Principal Business Analyst

Taylor & Francis is continuing its digital investment with a focus on the needs of academic researchers and institutes. The Principal Business Analyst is one of two senior BA practitioners aligned to the Taylor & Francis Business Architecture function, reporting to the Enterprise Business Architect. The role leads the largest and most complex cross-domain analysis in its domain group, actively builds up the T&F business architecture, and jointly with the other Principal BA owns the standards, methodology, community and capability of business analysis across T&F.

Responsibilities

Personally scope the largest, most complex and strategically significant analysis initiatives; coordinate Domain BAs through design and implementation; own requirements coherence across domain boundaries; lead requirements elicitation and facilitation for high-ambiguity or senior-stakeholder initiatives; lead feasibility and options analysis with recommendations; manage stakeholder relationships across domain teams and senior stakeholders; contribute to UAT planning across domains; maintain analytical quality and act as senior escalation point; act as primary BA point of contact for Business Architect; ensure BA work feeds business architecture and lead documentation of processes, organisational structures, systems and data flows; support Business Decision Records; validate alignment with target architecture; jointly define and maintain BA methodology, standards, templates and shared vocabulary; jointly define BA competency framework and progression model; jointly run BA community of practice; jointly define requirements governance and UAT standards; provide quality oversight of BA outputs; coach Domain BAs on technique, standards and approach.

Requirements

Hold authority through expertise, not position; comfortable influencing and raising standards without line-management authority; comfortable leading large, ambiguous initiatives while coordinating Business Analysts you do not formally manage; confident raising standards of a mixed BA team and coaching generously; communicate clearly in writing and in person, especially with senior business and engineering audiences; patience to build business architecture and BA capability incrementally; nurture an open environment and work across silos; willing to challenge constructively when delivery pressure conflicts with BA practice standards; exceptional ability to analyse complex problems, frame them well, and drive towards decisions with the customer in mind; degree-level education or equivalent professional experience; substantial track record of business analysis in complex multi-domain organisations; demonstrated experience scoping and leading large complex cross-domain analysis initiatives end-to-end, including coordinating multiple BAs; demonstrated experience setting BA standards and methodology in federated or distributed delivery environment; direct experience working alongside enterprise or business architects on capability-driven analysis and design; strong track record of engaging at senior stakeholder level; coaching and developmental experience with junior or mid-career BAs; demonstrated experience working with colleagues in multiple locations and time zones; right to work and live in UK.

Nice to have

Business analysis certification (BCS/ISEB, IIBA CBAP) desirable but not essential; publishing, content or platform business experience is an advantage

Benefits

Competitive salary plus bonus; 24 days annual leave; 4 volunteering days annually; day off for your birthday; pension contributions; medical insurance for self and dependants; life cover and personal accident cover for self; seasonal social and charitable events; training and development; tools and equipment for remote working; balanced working model with flexibility to work from home or remotely