About the role
Overview
We are seeking technically minded Business Analysts to support application transition and technology transformation programmes for a leading automotive client.
The roles will focus on understanding the existing application and technology landscape, assessing system dependencies and interfaces, and defining the approach to transitioning or transforming applications while minimising disruption to business operations and end users.
Two opportunities are available
Application Transition
Supporting the transition of applications from an existing platform to a new platform, with the longer-term objective of migrating to the platform used by the organisation's German operation.
Application & Database Transformation
Supporting the transformation of applications with a range of underlying databases that require upgrading, ensuring dependencies, integration points and business impacts are understood and managed.
Both roles require strong Business Analysis skills combined with an understanding of enterprise application landscapes, system integrations, technical dependencies and technology change. The successful candidates will work closely with technical teams, architects, service management and third-party service providers to understand the technology while translating that information into actionable plans for Project Managers and coordinate the activities required for a controlled transition or transformation.
The emphasis will be on achieving technology change with minimal business impact and as little change as possible for business stakeholders and end users.
Responsibilities
Technical Business Analysis & Application Landscape
- Analyse the existing application and technology landscape to understand system capabilities, architecture, interfaces, integrations and dependencies.
- Work with Solution Architects, technical teams and application owners to establish a clear understanding of the current and target environments.
- Identify applications, databases, interfaces, infrastructure components and third-party services affected by the proposed changes.
- Assess upstream and downstream dependencies, data flows and integration points to understand the potential impact of individual application changes.
- Document application relationships, technical constraints, assumptions, risks and dependencies to support planning and decision-making.
- Translate technical information into clear analysis, options, recommendations and plans for project and business stakeholders.
Application Transition & Migration Planning
- Analyse application transition requirements and assess the implications of moving applications from the existing platform to a new platform.
- Support planning for the longer-term migration towards the platform used by the German operation, considering interim arrangements and dependencies.
- Identify and group applications into logical migration or transition waves based on dependencies, complexity, risk and readiness.
- Define sequencing and prerequisite activities to support a controlled transition, including interfaces, data dependencies and third-party services.
- Work with Project Managers and technical teams to develop and maintain the application transition roadmap.
- Identify business and technical impacts, transition risks, rollback requirements and contingency arrangements.
- Ensure transition plans consider service continuity, operational readiness and the need to minimise disruption to end users.
Application & Database Transformation
- Analyse applications and their underlying databases to understand the scope and implications of planned database upgrades and associated application changes.
- Assess dependencies between applications, databases, interfaces and connected services to identify potential compatibility and integration issues.
- Work with technical specialists to understand upgrade requirements, constraints, options and implementation dependencies.
- Identify the applications and services affected by each upgrade and determine appropriate sequencing and grouping.
- Support the development of transformation roadmaps, implementation plans and dependency-based delivery schedules.
- Assess potential business and operational impacts and identify measures to minimise disruption.
- Support the definition of contingency and rollback approaches for changes that introduce material operational or technical risk.
Stakeholder & Delivery Coordination
- Work collaboratively with Project Managers to support planning, coordination, progress tracking and management of dependencies across transition and transformation activities.
- Liaise with a separate Service Management and Support workstream to ensure service continuity, support arrangements and operational readiness are considered.
- Engage application owners, technical SMEs, infrastructure teams, database specialists and business stakeholders to validate requirements and assumptions.
- Coordinate with third-party suppliers and service providers responsible for applications, services or components within the technology landscape.
- Identify and escalate risks, issues, dependencies and decisions requiring resolution.
- Produce clear documentation and reporting to support governance, planning and delivery assurance.
Business Impact & Operational Readiness
- Assess the potential impact of application transitions and database upgrades on business processes, services, integrations and end users.
- Identify opportunities to maintain existing business processes and minimise the need for stakeholder retraining or operational change.
- Define business and technical readiness considerations, including validation, testing, communications and support requirements.
- Support the identification of test scenarios and acceptance criteria to validate that affected applications, interfaces and services continue to operate as expected.
- Ensure transition and transformation plans consider service continuity, contingency arrangements and recovery requirements.
- Work with delivery and service management teams to ensure changes can be implemented in a controlled and supportable manner.
Qualifications
A relevant degree or equivalent practical experience in Business Analysis, Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or a related discipline.
Relevant Business Analysis qualifications, such as BCS or IIBA, would be advantageous. Training or qualifications in Enterprise Architecture, IT service management, cloud technologies or database technologies would also be beneficial.
Essential skills
- Ability to interpret application architecture diagrams, system inventories, interface specifications and technical documentation, and use these to identify dependencies, constraints, risks and impacts.
- A sound understanding of relational databases and the implications of database upgrades or migrations for dependent applications, interfaces and data flows.
- Understanding of rollback, contingency and recovery planning for application or platform changes.
- Ability to engage with third-party suppliers and service providers to understand dependencies, responsibilities and delivery constraints.
- Understanding of IT service management and the importance of service continuity during technology change.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to structure complex technical information and identify dependencies that may not be immediately apparent.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to work across business and technical teams.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving and documentation skills, with the ability to translate complex technical information into clear assessments, recommendations, decisions and delivery plans.
Personal & Consulting Capabilities
The successful candidates will demonstrate strong analytical, consultancy and interpersonal skills, with the ability to understand complex technical environments, challenge assumptions constructively and