Program Analyst I (Business/Data Analyst I)

PLEASE NOTE:

• IT IS 100% ON-SITE POSITION IN WASHINGTON
  
• Role Type: Contract / Full-Time
  

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Program Analyst I (Business/Data Analyst I) provides essential analytical, data-driven, and consultative support across all phases of the program and software project lifecycle. This role bridges business needs and technical solutions by facilitating requirement-gathering workshops, translating business needs into user stories, coordinating User Acceptance Testing (UAT), evaluating program resources, and developing actionable solutions for leadership. The ideal candidate possesses a strong background in federal program support, excellent cross-functional collaboration skills, and the analytical rigor needed to drive continuous process improvement

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Lifecycle Program & Requirements Analysis

• Provide analytical and consultative services to administer complex programs across all phases of the project lifecycle, including requirements analysis, software design, system/performance testing, and implementation.
  
• Lead and participate in Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions and requirement elaboration workshops to elicit, analyze, and refine business and system requirements.
  
• Translate business needs into clear, actionable user stories, acceptance criteria, functional specs, and process workflow diagrams.
  
• Ensure all software design and integration requirements directly align with program goals and stakeholder needs.
  

Testing Oversight, UAT Scenarios & Quality Assurance

• Develop, review, and execute User Acceptance Testing (UAT) scenarios, test scripts, and test cases to validate that delivered solutions meet business requirements.
  
• Conduct targeted research, review technical test results, monitor system/performance testing, and log defects.
  
• Translate complex test findings into actionable recommendations and risk reports for leadership.
  

Team Collaboration & Meeting Facilitation

• Collaborate cross-functionally with software developers, system architects, UI/UX designers, project managers, and client stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
  
• Prepare for, facilitate, and participate in active team meetings, sprint ceremonies (e.g., backlog grooming, stand-ups, retrospectives), and stakeholder status syncs.
  
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by evaluating operational alternatives, gathering team feedback, and recommending process efficiencies
  

Resource, Budget & Risk Management

• Analyze and review program budgets, schedules, and resource allocations to ensure cost-effective delivery and project success.
  
• Proactively identify resource shortfalls, operational risks, and system issues.
  
• Formulate data-backed recommendations and strategic risk-mitigation strategies to reduce potential project impacts.
  

Research, Documentation & Executive Reporting

• Author, prepare, and present comprehensive reports, briefing decks, and executive summaries detailing operational findings, project risks, and proposed solutions.
  
• Maintain clear project documentation, including Requirements Traceability Matrices (RTM), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and user guides
  

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

Required Qualifications (Must-Have)

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Business Administration, Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Analytics, or a related field)
  
• Experience: Minimum of four (4) years of related, progressive experience in program analysis, business/data analysis, and project support
  

KEY COMPETENCIES & TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Requirements & Agile Artifacts: Hands-on experience facilitating JAD sessions, writing user stories with acceptance criteria, and managing backlogs.
  
• UAT & Testing Expertise: Proven ability to create UAT scenarios, execute test scripts, review test results, and translate bugs/defects into clear business impact reports.
  
• Financial & Resource Tracking: Working knowledge of project budgeting, schedule tracking, and resource capacity planning.
  
• Technical & Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Confluence, MS Visio, Slack, or Microsoft Teams.
  
• Methodologies: Strong working knowledge of Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall project management frameworks.
  
• Soft Skills: Advanced communication, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management skills to influence decisions across diverse teams. Outstanding interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills, document writing, strong experience collaborating across cross-functional technical teams and leading stakeholder meetings
  

PREFERRED / HIGH-VALUE QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience using modern backlog, collaboration, and modeling tools (e.g., Atlassian Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, or Azure DevOps).
  
• Working knowledge of data visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or Advanced MS Excel) for trend analysis and reporting.
  
• Familiarity with Federal Lifecycle Frameworks, SDLC, or Agile/Scrum methodologies