Business Analyst

City of Winter Haven•Winter Haven, FL

About The Position

The Business Analyst serves as an analytical and operational bridge between Water Department data, financial planning, and utility operations. The role gathers, analyzes, and reports business intelligence and supports leadership with budget preparation, revenue and expenditure tracking, operational performance monitoring, process optimization, grant lifecycle management, and contract monitoring. Working with the Director, Assistant Director, and Fiscal Manager, the Business Analyst maintains financial records, models, and analytical data used to develop and balance annual operating and capital budgets. The position calculates utility revenues, tracks operational and personnel expenses, conducts variance analyses, builds database queries, manages data extraction and transformation across departmental sources, and troubleshoots business intelligence tools. The position gathers reporting and dashboard requirements from operational divisions and prepares statistical reports, dashboards, and visual presentations for executive leadership and public use. It analyzes maintenance and utility performance data, recommends workflow and cost improvements, maintains technical and end-user documentation, and provides staff guidance and cross-training on software and reporting systems. The role also manages departmental grant applications and tracks compliance and milestones for contracts, leases, agreements, and intergovernmental loans. Related administrative, analytical, and special project duties may support information systems modernization, data governance, and departmental performance metrics.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Data Analytics, Computer Information Systems, or a closely related field.
Two to three years of progressively responsible professional experience in data analysis, financial analysis, utility accounting, or business process improvement.
Thorough knowledge of business data analysis, statistical modeling, database structures, and financial principles related to utility or municipal budgeting and revenue forecasting.
Strong proficiency in data mining, query development, spreadsheet modeling, and business intelligence reporting software.
Knowledge of data extraction, transformation, and validation methods across multiple database environments.
Ability to analyze numerical data and operational workflows, identify inefficiencies, and recommend practical, cost-effective solutions.
Ability to conduct requirements-gathering sessions with cross-functional operational teams.
Ability to research, prepare, manage, and report on municipal grant applications and external funding sources.
Ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with department leadership, staff, City officials, and external partners.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex data into understandable reports, procedures, and training documentation.
Valid Florida Driver's License and a good driving record as determined by the City of Winter Haven.
Must have no non-prescribed controlled substances in the applicant's system, verified through a screening process administered by a City-approved laboratory.
Designated as an Essential Employee for emergency preparation and disaster response operations.
Must have the physical ability, strength, and flexibility to perform job functions in the work environment.

Responsibilities

Gather, analyze, and report business intelligence connecting departmental data, financial planning, and water utility operations.
Assist leadership with budget preparation, revenue and expenditure tracking, operational performance tracking, process optimization, grant management, and contract monitoring.
Collaborate with the Director, Assistant Director, and Fiscal Manager to maintain financial records, models, and analytical data for annual operating and capital budgets.
Calculate utility revenues, track operational and personnel expenses, and conduct variance analyses.
Build database queries, manage data extraction and transformations across departmental data sources, and troubleshoot business intelligence software.
Participate in cross-functional meetings to gather reporting, dashboard, and performance requirements.
Prepare statistical reports, dashboards, and visual presentations for executive leadership and public presentation.
Collect, maintain, and analyze maintenance and utility operational performance data and recommend workflow enhancements, cost-saving measures, and Standard Operating Procedure updates.
Write and maintain technical and end-user documentation and provide staff guidance and cross-training on departmental software and reporting systems.
Manage the lifecycle of departmental grant applications, including research, tracking, compliance monitoring, and reporting.
Track status updates, compliance deadlines, and milestones for departmental contracts, leases, agreements, and intergovernmental loans.
Perform related administrative, analytical, and special project duties supporting information systems modernization, data governance, and departmental performance metrics.