Business Systems Consultant

Main Duties

ANALYSIS AND SOLUTION DEFINITION

The analysis of business requirements and the definition of a feasible solution to address the requirements through the acquisition of new applications or changes to existing applications

• Elicit information needs using interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site  visits, business process descriptions, use cases, scenarios, business analysis, task and workflow analysis

• Critically evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs

• Assess impact on existing systems and business processes

• Drive and challenge business units on their assumptions of how they will successfully execute their plans

• Proactively communicate and collaborate with business units to precisely define requirements and deliver the following artefacts as needed: (Functional requirements (Business Requirements Document), Change Requests, Business Processes Documentation, Use Cases, GUI, Screen and Interface designs, Report *& Document layouts

TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION

The research, evaluation and testing of new technologies, products and services

• Attend presentations/demonstrations from suppliers and submit report of technologies presented and areas of applicability

• Evaluate new applications

• Liaise with suppliers for technical clarifications

• Send approved requirements to suppliers for fitness of purpose, technical assessment and costing

• Analyse/compare responses from suppliers

• Provide evaluation reports for new applications

• Recommend the best course of action for acquisitions

• Assist the CIO in defining the procurement requirements for the acquisition of new applications and related equipment

PRE-DEPLOYMENT
The configuration and testing of either newly acquired technologies, products and services or changes to existing production systems.

• Apply project management best practices

• Prepare project charter and project plans

• Communicate project plans to business units and IT team

• Prepare change, configuration and data migration plans

• Prepare technical installation plans

• Ensure that new applications are installed in the test environment by the infrastructure team according to installation plan

• Ensure availability of the applications

• Prepare test plans

• Apply application changes / patches to test environment

• Configure the applications

• Test the applications against requirements and log all non-conformities

• Liaise with suppliers for resolution of all non-conformities

• Sign off test plans after resolution of all non-conformities and successful tests

• Amend project plans according to test results and communicate project status regularly to business units

• Develop training plans, including training curriculum, schedules and conduct formal training sessions, with or without supplier consultants, covering assigned systems

• Identify, track, report and resolve issues in a manner that will minimise impact on delivery schedules and budget

• Perform user acceptance tests and sign off

• Finalise configuration plans as required

DEPLOYMENT & GO LIVE

The installation, configuration and release to production of newly acquired technologies / products / services or changes to existing production systems.

• Apply project management best practices

• Communicate project live date to business units and ensure readiness

• Ensure that new applications are installed in the production environment by the infrastructure team according to installation plan

• Apply application changes / patches to production environment

• Ensure availability of the applications

• Configure the applications according to configuration plans, including user access rights

• Perform/supervise data migration

• Verify data migration and ensure sign off of successful migration from business units

• Assist users during go-live and resolve issues

• Perform project sign off

• Update technical and administrative documentation of all impacted systems/processes/procedures and practices

POST-DEPLOYMENT

The documentation of systems deployed and review of project implementation

• Ensure all relevant documentation is complete, current, and stored appropriately.

• Prepare post-implementation report

• Participate in post-implementation reviews

OPERATIONS

The routine tasks required to ensure theoperation of production systems to the highest levels of performance, confidentiality, integrity, availability and security as well as the resolution of issues
arising

• Build knowledge about the business processes of the companies of the Group

• Attend to incoming help from end users via both telephone, e-mail and ticketing system

• Log incidents/requests in ticketing system in case of telephone or e-mail requests

• Prioritise and schedule incidents

• Take ownership of issues by carrying out problem analysis to implement temporary or permanent fixes

• Resolve incidents either by telephone, remote access or in person, as applicable

• Perform Analysis and Solution Definition for change requests requiring changes to application functionality or configuration

• Liaise with suppliers for incidents and arrange for external technical support/intervention where problems cannot be resolved in house

• Communicate with users on the progress resolution of their requests

• Record, track, and document the requests problem-solving process, including all successful and unsuccessful decisions made, and actions taken, through to final resolution

• Perform user administration, including maintaining up to date user administrative records and access rights

• Develop help documentation for frequently asked questions for users and encourage users to use them

MAINTENANCE
The roll-out of updates and upgrades to existing production systems

• Apply upgrades, updates, patches and configuration changes as required

SUPPORT
Providing help to other team members and deputise for them when necessary

• Answer technical queries form team members and users

• Provide documentation of configuration and troubleshooting procedures to facilitate other team members.

