Christine is a non-practicing attorney, freelance writer, and author. She has written legal and marketing content and communications for a wide range of law firms for more than 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current event.
Christine Organ ContributorChristine is a non-practicing attorney, freelance writer, and author. She has written legal and marketing content and communications for a wide range of law firms for more than 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current event.
Written By Christine Organ ContributorChristine is a non-practicing attorney, freelance writer, and author. She has written legal and marketing content and communications for a wide range of law firms for more than 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current event.
Christine Organ ContributorChristine is a non-practicing attorney, freelance writer, and author. She has written legal and marketing content and communications for a wide range of law firms for more than 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current event.
Contributor Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
| Managing Editor, SMB
Updated: Mar 22, 2024, 1:27am
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A business analyst commonly reviews and analyzes key business metrics to devise plans for improvement, then communicates these findings and plans to key stakeholders in the organization. “Business analyst” is a large umbrella term with a lot of variability in the specifics, depending on the industry and the experience needed.
When hiring a business analyst, clear expectations are key for success. It is important to craft a thoughtfully designed, focused job description so applicants know what you are looking for. Explore well-written business analyst job description examples and learn how to draft your own job description to attract top candidates.
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As the name implies, a business analyst analyzes businesses. However, there is a lot of nuance and detail in those two general words, and the position’s responsibilities extend beyond merely analyzing data.
While the specific functions of a business analyst vary depending on the size of the business and its industry, a business analyst generally reviews business operations, assesses evolving business ideas, liaises between groups and departments and communicates recommendations for improving business operations.
No matter where you post your job—whether that’s your company website, Indeed, LinkedIn or even Facebook—you’ll want to have a carefully crafted job description to attract the most qualified candidates.
In addition to the prerequisites for a job description, including the equal employment opportunities statement and job benefits, a business analyst job description should include details regarding the job responsibilities, requirements and necessary skills. The job description’s full details are often summarized in a one-page document that can be used in the recruiting process to attract candidates, define the role and establish its level of responsibility within the business.
Regardless of the industry, the overall objectives of a business analyst are to review and analyze current and proposed business operations. Oftentimes, these professionals review financial statements, key performance indicators (KPIs) and other key metrics, then consider options for improvement. Business analysts assess the overall effectiveness of a business and its departments to devise solutions to problems.
In your job description, you should clearly state the business analyst’s key responsibilities, along with any secondary responsibilities. Among the typical key responsibilities for a business analyst are:
Business analysts typically require at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, business analytics management information systems or a related field. Business analysts specializing in specific industries such as engineering, technology, finance or healthcare may hold degrees related to those fields. Some employers prefer to hire analysts with M.B.A.s.
Some of the key skills for a business analyst include:
You may also want to include salary information in your business analyst job description. In fact, some states and cities have wage transparency laws that require job posters to list salary rates. If you have employees in these areas or are filling a remote position that may have applicants from a jurisdiction with wage transparency laws, you must include salary information.
It is also helpful to include information about job benefits and some background information on your company. Finally, don’t forget to include the equal employment opportunity information as required by law.
To give you a better idea of the typical job descriptions for business analyst positions, we share the following examples from job postings on Indeed. The first example shows common responsibilities to include in a business analyst job description. The second example shows common skills and education for a business analyst, and the final example is a solid example of both responsibilities and qualifications. Each job description includes a salary estimate as well.
The above job description for a technical business analyst relates to software analysis and includes several of the key functions of a business analyst, including the following responsibilities:
The above example shows the applicable education and skills required for a business analyst position, including a bachelor’s degree. This particular job also prefers that candidates have a master’s degree as well as financial knowledge. Like most business analyst positions, this job description specifies that excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
The above example is a good representation of both the key responsibilities and qualifications for a business analyst. The employer is a security guard provider that is expanding operations. As a business operations analyst, the job requires analyzing the performance of various teams along with the development and implementation of plans and process improvements.
Forbes Advisor editor Kelly Main also contributed to this article.
A business analyst isn’t necessarily an IT professional, and business analysts work in a variety of industries. That said, many business analysts do perform some IT functions or have IT backgrounds, as they assess evolving technology and how it can be used to improve the business.
The three key roles of a business analyst are to gather, review and analyze data regarding the business and its operations; prepare models and process maps for improvements; and communicate findings and suggestions to key stakeholders.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes business analysts in the broad category of management analysts, reporting a 2022 median annual salary of $95,290 for these professionals. As you can see in the examples shown above, annual salaries can range from about $50,000 to $140,000, depending on the industry and experience level.
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ContributorChristine is a non-practicing attorney, freelance writer, and author. She has written legal and marketing content and communications for a wide range of law firms for more than 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current events for the website Scary Mommy. She earned her J.D. and B.A. from University of Wisconsin–Madison, and she lives in the Chicago area with her family.
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