinating UAT, and tracking issues through resolution.
• Clear communication with business users and engineers, supported by concise specifications, reproducible issue reports, and evidence-based conclusions.
• Experience using AI tools for analysis or testing, with the judgment to validate their output independently.

Responsibilities

• Define requirements and processes — Work with business stakeholders to document current and future workflows, business rules, reporting needs, change impacts, and testable acceptance criteria.
• Trace data and system behavior — Investigate batch processes, interfaces, SQL logic, and reports with developers and legacy specialists; document data mappings, dependencies, and exceptions.
• Reconcile replacement outputs — Run established parallel-run comparisons, investigate record-level differences, and distinguish defects from timing artifacts or intended changes.
• Prepare test data and repeatable checks — Maintain representative datasets, expected results, and comparison queries; work with developers to extend validation coverage and retain regression checks for resolved defects.
• Validate reports and interfaces — Check calculations, totals, completeness, and exchanged data against agreed requirements; provide reproducible findings and follow issues through retesting.
• Coordinate UAT and cutover evidence — Organize business testing, maintain requirements-to-test traceability, and summarize results and unresolved issues so business owners can make informed acceptance decisions.
• Use AI tooling critically — Apply AI-assisted analysis, SQL generation, and documentation while checking generated output against actual system behavior and approved business rules.

Skills

Strong SQL skills

Requirements and process analysis

Data-centric validation experience

Experience preparing test datasets

Clear communication with business and

Experience using AI tools for analysis

5+ years technical business analysis

Tools

Microsoft SQL Server

Stored procedures

ETL/data pipelines

Job description

Simon & Schuster was named to Forbes magazine list of America's Best Mid-Size Employers 2022. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world's most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

About The Role

Simon & Schuster, one of the world's leading publishers, is investing in a multi-year modernization of the core systems that power order management, fulfillment, partner integration, and financial transactions. We are replacing long-established technology with modern .NET and SQL solutions using an AI-assisted approach. The Technical Business Analyst connects business needs with hands-on data investigation. You will map processes, clarify requirements, and translate legacy behavior into specifications and acceptance criteria that developers can implement. Strong SQL skills are central to the role: you will compare existing and replacement outputs, explain differences, and help business users validate results before production cutover. You will own comparison rules, test data, first-pass reconciliation, and validation evidence, working with developers who own the automation framework and application implementation. This is a technical analysis role with targeted business and data validation, not a dedicated test-automation engineering position.

Key Responsibilities

• Define requirements and processes — Work with business stakeholders to document current and future workflows, business rules, reporting needs, change impacts, and testable acceptance criteria.
• Trace data and system behavior — Investigate batch processes, interfaces, SQL logic, and reports with developers and legacy specialists; document data mappings, dependencies, and exceptions.
• Reconcile replacement outputs — Run established parallel-run comparisons, investigate record-level differences, and distinguish defects from timing artifacts or intended changes.
• Prepare test data and repeatable checks — Maintain representative datasets, expected results, and comparison queries; work with developers to extend validation coverage and retain regression checks for resolved defects.
• Validate reports and interfaces — Check calculations, totals, completeness, and exchanged data against agreed requirements; provide reproducible findings and follow issues through retesting.
• Coordinate UAT and cutover evidence — Organize business testing, maintain requirements-to-test traceability, and summarize results and unresolved issues so business owners can make informed acceptance decisions.
• Use AI tooling critically — Apply AI-assisted analysis, SQL generation, and documentation while checking generated output against actual system behavior and approved business rules.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant technical business analysis, systems analysis, or data-focused QA experience, including requirements analysis and hands-on validation of production business systems.
• Strong SQL skills — independently write queries using joins, aggregation, and set comparisons; recognize data-grain, duplicate-record, missing-data, and timing issues that can distort reconciliation.
• Requirements and process analysis — translate stakeholder needs into process maps, functional and technical specifications, data definitions, and actionable acceptance criteria.
• Data-centric validation experience — investigate reports, batch processing, ETL/data pipelines, or migrations by comparing datasets and explaining discrepancies.
• Experience preparing test datasets, running established automated checks, coordinating UAT, and tracking issues through resolution.
• Clear communication with business users and engineers, supported by concise specifications, reproducible issue reports, and evidence-based conclusions.
• Experience using AI tools for analysis or testing, with the judgment to validate their output independently.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant technical business analysis, systems analysis, or data-focused QA experience, including requirements analysis and hands-on validation of production business systems.
• Strong SQL skills — independently write queries using joins, aggregation, and set comparisons; recognize data-grain, duplicate-record, missing-data, and timing issues that can distort reconciliation.
• Requirements and process analysis — translate stakeholder needs into process maps, functional and technical specifications, data definitions, and actionable acceptance criteria.
• Data-centric validation experience — investigate reports, batch processing, ETL/data pipelines, or migrations by comparing datasets and explaining discrepancies.
• Experience preparing test datasets, running established automated checks, coordinating UAT, and tracking issues through resolution.
• Clear communication with business users and engineers, supported by concise specifications, reproducible issue reports, and evidence-based conclusions.
• Experience using AI tools for analysis or testing, with the judgment to validate their output independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Legacy-modernization or system-migration experience using parallel-run validation.
• Microsoft SQL Server, stored procedures, and reusable reconciliation queries.
• Order processing, fulfillment, supply-chain, financial transaction, or EDI experience.
• Exposure to COBOL-era batch environments or AutoSys; COBOL development skills are not required.
• C# / .NET or scripting familiarity for collaboration on existing validation checks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Legacy-modernization or system-migration experience using parallel-run validation.
• Microsoft SQL Server, stored procedures, and reusable reconciliation queries.
• Order processing, fulfillment, supply-chain, financial transaction, or EDI experience.
• Exposure to COBOL-era batch environments or AutoSys; COBOL development skills are not required.
• C# / .NET or scripting familiarity for collaboration on existing validation checks.

What Success Looks Like

• Developers receive clear requirements, expected results, and reproducible issues.
• Differences are explained and resolved or approved before cutover.
• Business users trust reports, validation results, and the evidence supporting acceptance.
• Test data and reconciliation checks become easier to reuse with each replacement.

What Success Looks Like

• Developers receive clear requirements, expected results, and reproducible issues.
• Differences are explained and resolved or approved before cutover.
• Business users trust reports, validation results, and the evidence supporting acceptance.
• Test data and reconciliation checks become easier to reuse with each replacement.

What Success Looks Like

• Developers receive clear requirements, expected results, and reproducible issues.
• Differences are explained and resolved or approved before cutover.
• Business users trust reports, validation results, and the evidence supporting acceptance.
• Test data and reconciliation checks become easier to reuse with each replacement.

Simon & Schuster is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Simon & Schuster US is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). At Simon & Schuster US, the spirit of inclusion feeds into everything that we do. From employee benefits/programs and social impact outreach initiatives, we believe that opportunity, access, resources and rewards should be available to and for the benefit of all. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression), age, citizenship status, marital status, and Veteran status where protected by law or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

The hiring salary range for this position applies to New York City, California, Colorado, Washington state, and most other geographies. Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education. The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) plan, life insurance coverage, disability benefits, tuition assistance program and PTO or, if applicable. Additionally, employees have access to our industry-first, Broad Based Ownership program, which makes all employees partners in our shared success.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals in accordance with applicable law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Unrelated emails, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

Candidates hired for this or any other posted Simon & Schuster role will be employees of Simon & Schuster, LLC, subject to all policies, including the Workplace Privacy Notice, and eligible solely for the benefits plans thereof.