• Deputise for other Business Analysts as required

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The on-going effort to improve products, services, policies, processes, procedures and practices

        • Recommend, application / business processes improvements, upgrades, patches,           
          reconfigurations, and/or purchases

• Identify opportunities for automation/ time saving strategies of aforementioned activities

• Look for synergies within the production environment from the perspective of complexity, cost, and maintenance activity reduction

• Gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of existing systems; develop and implement strategies for improving or further leveraging these systems

• Identify when established procedures are not working or gaps in processes and make recommendations for improvement

• Apply lessons learned to next assignments

DEVELOPMENT OF SELF & OTHERS

The improvement of one’s knowledge, status, or character by one’s own efforts and the application of new skills / knowledge to add value to the performance of the organisation

• Maintain currency of knowledge with respect to relevant advances in technologies, and/or applications through on-the-job training, attending technical courses or conferences, reading, research and testing

• Obtain relevant certifications as per training requirements in a satisfactory manner

• Learn from experience and informal instruction

• Recognise limitations of self and willing to learn from others

• Provide guidance to junior members of the team

• Share knowledge with other team members

• See failure as an opportunity to learn from past results, and continue to learn and grow

BEHAVIOUR STANDARDS

ETHICS & INTEGRITY

• Display high level of honesty in all circumstances

• Avoid situations and actions considered inappropriate or which present a conflict of interest

• Do not misrepresent self or use position or authority for personal gain

• Take prompt action in cases of unethical or unprofessional behaviour

PROFESSIONALISM

• Adhere to company’s policies, procedures and guidelines

• Respect and maintain confidentiality

• Be conscientious in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results

• Treat all people with dignity and respect

• Show persistence when faced with difficult problems and challenges

• Remain calm in stressful situations

• Adopt a mature approach in all circumstances

ACCOUNTABILITY & DEPENDABILITY

        • Demonstrate responsibility and accept accountability for own actions

• Take personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work, and achieves results with little oversight

• Make the best use of available time and resources

• Perform tasks with care and thoroughness

• Check work to ensure accuracy and completeness

• Put in extra time and effort in crisis situations; goes the “extra mile” to ensure the goal is met

• Demonstrate solid work ethic and discipline

• Safeguard and use company’s assets appropriately

• Protect information/data assets from unauthorised release, loss, alteration, or unauthorised deletion according to applicable regulations, Company/Department policies, procedures and guidelines

SKILLS AND ABILITIES COMMUNICATION

• Listen actively

• Read and write English and French

• Communicate ideas in both technical and user-friendly language

• Deliver informative and well organised presentations

• Conduct meetings

• Write reports, business correspondence, procedure manuals, and technical documentation that is accurate, coherent, grammatically correct, effective and professional

INTERPERSONAL
        • Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with colleagues, employees, suppliers,                  partners and customers

• Resolve disagreements, complaints, differences of opinion and grievances in a constructive manner while mitigation conflicts

• Hear other people's perspectives while suspending judgment

• Accept constructive critics and improve accordingly

• Demonstrate a balance between building rapport and getting the work done

• Share credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings

ORGANISATIONAL

• Understand urgency and able to prioritize and execute tasks and projects in time

• Work in a flexible way that allows for changes in assignments and priorities depending upon identified needs

• Pay keen attention to detail

• Ensure tasks are completed on time

• Successfully engage in multiple initiatives simultaneously

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Apply project and change management best practices

• Manage multiple projects or tasks

• Act in a consultative capacity interacting with users of business systems

• Build credible relationships with key stakeholders to ensure alignment to the project's objectives

• Exude the confidence necessary to hold everyone participating in projects accountable

• Be meticulous about managing the details of every project and the impact/ risks each detail may have on the overall project deliverables and success

• Forecast changes and communicates current and projected issues

• Recognize, track, communicate and solve issues quickly

• Set and meet realistic deadlines

• Ensures a high level of fiscal control and accountability for project budget

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and ensure timely delivery.

