Business Analyst Hybrid 2 days per week in Preston

Business Analyst (Hybrid 2 days per week in Preston) Salary circa £35k – £45k DOE Please note, shortlisting will begin in early January 2026, with interviews thereafter.A glance at the role: We are looking to strengthen our Change Team by welcoming another Business Analyst to LPPA.This is an exciting opportunity to support LPPA’s pensions administration business in driving technological change and continuous improvement. This involves documenting, analysing, and challenging existing processes to identify opportunities for efficiency and risk reduction. The role requires developing a deep understanding of the business strategy, end-to-end processes, and services provided to clients, employers, and members. Acting as a key link between business and technology, the Business Analyst will capture and translate business requirements into actionable solutions that enable the delivery of the business plan, address operational challenges, and support strategic objectives.A bit about us: Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) is a multi-award-winning organisation and one of the UK’s leading pension administration companies. We strive to deliver the best experience for over 2,100 employers and more than 700,000 members of Local Government, Police and Firefighter pension schemes, keeping them fully informed about their pensions whilst working closely with employers to continuously educate and support them. What we can offer you: - Competitive salary £35k – £45k DOE - 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays and 2 additional concessionary days and 1⁄2 day for your Birthday, with the ability to buy and sell leave- Access to an excellent pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contributions- Access to Health or Dental Plan- Access to our Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme for when you or your family might need some support- Access to our bespoke Reward Discount Scheme – ‘Your Perk Site’- Opportunities to attend Wellbeing webinars and social events- Daily free fruit and snacks available to you in our office- Free Car Parking in Preston City Centre What you’ll be doing: Requirements & Analysis- Elicit, document, and manage business and system requirements (functional and non-functional), producing clear specifications, process maps, and—where relevant—test plans.- Analyse and synthesise requirements, recognise patterns in data, and conceptualise processes to inform solution design.- Maintain end-to-end traceability from business objectives through requirements, design, test cases, and released changes.Process Improvement & Design- Conduct business and systems process analysis to identify quality improvements, operational efficiencies, and risk reduction; design and help deliver process changes.- Proactively identify improvement opportunities.Stakeholder Engagement- Build strong relationships with stakeholders; facilitate workshops and discussions to understand needs, align expectations, and secure approvals.- Communicate complex concepts simply to diverse audiences using clear documentation and visual aids.- Prepare clear, timely management information (MI) reporting for relevant stakeholders.Solution Delivery & Testing- Be an interface between the business and IT, translating business requirements into functional specifications; collaborate with developers and IT to implement solutions and support robust testing prior to release.- Support system conversions, upgrades, and enhancements, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.Change, Governance & Risk- Develop and manage all aspects of requirements acquisition and documentation (planning, resources, approvals, risks, and issues).- Provide status reporting on milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and issues across stakeholders.- Understand interdependencies between technology, operations, clients, and business needs to support effective change control.- Support business continuity planning as part of change activities.Continuous Improvement & Performance- Develop and manage operational process changes, including measures, reporting, and iterative improvements.- Prepare and maintain documentation and MI that enable decision-making and track benefits realisation (efficiency, quality, risk).Tools & Standards- Use MS Office, Visio, and relevant collaboration tools to produce high-quality artefacts.- Ensure compliance with LPPA standards, governance frameworks, and company values.What we need from you: - A proactive, self-motivated team player who can work independently with minimal supervision, effectively managing a high personal workload and multiple deadlines while striving for continuous improvement in quality, efficiency, and presentation.- Proven experience in a business analysis role, demonstrating successful delivery of large-scale projects as well as day-to-day operational requests.- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to present clear, reasoned, and persuasive arguments to support or challenge proposals.- Excellent numerical, analytical, ICT, and report-writing skills to communicate key messages and facilitate informed discussions and decision-making.- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).- Knowledge and practical experience with Microsoft Visio (essential).- Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.- Highly effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.Nice to have:- Experience of working in Pension Administration would be desirable, although not essential. - Knowledge of working in the public sector is preferred but not essential.Working with and upholding our values:- Working together- Committed to excellence- Doing the right thing- Forward thinking