Lead Business Analyst

Lead Business Analyst/Technical Operations PM Overview We are seeking a Lead Business Analyst (Technical Project Manager / Business Analyst hybrid) to support the design, development, and implementation of a consolidated tooling ecosystem across R&D, Operations, and Marketing. This role sits at the intersection of business process optimization, technical systems integration, and stakeholder collaboration, playing a critical part in shaping how teams plan, execute, and measure work. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives in ambiguity, can translate business needs into technical solutions, and is comfortable both gathering requirements and contributing to the build and optimization of systems. Key Responsibilities Stakeholder Engagement & Requirements Gathering • Partner with cross-functional teams (R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing) to collect use cases, workflows, and system requirements • Conduct discovery sessions to understand how teams currently operate and what tools they use • Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and unmet needs across processes and systems • Build strong relationships with key partners and act as a trusted advisor Solution Design & Tool Strategy • Evaluate existing tools (e.g., Jira, Airtable, internal systems) to determine fit for business needs • Recommend solutions-whether through optimizing existing tools, integrating systems, or building new capabilities • Define requirements for system enhancements, integrations, and APIs • Help shape the vision and roadmap for a centralized tool/dashboard ecosystem System Integration & Development Support • Support the integration of tools (especially Jira) into a unified system landscape • Contribute to backend tooling efforts, including APIs and interfaces where applicable • Translate business needs into technical requirements for development teams • Ensure systems are scalable, usable, and aligned with business objectives Dashboarding & Insights • Design and implement executive-level dashboards to provide visibility into: • Project prioritization • Team activity and sprint progress • Business value and outcomes • Enable data flow between tools (e.g., Jira → executive dashboards) Process Optimization & Tool Adoption • Lead initiatives to optimize and automate workflows across teams • Support rollout from early-stage (Phase 0) through production release (Phase 1) • Provide training and enablement ("train-the-trainer" model) to ensure adoption • Continuously identify improvement opportunities (including overlooked "last mile" gaps) Typical Day • Conduct discovery meetings with stakeholders across functions to gather requirements • Analyze current tools and processes to identify optimization opportunities • Collaborate with leadership (e.g., direct manager and technical partners) to refine solution direction • Evaluate tooling capabilities and integration strategies • Support dashboard development and Jira configuration improvements • Drive progress toward a unified, scalable tool ecosystem Qualifications Required • ~4+ years of experience in: • Technical project management, business analysis, or business systems roles • Business process optimization and systems implementation • Strong experience with Jira, including configuration, workflows, and integrations • Proven ability to gather, synthesize, and translate stakeholder requirements into actionable solutions • Experience working on cross-functional, business-facing IT or systems projects • High emotional intelligence (EQ) with strong communication and facilitation skills • Hands-on mindset-able to both define strategy and contribute to execution Preferred • Familiarity with tools such as Airtable or similar database platforms • Experience integrating business systems and building dashboards • Exposure to APIs, system interfaces, or lightweight technical development concepts • Experience tailoring or configuring databases/tools to meet business needs Key Traits for Success • Self-starter: proactively seeks information and drives outcomes • Problem solver: thrives in ambiguous, evolving environments • Big-picture thinker: understands how individual features unlock broader business value • Detail-oriented: identifies and closes gaps others may overlook • Collaborative: works effectively with both technical and non-technical teams Additional Information • Duration: 12-month contract (project-based, multi year project, expected to extend until completion) • Work Model: Flexible hybrid; strong preference for on-site collaboration, but open to remote candidates with periodic (quarterly) travel • Growth: Opportunity to be part of a growing team (planned scale-up over the next several months) EOE Statement: Specialist Staffing Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. To find out more about Real, please visit www.realstaffing.com