Business Technical Support Analyst

The Business Support Analyst successfully works on multiple cross-agency projects by working with all levels of staff and management to gain knowledge of current processes and provide innovative concepts for improvement, working with teams to resolve issues, sharing knowledge in order to achieve VRS’ mission and strategic business objectives. The position also facilitates extensive life-cycle testing of new software to ensure a complete, working solution is provided for business processing; to include supporting the ongoing testing initiatives for production releases, quality monitoring of VRS systems when enhancements are rolled out, reviewing upcoming legislative changes, identifying potential system and process impacts, and analyzing defects found in VRS productions systems.

Essential duties include, but not limited to:

Cross-Agency Project Support:

• successfully working with a variety of business units, business analysts, programming staff, subject matter experts and project managers;
• working with stakeholders to gain understanding of business issues, document business objectives and processes, and create an innovative design for improvement;
• helping to identify and analyze opportunities to improve technology to enhance business processing and recommend solutions that enable VRS to achieve its mission and strategic business initiatives;
• assisting with problem resolution;
• providing cross-team support whenever needed to achieve goals, knowledge sharing, and meeting agency APOs.

User Validation Testing:

• coordinating cycles of user validation, testing applications as they develop and when new functionality is added, or existing functions are changed through project channels;
• identifying appropriate test cases, coordinating testing teams who run the necessary test scripts, verifying the process to ensure the solution meet business requirements;
• preparing and maintaining supporting test documentation including test plans, traceability to requirements, and detailing plans as needed for more complex process testing;
• conducting and attending regular defect triage meetings, providing explanation of issues, partnering with developers and business analysts to suggest possible requirements changes when necessary.

General Testing for Monthly Application Releases:

• testing support for various iterations of software testing including functional testing and user acceptance testing prior to full cycle tests through production support channels when requested;
• preparing and creating unique scenarios to ensure adequate testing.

Quality Monitoring:

• monitoring specific areas of the VRS system for periods of time following major project implementations to ensure it is working as designed and that no adverse effects are displayed once business is being processed in the new area of the system;
• reviewing each monitoring point at the prescribed interval and reporting to QM leadership.

Legislative Changes:

• assisting with review and analysis of upcoming legislative changes;
• determining how current processes and systems may be impacted.

VNAV Workflow Updates:

• providing agency-wide support for workflow changes;
• working with business processing teams and developers to understand the necessary flow of activity;
• implementing the workflows designed by the developers.

Operational Readiness:

• working with cross-agency teams whose activities ensure a smooth rollout of major system enhancements being delivered into production;
• recommending key stakeholders, creating and maintaining a project plan and detailing task plans that capture all necessary ramp-up activities;
• assigning tasks to the appropriate stakeholders and following-up on outstanding tasks and decisions.

Defect Monitoring and Prioritization:

• assisting with review of production defects in VRS systems affecting business processing and validating the issues;
• assisting with analysis of defects and determining the number of members/retirees affected by the issue;
• ranking the issues for possible prioritization for future release.

Minimum Qualifications A minimum of two years’ experience in a processing environment with experience in working on project teams, managing multiple priorities, and conducting system functional/user testing experiences is required.
College degree or equivalent experience in business, accounting, computer science or a related field. Knowledge and use of computer software testing methodology preferred.
Preferred Qualifications Demonstrated ability to:

• Liaise with project stakeholders on an ongoing basis.
• Effectively communicate project expectations to team members and stakeholders in a timely and clear fashion in a fast paced environment.
• Serve as subject matter resource for various areas of VRS applications used by the business staff.
• Recognize multiple business interests when resolving issues/problems and help guide all toward common tools and processes.
• Solve problems through discovery and analysis, providing innovative options and assisting with solution implementation when necessary.
• Use knowledge of system development life cycle, quality assurance methods and best practices to enhance testing of VRS systems.
• Manage multiple responsibilities and prioritize work under tight deadlines; work independently, within a team environment, and across organizational lines; analyze workflows, procedures, and process improvements.
• Influence, negotiate, and mediate discussions to manage expectations, achieve business goals and objectives, tradeoff discussions and conflict resolution activities.

Knowledge of VRS benefits and systems a plus and/or knowledge with employee benefit plans.
Special Requirements
Special Instructions to Applicants VRS is working in a hybrid work model requiring two days onsite and 3 days remote.