Position: Business Analyst Location: Richmond VA Duration: 6 Months **local candidates strongly preferred ***personal interview strongly preferred ***this is a 6 month contract with possible extension Years of Experience: Business Analyst consultant with 4 to 6 years of experience in business requirement gathering using interviews, meetings/workshops, business process analysis, use case scenarios, gap analysis, questionnaires and prototyping techniques. Job Description: This position will work with users and a project manager to develop requirements in response to business requests for systems enhancements, modifications, and newly identified business initiatives; evaluates alternative strategies and recommends viable solutions that are compatible with current technologies and systems; develops requirements document; interacts and provides direction to developers doing work assigned to projects; provides assistance to users on how to use data; proactively identifies potential problems and issues by analyzing system reports and other available data; develops methods for improving system processes; develops and presents training to inform staff of system changes and enhancements; designs test solutions; plans, coordinates and documents system testing; actively participates in unit testing of the applications; maintains documentation and records for assigned projects; participates in production problem resolution and makes suggestions for process improvement. Specific Tasks: Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates business systems and user needs. Critically evaluates information gathered from multiple sources and reconciles potential conflicts. Communicate and collaborate with customers to analyze information, business problem and automation needs. Translate the business requirements into functional design document including detailed business requirement, process flow diagrams, work flow diagrams, use-case scenarios, GUI/wireframes, prototyping and interface designs. Analyze the current system and create the gap analysis to implement the modules. Create deliverables and traceability matrix. Work with various stakeholders in planning, developing, implementing, training and supporting the modules. Maintain the requirement repository and requirement versioning. Assist in creating preliminary project plan, test plan and test cases. Liaison between the business users, technology teams and support teams. Required Experience and Skills: Business Analyst consultant with 4 to 6 years of experience in business requirement gathering using interviews, meetings/workshops, business process analysis, use case scenarios, gap analysis, questionnaires and prototyping techniques. 3+ years in requirement analysis to 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. 3+ years in translating business requirements into detailed requirement document, process flow diagrams, workflow diagrams, use-case scenarios, wireframes, prototyping and interface designs. 3+ years in creating deliverables, traceability matrix, preliminary project plan, maintaining requirement repository and versioning. 3+ years in directly working and communicating with business users, technical team and multiple stakeholders on information distribution and collaboration. 3+ years in software development life cycle (SDLC) and Agile based development methodology. 3+ years in MS Visio, MS Office and MS Project. Strong analytical and product management skills required including a thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements. Extensive prior work experience on financial applications is required. Candidate should be an excellent team player and independently able to analyze and research to provide resolution for business problem. An excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group, executives, managers and subject matter experts is required. Desired Additional Skills: 2+ years in creating UML based use-cases. Experience in financial applications specifically in the areas of budgeting and contracting highly preferred. Skill Required / Desired Amount of Experience Expertise Rating: Experience in business requirement gathering using interviews, meetings, business process analysis, use case scenarios, gap analysis techniques. Required 5 Years Reconcile conflicts, decompose high-level information into details, and distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs. Required 3 Years Translating business requirements into detailed requirement, process flow and workflow diagrams, use-case scenarios, wireframes and prototyping. Required 3 Years Creating deliverables, traceability matrix, preliminary project plan items, maintaining requirement repository and versioning. Required 3 Years Directly working and communicating with business users, technical team and multiple stakeholders on information distribution and collaboration. Required 3 Years Software development life cycle (SDLC) and Agile based development methodology. Required 3 Years MS Visio, MS Office and MS Project. Required 3 Years Creating and understanding of UML based use-cases. Desired 2 Years Financial applications specifically in the areas of budgeting and contracting. Desired 2 Years Requires excellent communication skills Required Question 1 Does candidate live within a 50 mile radius of Richmond, VA? Question 2 If not, in what city/state does candidate reside? Question 3 Is candidate willing and able to travel to Richmond, VA for a personal interview if the manager is NOT able to conduct a phone interview? A personal interview is always required.