ORGANISATION OVERVIEW

The Science for Africa Foundation is a non-profit, public charity organisation that supports strengthens and promotes science innovation in Africa. The goal of the SFA Foundation is to address the continent’s most pressing developmental needs by generating scientific knowledge that solves problems and informs decision-making.

We serve the African research ecosystem by funding excellent research and innovation ideas; enabling interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, building and reinforcing environments that are conducive for scientists to thrive and producing quality research that generates new, locally relevant knowledge.

The SFA Foundation takes a holistic approach to the development of science. Our programmatic initiatives are crafted to cater to the entire science ecosystem and span across the value chain from early discovery sciences to translation sciences and target cross-cutting gaps.

Our commitment to strengthening the entire research ecosystem is reflected in the creation of major science and innovation programmes implemented through a well-established grant-making scheme, advocacy, and promotion of scientific excellence, emphasis on intra-Africa collaboration and evidence-based policymaking mechanisms.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Position Title	Business Analyst
Department	Professional Services
Reporting To	ICT Manager
Position Location	Nairobi, Kenya

JOB PURPOSE

The Business Analyst plays a pivotal role in driving innovation and enhancing operational efficiency. Through effective collaboration with various departments and stakeholders, they identify, document, and analyse business requirements, processes, and workflows. This deep understanding then translates into functional specifications for technology teams, laying the foundation for integrated solutions that support the SFA Foundation's growth.

Beyond technical expertise, the Business Analyst is a proactive driver of process improvement. By evaluating progressive systems solutions, they recommend optimisations that boost operational efficiency and productivity at all levels of the organisation. This involves providing thought leadership on technical business processes, ensuring successful development and/or acquisition of systems, and guiding the organisation towards technology-driven efficiencies and increased productivity.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Needs Analysis and Solution Design

• Collaborate with SFA Foundation senior management, departments, and stakeholders to gain comprehensive insights into their goals, challenges, and workflows to formulate innovative and practical solutions that optimise efficiency, streamline operations, and empower the organisation to achieve its strategic objectives.
• Demonstrate expertise in managing ambiguity and facilitating consensus to define clear, actionable solutions aligned with organisational objectives.

Bridging the Technology Gap

• Partner with technology teams to design innovative and practical solutions that seamlessly integrate with our mission, strategic goals, and technological capabilities to drive operational efficiencies and productivity.
• Champion informed decision-making by conducting in-depth feasibility analyses, assessing cost-benefit tradeoffs, and proposing effective risk mitigation strategies, all while overseeing the organisation’s dynamic project portfolio.

Championing Continuous Improvement

• Proactively identify opportunities for process optimisation and efficiency enhancement, driving continuous improvement throughout the organisation.
• Recommend practical process improvements and lead in their implementation, ensuring smooth adoption and impactful outcomes.

Quality Assurance and Delivery Management

• Take part in project planning, estimation, resource allocation, and project risk management activities.
• Monitor project progress closely, proactively identify potential deviations, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.
• Participate in system testing, user acceptance testing, and validation processes to ensure implemented solutions meet specified requirements and deliver high-quality results.

Comprehensive Requirements Management

• Lead the analysis, documentation, testing, and implementation of business and technical requirements for new and enhanced functionality.
• Develop compelling business cases for the introduction of innovative technology solutions and systems to secure executive buy-in and drive rapid adoption, unlocking transformative improvements in efficiency, productivity, and competitive advantage.
• Provide comprehensive analysis and support for the implementation of both new and existing solutions, maximising their value.
• Develop user documentation, organisational process maps, procedures, guidelines, and frameworks to promote a shared understanding of systems, processes, and best practices across the organisation.
• Uncover potential disconnects between current and desired states through insightful gap analyses, then perform and document impact studies and feasibility assessments to inform strategic decision-making.

Integration and Implementation Optimisation

• Integrate and implement new and existing systems effectively to unlock their full potential and achieve optimal efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Continuously identify opportunities for further integration and optimisation to maximise organisational performance.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Minimum Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Information Science, Computer Science, Business Administration, Business IT, or a related field.

Professional Qualifications

• A professional qualification in Business Analysis, Project Management

Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years’ relevant experience.
• Demonstrate 5+ years of proven experience as a Business Analyst
• Demonstrate 5+ years of experience driving requirement elicitation for diverse ERP systems such as Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, etc., ensuring successful integration with organisational needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes 

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
• Excellent skills in communication, interpersonal relations, and presentation, encompassing the capability to effectively convey intricate technical and business ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences at various management levels, peers, and business units.
• Demonstrated expertise in employing requirement-gathering techniques, process modelling, and adhering to documentation best practices.
• Proven capability to document both functional and non-functional requirements utilising industry standards.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Scrum) and software development lifecycles.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of relevant tools like Microsoft Visio, Jira, and Confluence.
• Must understand and demonstrate the Foundation’s values, such as respect, accountability, excellence, diversity, and inclusion.
• Must demonstrate the ability to pay attention to details.
• Must promote knowledge sharing and learning.
• Must have a high level of integrity and flexibility.
• Must embrace continuous learning and improvement.
• Must possess client relations and collaboration with other team members.

Leadership Competencies

• Must have proven and demonstrated Leadership skills such as delegating responsibilities, developing others, facilitating change, and leading through vision and values.
• Must demonstrate the ability to manage stakeholders.

Key Result Areas 

• Business needs analysis and solution design
• Quality assurance and delivery management
• Business requirements management
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Risk management
• Continuous process improvement
• Timely submission of reports.

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Should you meet the competencies above, please submit a cover letter and a current Curriculum Vitae not exceeding 5 pages including three professional referees to [email protected]

The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. The documents should be saved in MS Word or PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., DeusWan-CV-092022-SFA
Foundation or Deus-Wan-CoverLetter-092022-SFA Foundation.

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2024 - APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS

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SFA Foundation has a commitment to safeguarding people and our environment and this forms part of our background checks.