Business Systems Analyst

At Thatcham Research, we connect people, processes, and technology to make operations run smarter. As a Business Systems Analyst
, you’ll help us maximise the value of our commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) applications and lead both system changes and the process reviews that support daily operations across Finance, Commercial, HR, and other key business areas. Through structured process, you’ll generate the insight the organisation needs to make informed decisions turning challenges into practical, data‑driven solutions that enhance efficiency, user experience, and overall system effectiveness.

You’ll collaborate with stakeholders across the organisation to understand challenges and opportunities, shape effective solutions, assess supplier options, and support delivery using established governance and best‑practice business analysis.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys solving challenges, shaping smart systems, and driving meaningful organisational change.

• Lead operational change
  :
  Own well-scoped initiatives from request through to delivery, assessing impact across people, process, data, and technology.
• Understand the need: Run workshops, map processes, capture and validate requirements, and perform gap/root-cause analysis to inform decision‑making.
• Evaluate options: Review current systems and research COTS or light customisation routes, clearly outlining benefits, risks, assumptions, and constraints.
• Enable delivery: Coordinate configuration, testing, and training with suppliers and internal teams to drive adoption and outcomes.
• Review and optimise processes: Document current workflows using structured business analysis techniques to assess operational efficiency and highlight opportunities for improvement.
• Partner with stakeholders: Build strong relationships, manage expectations, and communicate clearly throughout the project lifecycle.
• Generate documentation: Prepare well‑defined documentation (requirements, designs, process maps, comms plans, risks/issues) and follow organisational policies and governance practices.
• Be the glue: Collaborate with PMO, IT Services, Cloud & Security, Info Sec, Legal and Finance to land changes safely and on budget.
• Improve continuously: Bring ideas that lift how we work - tools, templates, process, and practice

• Business analysis toolkit
  :
  Skilled in requirements elicitation, workshop facilitation, process mapping, gap/root-cause analysis, and data‑driven insights.
• COTS implementation experience: Comfortable across the implementation lifecycle (exposure to integrations/data flows is a plus, not a must).
• Stakeholder confidence: You engage clearly and adapt your style to different audiences; you maintain alignment and manage expectations.
• Problem‑solving mindset: Pragmatic, outcome‑focused solutions that balance business need, technical feasibility, and risk.
• Change‑ready: Understanding of change management principles and how to support user adoption.
• Structured & proactive: Able to plan, track, and deliver work (e.g., in Jira), escalating early and documenting decisions well.
• Growth‑oriented: Curious, self‑motivated, and keen to learn new systems, tools, and methods.

Salary
- Circa £47,200 dependent on skills & experience.

• 10% non‑contributory pension
• 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
• Group Life Assurance (equal to 4 x basic salary)
• Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)
• Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure
• Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform
• Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
• Reward & Recognition Programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Sports & Social club
• Payroll charitable giving
• Subsidised on‑site restaurant
• Free on‑site parking

Our standard working hours are 8:30 - 16:30 Monday
- Thursday, early finish on Friday - 8:30 - 15:45 (Talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you – we take work‑life balance seriously!)

We understand the benefits of remote and in‑person collaboration and therefore have a hybrid working model – you’ll be expected to work from our office in Thatcham at least two days per week.

All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.