Senior Business Systems Analyst
Definition
Under General supervision, performs advanced systems maintenance, operational duties, and modification of application systems. Serving as a key liaison between system users, information technology staff, vendors, and service providers, the role requires a high level of expertise in providing technical and analytical support while delivering comprehensive training to system users. Responsible for complex system administration functions, ensuring security and optimizing the effective operation of diverse automated files, records, and databases. Additionally, this position serves in a key role, managing, leading, planning, executing, and completing information technology services projects both interdepartmental and citywide. initiatives.
Class Characteristics
This is a highly specialized position that combines deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen. The incumbent will possess a comprehensive understanding of business systems architecture, data analysis, and project management. This position is responsible for the conceptual and operational facets of adapting information systems to business needs and effectively communicating those needs to information system professionals. This position performs in-depth review and analysis of various information technology strategies to automate operational processes and resolve organizational issues.
Incumbents take a key leadership role in strategic decision-making processes, with a significant impact on the business’s technological direction. They are expected to provide leadership and guidance to other analysts and work closely with senior management. Additionally, the incumbent guides teams of analysts and collaborates with stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment with business strategies.
This classification is distinguished from Innovation Technology Manager, as the latter assumes full management responsibility
The Senior Business Systems Analyst differs from the Business Systems Analyst by applying specialized expertise to tackle complex, often undefined assignments involving multiple teams or departments. This role leads or supports concurrent projects across diverse applications and business domains, managing multi-stakeholder work streams in various technical environments.
Supervision Received and Exercised
Works under the general direction of I&T Manager or department head.
Exercised: Provides leadership and guidance to a team of business analysts and technical staff. May directly supervise junior analysts, offering mentorship and professional development support.
Essential Duties
Management retains the right to add, modify, change, or rescind work assignments and make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees to perform job functions. • Conducts various system user and work groups, identifying complex user needs and addressing operational, programmatic, and/or regulatory changes affecting application requirements and related issues.
• Leads the modification of existing systems or implements new systems, developing, writing, and disseminating procedures that leverage new or modified system applications. Evaluates system modifications in response to operational, program, and/or regulatory changes. • Develops internal procedures used with business systems and team enterprise standards.
Maintains ongoing documentation of the appropriate business solutions for various reporting or data extract needs.
• Responds to requests for assistance related to department and/or program systems and software applications. Determines the severity of problems, resolving them or referring to appropriate personnel or vendors for resolution.
• Directs the work of software vendors to identify and resolve intricate programming and operational problems. Coordinates the scheduling of corrective patches and upgrades between vendors and staff, interacting with vendors, external agencies, auditors, or other staff to obtain requested data or special reports.
• Undertakes advanced software application research, development, conversion, installation, and maintenance projects through the entire project life cycle. This includes conception and initiation, definition and planning, launch and execution, monitoring and controlling, and close- out.
• Facilitates and conducts advanced business process redesign or technical design sessions and/or focus groups for the design and implementation of new processes or systems. • Develops consultant requests for proposals and qualifications for professional services. Evaluates proposals and recommends project awards. Develops and reviews contract terms and amendments, ensuring contractor compliance with City and department standards and specifications, as well as time and budget estimates.
• Creates analytical applications and reports based on detailed user specifications. • Provides analytical and technical support/coaching for requests, projects, or initiatives. • Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in technology related to information technology operations. Researches, recommends, and evaluates vendor solutions and technologies.
Implements improvements and collaborates with staff to maintain, revise, or enhance operations and systems.
• Authors and maintains user and technical operating instructions and documentation. Prepares training materials and conducts formal and informal training programs on the use and operation of applications, advising on best practices.
• Provides continuous training and mentoring to lower-level staff in areas of responsibility. • Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge of:
• Principles and practices of excellent customer service. • Principles and practices of project management, identifying technology needs and issues, researching, and evaluating technology, applications, and the most effective courses of action, and implementing solutions.
• Principles and practices of relational database management and systems integration analysis and programming.
• Advanced principles and practices of information technology applications, systems, and infrastructure analysis, design, and management.
• Principles and practices of programmatic analysis and report preparation. • Principles and practices of vendor relationship management. • Department policies, programs, and practices.
• Complex citywide and interdepartmental information technology services projects. • The organization, operation, and functions of the department as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities and to determine the appropriate point of escalation. • Advanced principles and practices of Business Intelligence (BI), reporting, data warehousing and scripting.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to the assigned area of responsibility.
Education and Experience
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Science, Information Technology, Science, Business, or a related field and six (6) years of experience with report writing tools and systems, including three (3) years at a level comparable to the City's Business Systems Analyst classification. Alternatively, relevant analytical, administrative, lead, supervisory, or management experience that includes interpreting rules and regulations, gathering data, formulating recommendations, and report writing may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis, combined with eight (8) years of experience with business intelligence tools creating analytical applications, scripts, and reports.
Licenses and Certifications
Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License is required at time of hiring and for duration of employment.
Working Conditions
May be required to attend Commission/Committee/Council or community events meetings outside of regular work hours.
Physical Demands
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer. Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Standing in and walking between work areas is frequently required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification frequently bend, stoop, kneel, and reach to perform assigned duties, as well as push and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds with the use of proper equipment.
Environmental Elements
Employees work in an office environment with moderate levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances.
FLSA: Exempt
Est. 5/2025