Business Analyst - Advanced - BA

Job Title: Business Analyst - Advanced Location: Columbia, SC Duration: 12 MonthsPosition Summary / Job PurposeSeeking an experienced Business Analyst to support enterprise application migration initiatives. The selected candidate will bridge the gap between business stakeholders and technical teams, drive process improvement, and ensure system readiness through comprehensive testing, training, and collaboration.Key Responsibilities / Job Functions1. Program Area Facilitation and Migration ReadinessAct as a liaison between program area staff and development teams, including vendors, stakeholders, and technical teams.Lead and document meetings to gather configuration data, define system context, and produce migration-related deliverables such as roadmaps.Develop and organize configuration materials into processes for modification, migration, testing, and production.2. Testing, Training, and User Readiness for MigrationDesign and execute test plans; provide continuous feedback to program and development teams.Assist in minor system configuration adjustments based on team input.Provide user training before, during, and after migration as needed.Evaluate the application from a usability standpoint and suggest enhancements for improved user experience.Ensure user requirements are captured and reflected in development.3. Process Engineering and Migration SupportAnalyze current and future system processes to identify improvement opportunities.Serve as a subject matter expert on technical content, processes, and system functions.Review technical tickets for accuracy and completeness.Collaborate with product owners on enhancement requests and ensure proper workflow.4. General SupportProvide support for additional application projects as needed.Participate in meetings to align migration efforts with overall organizational strategies.Required Skills and QualificationsMinimum 5 years' experience with government IT projects as a Business Analyst or similar role.Proven experience gathering and documenting business rules, processes, and requirements.Skilled in stakeholder interviews and document analysis.Excellent written and verbal communication skills.Proficiency in business process modeling and visual workflows.Familiarity with the full system development life cycle (SDLC).Strong analytical skills and experience with complex data sets.Ability to translate business needs into technical specifications.Experience with system validation through test scenarios.Background in process re-engineering and simulation.Effective problem-solving and troubleshooting capabilities.Collaboration experience across diverse teams.Leadership experience with technical teams.Familiarity with SQL databases.Preferred / Nice to Have SkillsCertifications from IIBA (e.g., CBAP, CCBA) or PMI (e.g., PMI-PBA).Experience leading technical teams or special projects.Familiarity with business feasibility analysis and IT solution recommendations.Experience in coordinating system modifications with business units.Skilled in project effort estimation and resource coordination.Proficiency in tools like JIRA and Microsoft Office.Basic understanding of mainframe systems.Self-starter mindset with the ability to adapt to new tools and technologies quickly.Education and CertificationBachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent relevant experience on a year-for-year basis.