Principal Business Analyst

As a Principal Business Analyst, you'll play a key role in shaping the future of Business Analysis within our CIO teams. You'll provide leadership for the discipline, championing high-quality standards and practices, strengthening capability and exploring new techniques and ways of working. You'll coach and guide Lead and Senior Business Analysts, creating a strong culture of continuous learning, collaboration and constructive challenge. You'll also remain a hands-on Business Analyst, bringing your expertise to some of our most complex, strategic and high-impact change. Working across business and technology, you'll lead analysis that turns emerging ideas and business needs into well-defined initiatives ready for investment and delivery. You'll work closely with Principal Solution Architects, Principal Engineers and senior stakeholders, taking an end-to-end view across our customers and colleagues, business processes, data, technology and wider organisational impacts. You'll be curious about emerging technology and the opportunities presented by AI, considering how these can evolve Business Analysis practices, improve efficiency and enable better business and customer outcomes. The role will specialise in either Core Systems or Digital and Customer Experience, while also providing Business Analysis leadership across domains where your expertise can make the greatest impact. Responsibilities of the role:

• Lead business analysis across complex, high-value and strategically important initiatives, shaping emerging change from initial need through to estimation, prioritisation and delivery.
• Work closely with Principal Solution Architects, Principal Engineers and senior stakeholders to align business objectives, customer outcomes and technical solutions.
• Take an end-to-end view of change, considering customer and colleague journeys, business processes, data, technology, risks, dependencies and wider organisational impacts.
• Define, evolve and champion Business Analysis standards, methods and ways of working, driving consistency, quality and continuous improvement across the BA community.
• Use evidence from delivery outcomes, peer reviews and community feedback to identify capability gaps and introduce improvements that deliver measurable value.
• Provide professional leadership, coaching and guidance to Lead and Senior Business Analysts, building capability and sharing best practice across domains.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, using analysis, insight and constructive challenge to influence strategic decisions, manage risk and support successful change., At Hastings Direct, we're committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.
  
  Significant experience as a senior Business Analysis practitioner, leading analysis across complex, cross-functional or enterprise-level change.
• Expert knowledge of Business Analysis techniques, including requirements elicitation and management, process modelling, data analysis and end-to-end impact assessment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with experience using evidence and data to shape recommendations, priorities and strategic decisions.
• Demonstrable experience influencing senior stakeholders, translating complex business and technical information into clear insight and providing constructive challenge.
• Experience defining and improving BA standards, practices and quality, alongside coaching and developing other Business Analysts.
• Strong understanding of Agile delivery approaches, such as BDD, Scaled Agile and Scrum, and experience using delivery and collaboration tools such as Jira, Octane or similar.
• A curious and forward-thinking approach to emerging technologies, including AI, with an interest in exploring how new tools and techniques can enhance Business Analysis, improve efficiency and deliver better outcomes.
The interview process:
• Online assessments
• 30-minute virtual screening call
• 60-minute virtual competency and leadership interview
• 30-minute virtual behavioural interview
  
  This is a hybrid role, requiring attendance at our Bexhill or Leicester office at least once per week and at quarterly departmental events. As such, applicants must be located within a 90-minute commuting distance of one of these offices.
We're a digital insurance provider with ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. Over the past few years, we've made significant investments in our data and tech capabilities, particularly within our CIO function. Our CIO team is at the forefront of driving innovation and ensuring our technology infrastructure supports our ambitious goals. We've nurtured our 4Cs culture, fostering collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement. We're proud of the journey we're on as a company and know that our continued success will rely on the contribution of our talented colleagues. The CIO team plays a crucial role in this journey, working on cutting-edge projects that turn many of our business ambitions into reality. We provide insurance to over four million customers, but we know there's even bigger opportunity out there. The fact you're now reading this job advert means we've tempted you to find out more about #lifeatHD - we really hope you like what you see, and you'll join us to share in the success of the exciting chapter that lies ahead. We understand some people may not apply for jobs unless they feel they tick every box. If you are excited about joining us and think you have some of what we are looking for, even if you're not 100% sure, we would love to hear from you. Our CIO team is always looking for passionate individuals who are eager to make a difference and contribute to our success.

Regrettably, we're not in a position to offer visa sponsorship for these roles, either now or in the foreseeable future. Benefits: In addition to a competitive salary, you will also receive… Flexible working - we champion a flexible hybrid working approach - please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail Competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus Financial wellbeing - as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an award-winning package which includes - discounts, cashback, free independent mortgage advice and free access to financial wellbeing support Mental wellbeing programme - we have the thrive mental health app, our colleague assistance programme available 24/7, our own in-house mental health first aiders, support groups and a dedicated team to make sure we are covering your needs There's more! - 25 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your weeks, access to our health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events throughout the year and much more …. Join us and you'll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. As one of our colleagues, you'll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we'll give you all the support, training and development you need. Our 4Cs principles are simple: we believe by creating the right culture for our colleagues and giving them the right tools to do their job, we'll deliver good outcomes for every customer, helping us to grow the company profitably and sustainably and allowing us to invest in the communities we serve.