As we continue to grow and add top talent to the Baird technology team, we are currently seeking an experienced Business Analyst for our ACES Team. The Business Analyst is responsible for eliciting requirements to facilitate a shared understanding across the team and enabling delivery of high-quality solutions for our stakeholders.

ACES (Associate and Client Experience Simplification) covers a wide breadth of critical initiatives for PWM, from direct client experience touchpoints to the branch experience. Direct client experience touchpoints include client mailings and a new client data-gathering wizard application. Branch experience (for Financial Advisors and Client Specialists) includes client onboarding interfaces, transitioning FA interface, and process integrations.

ACES also partners with many areas of the firm (e.g. Operations, Compliance, Legal), especially around client touchpoints for regulatory requirements like Reg BI. Lastly, ACES has a strong history, very close partnership, and “one team” operating model in our ongoing work with the PWM Operations Business Process Engineering team.

As an IT Business Analyst, you will:

Analysis and Solution Development

Business Process Analysis

• Elicits functional & nonfunctional requirements using interviews, workflow analysis, requirements workshops, and surveys to provide business process descriptions, business requirements, use cases, and user stories, with minimal support
• Applies BA approaches and techniques with limited guidance from others
• Develops analysis approach for medium or moderately complex efforts with minimal support and guidance
• Develops an understanding of value streams and end-to-end processes
• Connects day-to-day work, for self and assists for team, to strategic outcomes and goals of the firm
• Able to work in ambiguous situations with support and guidance

Systems Analysis

• Collaborates with project team members (developers, architects, product owners) to establish the technical vision and analyze tradeoffs
• Leads execution - with guidance from others – of analysis approach, engaging and coordinating others to conduct analysis and develop solutions
• Develops an end-to-end knowledge of technology environment and partners to understand business impacts
• Supports team needs for data analysis approaches and best practices
• Generates data visualizations and diagrams in support of analysis approach

Relationship Management

• With guidance from mentors and leadership, a BA
  • builds trusting relationships and may represent IT in strategic conversations between business partners and CRG leaders
  • resolves previously identified conflicting objectives/expectations
  • tailors message and communication style
  • be aware of and navigates organizational dynamics to assist in decision making and achieving outcomes
• Has begun to independently diagnose when to communicate information
• Assists in, and occasionally leads, interactions with COOs and senior business leaders but, primarily interacts with lower-level business and CRG partners
• Frequently leads the definition of an individual team, while supporting the team's strategy
• Establishing a network throughout Baird and, with guidance, occasionally leverages it to navigate complexity

Business Analysis Practice Leadership

• Serves as a business analyst role model within their delivery team with strong understanding of the Baird business they are aligned with and how it serves our internal/external clients
• Building mentoring skills with the assistance of a more experienced BA or manager
• Is building subject matter expertise within the BA Community of Practice and knows when to seek advice and guidance from more experienced BAs and others

Delivery Leadership

• Articulates thoughts and recommendations effectively
• Understands the strategic business needs and works with the team, IT- and business- leadership to deliver business-impactful results
• Leads medium or moderately complex initiatives and supports organizational changes
• Challenges and drives continuous improvement on immediate team and, with guidance, across the portfolio
• Building skill in identifying the appropriate project methodology and coaching the applicable delivery principles and best practices within teams

Solution Delivery

• Provides team facilitation for aligned project team
• Effectively manages stakeholder expectations with guidance
• Executes work using a variety of approaches (lean, agile, waterfall, iterative) based on situation with guidance
• With guidance, identifies and manages project risks, issues, dependencies, and milestones in accordance with project need

Quality Assurance

• Begins to design and participates in the execution of a quality approach with guidance
• Begins to facilitate requirements validation and User Acceptance Testing with the client, third-party vendors and other team members

What makes this opportunity great:

• Information technology is a core part of Baird’s business strategy and plays a critical role in the growth and transformation of the firm
• Ability to work with a variety of teams and stakeholders, proving your ability to be flexible and highly adaptable
• Fast paced environment that will enable you to grow as a professional
• Team of associates passionate about achieving great results for clients and give back to the communities where we live and work

What we look for:

• At least 5 years IT related experience including a minimum of 3 years Business Analysis experience
• B.S. in Computer Science, MIS, Business Administration, or Finance is preferred or combination of experience and education
• Two years serving as a Business Analyst in the financial industry is preferred
• Experience in an agile/lean delivery environment is preferred
• Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office is required. In addition, experience with a variety of tools for prototyping, modeling, data analysis, reporting, backlog and value stream management is preferred (MS Visio, PowerBI, Balsamiq, and Rally).
• Exposure to data visualization techniques and SQL is preferred
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Detail-oriented and possesses exceptional organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Able to work and grow in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment

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Commitment to Inclusion & Diversity

Baird is committed to inclusion & diversity for our clients, our associates and the communities where we live and work. This commitment stems from our culture of integrity, genuine concern for others and respect for the individual. We view inclusion & diversity as an ongoing journey – one of shared responsibility, continuous improvement and a focus on progress. We invite you to join us as we work together to foster an environment where diversity unites rather than divides us. Learn more here.