. My client is a well-established IT end user with a strong client base and proven business model. Sydney based and with excellent long term growth prospects this is a well-run and profitable enterprise. With a wide range of blue chip clients, excellent staff retention levels and excellent modern offices in Sydney's Western Suburbs they represent an excellent organisation to work for.
 
Continued growth and an ever changing industry of multi-channel marketing means an opportunity exists for a Business Analyst (newly created role) to join their team. Reporting into the IT Manager and working across the business with senior management this is a high profile role within the business. I am looking for candidates ideally tertiary qualified with a relevant degree (Computer Science, Business Systems, and Marketing etc.) and a reasonable technical background. Whilst prior development experience isn't essential (.Net environment)some SQL skills would be useful as would a general understanding of RDBMS structures, a general appreciation of data & a sound understanding of the SDLC. Please note this is not a hands-on technical role but technical skills gained prior to progressing into Business Analysis could be useful.
 
What I am looking for is candidates who have proven commercial & organisational awareness, who can build strong relationships (both internally across cross functional teams & stakeholders and external clients) & possess first class communication skills (written and verbal). Candidates must be able to elicit requirements from users, write specifications (functional/technical) and write business process maps, proposals/cases for business/technical change so the ability to write lucidly and with clarity is key. Your remit will be to explore opportunities that exist within clients through reviewing their business processes, workflows, systems and applications & recommend enhancements, amendments, modifications as and when required and build the necessary business case. Candidates must be technically sound and possess solid research skills in order to assess the practicality/relevance of certain software applications. This is a role working in a small IT team amongst senior professionals so the ability to be self-starting, pro-active & operate intelligently as a sole Business Analyst in a fast paced organisation.
 
You will be gathering requirements, making proposals & working as a project team to implement new systems and processes. The ability to write and deliver effective training (one to one, manuals, classroom) is essential to a confident manner and excellent documentation skills are key. This is only a small percentage of the role (but an important one!) I am looking for candidates who are quality focused, understand the principles of continuous improvement and want to make a difference. A general understanding of the principles of Change Management would be useful.
 
This is a role which will develop and evolve in the fullness of time but given the size of the IT function rapid progression is unrealistic so this role would not suit candidates looking for quick progression over a 2-3 yrs period. Evolution not revolution is more the word to describe career development with this client.
 
From an industry perspective my client will consider any background but candidates with knowledge or experience of the advertising, prepress, digital media, catalogue, photography, graphic design etc. industries would be at an advantage as the internal staff you will be typically engaging with will be print and digital advertising specialists (photographers, graphic designers, prepress production experts etc.). However, candidates who can demonstrate the smarts and organisational and commercial awareness to pick up a new industry quickly will also be considered.
 
In return you will be working for a market leader with a well-establ