Business Analyst/Solutions Architect

Business Analyst/Solutions Architect

ARAG Legal Solutions Inc., part of the ARAG Group, is a global leader in legal expense insurance operating in 20 countries offering an innovative and comprehensive range of legal expense products and services for brokers, underwriting agents and insurers across Canada.

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned Business Analyst/Solutions Architect to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment, focusing on defining and maintaining the company’s solution architecture blueprint for interdepartmental efficiency. Reporting into the Chief Financial Officer & Chief Product Owner, with a dotted line into the Chief Executive Officer, the incumbent will build accurate and detailed functional and technical specifications, and assist in the planning of project timeframes and milestones, while considering wider implications on the business. In this role, the incumbent will work closely with department heads to identify opportunities for improvement, whether this is automation, efficiency, quality or controls.

What will you do?

Requirements Gathering and Documentation and System Analysis

• Analyse business requirements elicited from stakeholders at a detailed technical level to understand fully how software solutions enhance business activities, and how to handle edge cases and exception scenarios
• Identify process improvements, including opportunities for automation, efficiency and quality improvements, enhancements to the user experience, as well as process/data controls.
• Use the refinement process to agree and understand the implementation of solutions, while being cognisant of how the implementation may impact on other systems and stakeholders.
• Organise workshops with developers and stakeholders, ensuring all participants have a common understanding of definitions, processes, behaviours and goals, and documenting clear actions and outcomes.
• Work with developers and architects within ARAG UK scrum teams to design and develop appropriate technical solutions, by defining accurate system requirements.
• Work with the rest of digital services to build knowledge about business processes and data.
• Identify risks and issues with existing legacy data; Develop solutions and implementations that strike the right balance between problem mitigation, scenario coverage and costs.

Solution Delivery

• Work with ARAG UK Software Development Teams in an agile working environment; Actively taking part in all scrum ceremonies (e.g. Refinement, Stand-up, Planning, Retrospectives).
• Organise demos and presentations, and author and distribute release notes, maintaining documentation to reflect the latest changes.
• Understand the fundamentals of software deployments/releases, types/methods of system configuration, feature switching, non-breaking changes.
• Identify KPIs as part of the processes under review to ensure the costs and benefits of changes can be clearly measured before and after changes are implemented.
• Develop solutions adhering to accessibility requirements, ISO Security standards, GDPR, cyber-security, regulatory requirements and integration with third parties.

Customer Service and Product Backlog Management

• Manage the product backlog, ensuring the scrum team have 2-3 sprints’ worth of refined work at all times; Regularly meeting with stakeholders to re-prioritise work and managing their expectations.
• Regularly report development progress and raising risks/issues with the other Digital Services Business Analysts and Delivery Managers, to ensure a joined up and coherent service across ARAG UK Digital Services.
• Capture all Epics and Features in MS Azure DevOps; Document incremental changes as User Stories, such that the business receives tangible benefits iteratively.
• Bridging the gap between Product Backlog Management and Project Planning; e.g. working to Delivery Deadlines, identifying resourcing constraints, and co-ordinating with third parties.
• Engage with Stakeholders to have appropriate and realistic expectations, keeping them up to date on developments.

Learning and Development

• Take responsibility for self learning needs and objectives.
• Actively pursue ongoing learning in updated software applications and other focus areas as identified by stakeholders.
• Work closely with colleagues and direct manager to progress the wider departmental knowledge and skills base.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field — Business Administration, Commerce (BCom), Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in business analysis and solutions design, preferably in the insurance industry.
• Flexible and availability to collaborate across multiple time zones, supporting the Digital Services team in the United Kingdom and potentially other international regions. Strong experience with MS Dynamics is required.
• Experience and understanding of business process engineering and systems development lifecycle.
• Strong analytical skills, mapping skills, and writing skills, to include solid experience in writing functional and technical specifications.
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture principles, business analysis frameworks, and solution design methodologies.
• Ability to translate complex business needs into simple and effective solutions.
• Proven hands-on experience with the creation of business process diagrams, data rules, business requirements, and functional requirements/user stories.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Testing Lifecycle with SIT, UAT, and Production.
• Experience with iterative and agile methodologies, with working knowledge of both SDLC and PMLC processes.
• Experience operating and interfacing with business management during walkthroughs, interviews, presentations, and negotiation processes.
• Proven track record for creating clear, concise deliverables that reflect a deep understanding of business needs and software functionality.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work with cross functional teams in understanding, communicating, and interpreting business processes and needs.

We Offer:

• Competitive Base Salary including annual bonus plan
• Generous Employer Paid Benefits Plan, including RSP matching & Fitness Credit
• Location is a combination of remote work from home and from our head office in the heart of Toronto’s Financial District

For more information about ARAG Canada please visit: www.arag.ca/en/

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

ARAG Legal Solutions Inc., are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of citizenship, race, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, disability, age, creed, sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance (in housing) and record of offences (in employment) as outlined by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

ARAG Services Corporation is committed to providing employment in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Any assessments and selection materials or processes used during the recruitment process will be available in an accessible format to applicants with disabilities, upon request. If contacted for an interview, please advise the Human Resources Manager if you require disability-related accommodation.