Lead Business Analyst

Why Netcel Netcel is a vibrant digital product consultancy with an ambitious vision and growth strategy. We partner with leading organisations to create personalised digital products and experiences that drive outstanding outcomes. Our core technology is the Optimizely Digital Experience Platform, and we are recognised as one of the UK’s leading specialists.  We are proud of our collaborative, progressive and inclusive culture that nurtures talent and supports personal growth.? You will be working with a team of experienced consultants, designers and technologists, where you will have the opportunity to do some of the most rewarding work of your career.?  Our hybrid working model gives you flexibility and encourages a positive work-life balance – you can work remotely, or from our office in St Albans. You will be part of a friendly, open and supportive community where there is something social for everyone to enjoy.?  We are a responsible and ethical business with ambitious CSR and ESG targets as well as supporting a variety of charities through fundraising and volunteering. We celebrate equality and diversity and strive to provide an environment where you can thrive and grow. Your Role We are seeking a Lead Business Analyst to head up our Business Analysis (BA) function. You will be responsible for leading the BA team, understanding and interpreting client requirements for digital solutions, and shaping and prioritizing digital product backlogs based on client value and delivery feasibility. Additionally, you will support delivery cycles and manage business handover to client teams. Your main responsibilities will include;Leadership and Management Strategically and operationally lead and grow the Business Analysis team at Netcel. Identify and establish best practice across the BA function. Lead and mentor the BA team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team. Provide guidance and training to team members, helping them to develop their skills and knowledge. Decision Making and Ownership Take ownership of the entire requirements process, from elicitation to documentation and sign-off, ensuring clarity and alignment with project goals. Ensure all requirements are accurately captured, validated, and agreed upon with stakeholders. Bridging and Collaboration Act as a bridge between clients, development teams, and other internal departments to ensure seamless communication and collaboration. Work closely with the client and development team to create detailed and complete user stories. Lead activities and engagement with stakeholders to elicit scope and requirements, such as demonstrations, business training, and handover of the solution. Work closely with the experience, solution engineering, and quality assurance teams to ensure the solution is in line with business goals. Project Success and Resourcing Contribute to project success by ensuring the right resources are allocated and by actively participating in resourcing decisions. Support the delivery lifecycle and team in solutions design and implementation. Support triage during testing cycles. Accountability and Process Management Manage the backlog from feature design through to story definition. Identify prioritisation criteria based on client impact and delivery feasibility for prioritising and sizing the backlog (along RICER or other best practice standards). Prioritise the backlog to provide business value and meet objectives. Set workstream goals, success measures, and subsequent reporting. Contribute to the work of business managers and strategic product owners to define a product strategy and roadmap. Participate in estimations, pre-sales activities, and proposal development to support business growth. Attend stand-ups, planning sessions, demos, and retrospectives.  What we are looking for You will have demonstrable Business Analyst experience, ideally in a digital product consultancy, agency or similar company. We are looking for someone that has: Several years experience as a digital business analyst across a major digital product or digital product portfolio in a senior or lead capacity Full project and development lifecycle experience, from requirements capture and design through to supporting the testing and delivery Knowledge of digital product solutions and best practice approaches and methodologies A great understanding of responsive websites, IA/UX, prototyping, design, build and third-party integration Experience in defining, growing and leading a team of high performing BA professionals Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate confidently at all levels of the organisation The ability to manage multiple workstreams and clients  Experience of digital products using Digital Experience Platforms (such as Optimizely, Adobe, Sitecore, Acquia or similar) Experience of defining and delivering client centric product handover and training programmes Working knowledge of current and emerging web technologies Recognisable Business Analyst certification What we can offer you We want you to grow and develop and will provide you with the opportunity to make this happen. We support learning on all levels, including self-learning, insight sessions, knowledge shares, and formal training.  Alongside working hard in a supportive and collaborative culture, there's also plenty of time for being social.? The main benefits and perks include:  Hybrid working (you choose whether you WFH or from our St Albans office) Flexible hours (with core hours of 10am – 4pm) 25 days holiday increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays Pension Life assurance Structured onboarding process Ongoing training and development Exposure to the company directors Stylish open plan office in St Albans with excellent transport links Regular social events (both virtual and in-person) Health cashback scheme Shopping rewards scheme offering deals and discounts from well-known brands Cycle-to-work scheme Bonuses and rewards for length of service, exams etc Salary circa £75k per annum ?D&I statement At Netcel we encourage progressive, divergent thinking and ways of working. It’s our mission to build a diverse and inclusive working environment and we are committed to our mission to become a climate positive workplace.