Senior Business Analyst / Product Manager

Information Technology (IT) provides technology services, support and solutions to drive the mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and ensure that the data sources of the enterprise systems inform and support the strategic direction and intent of the churchwide organization.

Information Technology strives to achieve its commitment to service; People delivering and supporting purposeful technology solutions in a secure, friendly, consistent, impactful and cost-effective manner to assist people in accomplishing the shared purpose and vision for the ELCA.

The Senior Business Analyst (BA) / Product Manager role is to identify, analyze and define opportunities for achieving the organization’s business goals by aligning requirements, processes and workflows to deliver usable system product solutions that maximize efficiency and value in meeting the defined ELCA vision, goals and objectives alongside IT operations. This position works closely with the ELCA stakeholders, Scrum Masters / Project Managers and Application Analyst to create business requirements, recommend solutions using technology or process improvements, act as a liaison between stakeholders and technology developers, translate business requirements into technology requirements, and use modeling, testing and data to improve the flow of information through the organization. This position serves as a planner and manager in the implementation of business appropriate solutions, overseeing information system-related activities, quality assuring financial and operational queries and reports, and providing technology application support, protocols and education for primary enterprise systems.

The Senior IT Business Analyst/Product Manager position differentiates from the Business Analyst/Product Manager as this position has deep ELCA institutional process and cross-functional knowledge with the comprehension of ELCA systems to best lead the business and other IT staff on standardized requirements management, ensuring the goals of the project, utilizing and teaching use of the proper tools, as well as the program, are achieved. This also includes the identification and management of risk, integration complexity, change, metrics, stakeholder and communications.

1. Gather and document business requirements, functionality, system configuration and reporting approaches, including how they integrate to other ELCA enterprise systems. Elicit and document business requirements, system configuration and reporting approaches, including how they relate to other ELCA enterprise systems. Serve on project steering committees and lead cross-functional team meetings where necessary.

2. Serve as product manager (Scrum Product Owner) to help the organization identify products and participate in Agile/Scrum artifacts and events in the production of backlog deliverables. Identify vision for maximizing product value, gather input to make decisions, provide direction for the development team, manage product backlog, and manage organization expectations.

3. Analyze and forecast processes of the organization to determine opportunities for streamlining operations, system improvements/upgrades and integrations, and efficiencies in support of long-term and operational goals. Work with stakeholders to identify best systems, services and solutions. Lead change according to company directives.

4. Manage business analyst tasks.

Serve as Scrum Product Owner as appointed

5. Mentor on best practices, education, storage and standards on work breakdown structure, business requirement documentation, metrics, risk, stakeholder and change management.

6. Interact and communicate with all departments and stakeholders orally and in writing, including external partners, vendor tech support and customers. Maintain professional, service-oriented relationships.

Minimal travel may be required

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in appropriate discipline or 8+ years of equivalent experience, including Business Analyst methodologies.

2. 8+ years of experience related to non-profit fundraising, collaboration, constituent relationship management, or financial systems, including but not limited to general ledger, endowment, deferred giving.

3. 2 to 5 years of IIBA theories and Agile/Scrum Product Owner experience.

4. Strong analytical skills with a demonstrated ability to analyze business systems, processes, workflows and the environment in which they operate

5. Operational and technical application knowledge and experience with financial systems. Ability to analyze, interpret and report financial data and system results with identified stakeholders.

6. Excellent people soft skills with the ability to communicate (oral and written) with users, vendors, technology staff and various other constituencies on technical and business levels to build consensus and facilitate teamwork. Proven ability to deliver effective presentations to senior management.

7. Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative relationships with different areas of this organization.

8. Advanced knowledge and experience in Microsoft products, ELCA enterprise system integrations, operating and reporting tools.