Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities
• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance

• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come into the office when collaborative in person work is needed.

• Relocation assistance to those that currently live 50 miles away from SPP’s office in Little Rock
• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

Overview

The Business Analyst plans, analyzes, gathers, records, and manages requirements throughout the project lifecycle. Requirements are a key deliverable of SPP’s project management lifecycle and generally include functional and non-functional requirements that support SPP’s business goals, governing entities, technical architecture, system design/development, and system testing.

The Business Analyst provides input to functional design and follows the system design effort through system testing to ensure that system design/delivery satisfies requirements.

The Business Analyst is responsible for test planning and preparation, including developing test cases/test plans, test approach, and test execution. Additionally, the Business Analyst drives test automation efforts.

The Business Analyst leads test stages such as system integration, regression, non-functional, and user acceptance testing.  The Business Analyst provides overall test management including defect management and delivery of testing status and metrics.

The Business Analyst may also support project activities such as data mapping exercises, coding of macros or scripts to support testing, system integration testing, technical and end-user documentation, etc., as needed.

Additional responsibilities may include defining and improving requirements practice and test management processes, educating team members, providing team leadership, and project status reporting for the BA team.

The Business Analyst scope includes projects/tasks assigned by the Supervisor or Manager. The Business Analyst will generally focus on a specific functional area and its related set of applications as a primary area of responsibility, and may also be assigned to other functional areas and/or ad hoc projects to meet business needs. Projects generally include creating and assisting with key deliverables among many departments within SPP, vendors, and consultants throughout all stages of the project management life cycle. The position requires extensive communication with employees at all levels of the organization, and is expected to work with minimal supervision, exercising good judgment in managing multiple tasks and priorities.

The Business Analyst provides support to the Supervisor by assisting with team leadership duties, day-to-day task assignments, status tracking, resource management, and mentoring/education to the BA project team members during their portion of their assigned projects.

The position may be asked to support SPP member committees and working groups, and may represent SPP and its member companies at NERC committees and working groups.

Essential Functions

• Work collaboratively with stakeholders to gather requirements and establish test cases/test plans.
• Provide analysis of customer, business, and technical needs to articulate and develop business goals, functional requirements, non-functional requirements, etc., using SPP’s established requirements methodology. Present requirements in a manner that is appropriate to the project.
• Apply requirements approval, management, and traceability throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring scope change control.
• Ensure established requirements methodology and testing strategy are effective, understood, and followed by the team as well as stakeholders.
• Identify, recommend, and implement changes and enhancements to processes and documentation to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Exhibit and apply knowledge of SPP’s business and the systems that support the business. Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the business and systems/applications of their assigned primary functional area.
• Possess and apply technical skills applicable to requirements and testing.
• Develop, document, and execute test cases/test plans, test approaches, test execution, defect management, test status, and test metrics using SPP’s established testing strategy and defect management process.
• Demonstrate ability to manage/prioritize multiple assignments/initiatives, while meeting delivery dates
• Accountable for all aspects of system testing, (e.g., resource planning, test approach documentation, test cases/test plans, test management, defect management, test status/metrics, test exit, etc.). Help drive test automation.
• Execute system integration testing, as well as executing tests for other test stages as applicable, (e.g., site acceptance, functional integration/user acceptance, non-functional).
• Understand and utilize IT practices/methodologies
• Exercise planning and problem solving skills with ability to exercise mature judgment, assisting junior staff with planning and problem solving
• Establish effective working relationships with stakeholders and team
• Support complex projects/implementations that impact multiple systems, interfaces, and departments
• Provide guidance, direction, feedback, and coaching to ensure team effectiveness
• Assist supervisor of team with day-to-day task assignments, status tracking, and issue resolution

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position, but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work duties and responsibilities. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other areas to cover absences, or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a Business or Information Technology-related field; Two (2) years of supporting SDLC including requirements and/or software testing experience may be considered in lieu of degree requirement

Experience Requirements:

• Business Analyst II - Three (3) years of SDLC experience, including requirements and software testing experience (in excess of degree requirement above. Three (3) years of experience at SPP with demonstrated capabilities and skills that correlate to those of a Business Analyst may be considered in lieu of direct SDLC experience.
• Senior Business Analyst - 6+ years of SDLC experience, including requirements and/or software testing experience

Required:

• Working knowledge/experience in various requirements approaches and/or software testing methodologies
• Thorough knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Experience articulating requirements in a consumable manner
• Experience leading implementation efforts involving multiple team members/stakeholders
• Logical and efficient, with attention to detail
• Strong prioritization and organizational skills
• Competent with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint)
• Proficient in both written and oral communication
• Demonstration of people leadership and process leadership
• Strong facilitation skills
• Effective negotiation skills
• Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Preferred:

• Competent with requirements/test management products - all levels
• Applicable knowledge and experience with developing SQL queries, macros - all levels
• Basic understanding of standard programming languages such as C, C++, Visual Basic, Java, etc. - all levels
• Experience with SDLC products/tools - all levels
• 2+ years of Wholesale Utility industry business knowledge - Level II
• 5+ years leading requirements/testing, software development, and/or system implementation efforts - Senior Level
• 5+ years of Wholesale Utility industry business knowledge - Senior Level

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment.

Physical Demands:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.
• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.
• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal travel (approximately 0-15%)

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications. If after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer.  SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelors or better

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)