ANALYTICAL / PROBLEM SOLVING

• Apply technological knowledge towards practical business operations

• Apply logical reasoning to the diagnosis and resolution of issues

• Exhibit confidence and an extensive knowledge of industry practices when solving business problems

• Think cross-functional

• Show insight into the root-causes of problem and generate a range of solutions and courses of action with benefits, costs, and risks associated with each

• Test proposed solutions against the reality of likely effects before going forward

• Look beyond the obvious and does not stop at the first answers

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Listen to team members/users in a courteous and friendly manner, acknowledge the reality of their problems, translate their descriptions into

• technical terms, fix the problems, and explain the solutions in terms the users can understand

• See issues from the business perspective, assesses urgency of requests/issues and respond accordingly

• Consider at all times the impact on the business when making a decision

• Provide users / colleagues with status reports and progress updates

• Seek user feedback and ensure requirements have been fully met

• Perform proactive and reactive troubleshooting to effectively identify potential incidents or problems, and attempt to eliminate them before they occur

• Strong customer service skills to maintain positive relationships with users.

• Good knowledge of cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, including the concepts of servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics.

• Understand the concept of virtualization and the different service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).
• Knowledge of the use of how APIs and middleware are used to connect new
system into an existing eco-system.

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

• Expertise in diagnosing the underlying causes of complex issues and
implementing long-term solutions.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING

            • Understanding of AI and ML concepts to support applications that leverage these technologies.

            • Understand the concept like API, Data Ingress, Data Streaming, Change Data Capture (CDC),
             Containers, Serverless Computing.INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

             • Deep understanding of the client’s industry and business processes.

TECHNICAL AGNOSTIC

              • Familiarity with relevant software and tools used in business analysis and project management

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science or Systems Analysis or Business Administration with emphasis on Information Systems or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Any relevant professional qualifications / certifications

Other Requisites

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• General knowledge of information technology

• 5 years’ experience with business systems in at least one of the following roles: Applications support,
Business systems development, business systems/business process analyst

• Experience working with cross functional business teams to achieve successful collaboration.

• Knowledge and experience of project management methodologies

• Experience with systems implementation and/or process transformation

• Proficient with ERP systems, Navision preferred

• Proficient with business intelligence tools

• Proficient with documentation/analysis of business processes and/or functional requirements

• Experience with SQL server, SQL server reporting services

• Proficient with the Microsoft Office Suite

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to
successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:

• Frequently stand; walk; sit; use hands, reach with hands and arms; climb stairs

• Operate a computer keyboard and mouse for long periods

• Move to various locations, across buildings and/or within buildings to provide support and attend meetings

• Have the ability to speak clearly and to see and hear clearly with or without correction as well as the ability to interpret, analyze and perform critical thinking.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Primary work is performed indoors in a standard office environment.

Employee is subject to callback in emergencies on regular workdays, weekends and holidays and to
work beyond the normal scheduled hours of work.
Employee may be required to monitor and respond to cell phone and/or electronic communications
during non-working hours including regular workdays, weekends, or holidays.
Employee is required to travel to various locations locally. International business travel for may be
required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Valid driving license
• Valid passport

DISCLAIMER

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed. It is not
intended to limit or in any way modify the right of the position’s supervisors to assign, direct, and control
the work of employees under their supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration
describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned. The ability to competently
perform all the essential duties of the position, demonstrated commitment to effective customer service
delivery, and the ability to work productively as a member of a team or work group are basic
requirements of all positions at Leal & Co Ltd.

Leal & Co Ltd reserves the right to update or revise this job description and related duties at any time as
per the exigencies of the job.