Business Analyst

Senior IT Business Analyst (Azure DevOps / QA Focus) 💰 Rate: $50–$55/hr on W-2 🌎 Location: Lansing, MI 🚫 No C2C or Third-Party Candidates Position Overview We are seeking a highly experienced Senior IT Business Analyst with strong Quality Assurance and Azure DevOps expertise to support complex enterprise technology initiatives. This role is responsible for leading requirements discovery, process improvement, testing oversight, and Agile delivery support. The ideal candidate will bring 7+ years of experience, a strong understanding of SDLC and Agile methodologies, and the ability to bridge the gap between business stakeholders and technical teams while ensuring high-quality software delivery. Key Responsibilities Business Analysis Leadership • Lead requirements gathering sessions, stakeholder interviews, and workshops • Translate business needs into functional specifications, user stories, and acceptance criteria • Develop and maintain documentation including BRDs, FRDs, process flows, and data mapping • Perform gap analysis and impact analysis for system enhancements and new initiatives • Act as the primary liaison between business, development, and QA teams • Provide mentorship and guidance to junior analysts Azure DevOps & Agile Delivery • Manage product backlogs, user stories, tasks, and defects using Azure DevOps • Collaborate with Product Owners and Scrum Masters on prioritization and sprint planning • Ensure end-to-end traceability of requirements through Azure DevOps work items • Track sprint progress, defects, and testing metrics using dashboards and reporting tools • Participate in Agile ceremonies including stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and backlog grooming Quality Assurance & Testing Oversight • Define and review test strategies, test plans, and test cases • Support and oversee functional, integration, regression, and UAT testing • Manage the defect lifecycle and ensure timely resolution • Partner with QA teams to ensure test coverage, data validation, and quality standards • Validate that delivered solutions meet business and compliance requirements Process Improvement & Strategic Contribution • Identify opportunities to improve business processes, workflows, and system efficiency • Recommend automation and technology solutions • Contribute to enterprise-level best practices and standards for business analysis • Support change management, training, and adoption efforts Documentation & Communication • Maintain comprehensive documentation including business rules, workflows, and system requirements • Present findings, recommendations, and updates to stakeholders and leadership • Ensure clear and consistent communication across technical and business teams Required Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or related field • 7+ years of experience as an IT Business Analyst on enterprise projects • 2+ years of hands-on experience with Azure DevOps (backlogs, user stories, defect tracking, reporting) • Strong experience with software testing, QA processes, and UAT coordination • Deep understanding of SDLC and Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) • Proven experience writing user stories, acceptance criteria, and functional specifications • Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills Preferred Qualifications • Experience working in enterprise-scale or multi-team Agile environments • Familiarity with SQL, APIs, and data integration concepts • Experience supporting CI/CD pipelines and release management Key Skills • Business Analysis & Requirements Gathering • Azure DevOps (Boards, Backlogs, Work Items, Dashboards) • Agile / Scrum Methodologies • QA Strategy & Test Planning • Defect Lifecycle Management • Requirements Traceability • Process Modeling & Improvement • Stakeholder Communication