Business Area: Operations When you join USS, the size and scale of our pension scheme means you will have numerous opportunities to learn and develop your career. Given our size you'll have real autonomy and influence as you collaborate closely with a wide-ranging team of experts.
Our office is a vibrant place to work, and we offer flexibility of office/homeworking due to our hybrid model. In your role as Senior Business Analyst, you will make a meaningful and valued contribution from the outset. This role will provide a great opportunity to define the scope of projects in conjunction with business sponsors, analyse requirements and specify operational and technical change across USSIM. You will take responsibility for providing business analysis across various projects and BAU initiatives, with involvement in activities throughout the full project lifecycle including process definition, system requirements, testing (functional and technical) and implementation.
The successful candidate will be involved in a variety of projects that are either strategic, regulatory or discretionary across the USSIM business areas but with a special focus on supporting Private Markets Group (PMG) initiatives. They will report to a PMG Project Manager within the USSIM Business Change team.
The Business Analyst is expected to provide the analysis that will define the scope, requirements and success criteria for a variety of initiatives, primarily in support of Private Markets Group (PMG) initiatives. They will coordinate input from relevant business areas, liaising with the technology change team (IMS) where appropriate, to define and document proposed solutions for presentation back to business stakeholders for review and sign-off. The Business Analyst will act as a point of contact for business and technical colleagues through to solution delivery.
The individual will be expected to support PMG Project Manager and USS PMO, with responsibility for tracking against agreed deliverables and timelines, capturing associated risks and issues, escalating to the Project Manager or within the Business Analysis team as appropriate. They may also be required to provide input to project reporting including SteerCo attendance.
Key tasks include: - Defining the scope of the project, agreeing high level aims with stakeholders.
- Defining detailed business and systems requirements in conjunction with users and developers.
- Preparing a range of documents and project artefacts as required to suit the task at hand.
- Assessing implementation options, influencing stakeholders to select the most appropriate solution.
- Highlighting the implications of each solution not only in terms of project delivery but also business value and on-going support or effort levels.
- Documenting the current state, proposed outcome and target operating model.
- Provision of updates to the enterprise model (ArchiMate / BPMN 2.0)
- Planning, preparation, participation in and oversight of testing, transition and implementation.
More generally, the Business Analyst will be involved with: - Assisting with the design and analysis of solutions.
- Liaising with developers to understand technical opportunities and constraints, identify practical solutions, both strategic and tactical where appropriate, and to help prioritise work into releases.
- Analysis and documentation of requirements.
- Changing backlog maintenance and grooming.
- Formal documentation of design and solutions processes.
- Feasibility analysis.
- Impact assessment of changes.
- RAID log management.
- Definition, execution and support for system and process testing.
- Developing effective relationships across the business.
- Assisting with RFP / selection processes for third party vendors where applicable.
We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they don't tick every box, if you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, then please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the requirements outlined in this profile.
To be successful in the role you will have: - Extensive prior business analysis experience (essential).
- Technical familiarity and experience writing systems documentation (essential).
- Project Management experience (highly desirable)
- A strong background in financial services, with specific asset management and pensions sector experience (highly desirable).
- Prior involvement with private market/alternative assets, in particular private equity, but also private credit and property (highly desirable).
- Prior experience in private market/alternative assets investment processes and associated systems, e.g. iLevel (desirable).
- Operations experience, either working directly in a private market/alternative assets operations team or involvement in private market/alternative assets related projects (desirable).
- Previous experience in designing, coordinating agreement on, and documenting cross-functional operating models, i.e. current and target (desirable).Prior experience with the following systems and methodologies is preferred:
o Investment process workflow tools (e.g. ClickUp)
o Data visualisation tools (e.g. PowerBI)
o Atlassian products, specifically Jira and Confluence
o ArchiMate modelling language
o BPMN 2.0
o Bizzdesign Enterprise Architecture modelling tool
o Wireframe designs - Experience of mapping processes, both current and target, with the ability to summarise key elements succinctly for articulation to senior management.
- Good relationship and stakeholder management skills, with an ability to engage with and gain the confidence of others as well as challenge where appropriate.
- Strong communication skills (written, pictorial, presentational and verbal) including the ability to adapt communications to different audiences.
- Logical, structured thought processes and good problem-solving skills.
- Routinely demonstrates a proactive and constructive approach to issue resolution.
- Operates to own exacting standards with attention to the smallest detail.
- Highly competent at prioritisation, process organisation, and management of multiple workstreams.
- Ability to deliver high quality work under tight timelines.
- Strong compliance culture and high personal ethical standards.
- Experience of management information typical of that provided to ExCo is desirable.
- Flexible approach to work.
At USS, every individual contributes to building a secure financial future for our members and their families. We strive to create a work environment where everyone can thrive professionally while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We're also committed to helping you build your career by providing opportunities for development. We put a focus on recognising and supporting each individual's unique career path, driving this forward with the support of an engaged and proactive management team. Here at USS, we want you to thrive in and out of work with a friendly team, flexible culture and excellent range of benefits! How we will reward you - Great starting salary
- Generous annual leave package
- Access to a high quality pension scheme provided through Universities Superannuation Scheme
- Supportive people policies (including enhanced occupational sickness pay and family friendly pay)
- Financial contributions towards your personal development to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing
- Access to a range of health and wellbeing services i.e., private healthcare, discounted gym membership
- Learning and development opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and talent
- Employee Volunteer Day’s to support the communities where you work and live
- Cycle to Work Scheme
Our people are what makes us different. We work together to create a diverse and inclusive culture that embraces individuality, where people are welcomed and feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can be themselves. Our purpose firmly states the importance of members, putting them ‘front and centre’ of what we do. This is embedded through our values: - Integrity
- Collaboration
- Excellence
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was established in 1974 as the principal pension scheme for universities and higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 330 employers to help build a secure financial future for almost 577,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £76.8bn (at 31 March 2025). To find out more, please visit https://www.uss.co.uk
The Private Markets Group (PMG) consists of a 70+ person team that oversees c. £26 billion in assets across a fast-growing and diverse portfolio of private equity, infrastructure, private credit and property investments on behalf of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). By operating as a single team, with individual areas of specialism and expertise, PMG is able to combine its resources through a “OnePMG" approach to investing which allows us to maximise origination, due diligence, transaction execution and asset management by tailoring the right mix of skills.
Capable of deploying capital across the full range of private market investing (direct, joint ventures, partnerships, co-investments and funds), and with in-house asset management and strategy teams complementing our investment function, PMG has developed a strong track record of innovation that is frequently recognised by our peers across equity, credit and property and, as one of the UK’s pre-eminent private markets’ investors, PMG often partners with many of the largest, most respected global financial institutions.
PMG’s portfolio includes ownership of some of the UK’s largest and most recognisable private companies and, through its holdings, is an established presence in the UK renewables sector. We also hold governance positions through our investments in a range of companies located across the EU, North America and Australia with exposure across different industries and sectors.
Being part of the UK’s largest pension scheme and serving the needs of USS and its members, PMG takes its role as a responsible investor seriously and is committed to adopting and promoting strong ESG credentials across its investments.
USSIM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to ensure our recruitment process is as flexible and inclusive as possible so we can attract diverse candidates and recruit the best talent. We want all candidates to perform at their best during the recruitment process, so if you need any reasonable adjustments or if there is anything we can do to help support you through your recruitment journey please let us know by contacting resourcing@uss.co.uk. |
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