IT Business Analyst

Baird•Chicago, IL

1d•$79,800 - $124,900

About The Position

About the Role: As we continue to grow our Baird technology team, we are currently seeking an IT Business Analyst for our Milwaukee office. We are open to Level II or Sr BA for this role. The BA will support a diverse portfolio of initiatives for our Institutional Equities & Research (IER) business. This role will require a business analyst who brings curiosity, creativity, and the judgment to operate effectively in a complex and fast-moving environment. The Business Analyst will function as a key partner between business and technology, translating evolving business needs into clear outcomes and actionable direction for delivery teams. Over time, this individual is expected to develop deep domain expertise and serve as a trusted business proxy, helping teams make informed decisions and maintain momentum even when direct business input is limited. In addition to delivery execution, this role will play an important part in strengthening team culture and continuous improvement in how we work. The Impact You'll Make: Business Analysis & Delivery Leadership Drive business analysis efforts across a wide range of initiatives, including new capabilities, platform enhancements, operational improvements, and data/reporting solutions. Plan and execute discovery activities for complex initiatives, identifying stakeholders, clarifying objectives, and helping clearly articulate success measures in environments with evolving or incomplete information. Translate business needs into high-quality artifacts such as documented business requirements, process flows, context diagrams, stakeholder maps, and user stories that enable efficient delivery and clear decision-making. Maintain focus on outcomes and value, ensuring day-to-day work remains aligned to business priorities and strategic intent. Assess initiative complexity and guide teams in selecting and applying appropriate delivery approaches, balancing structure with flexibility to deliver value efficiently. Lead requirements validation and acceptance to ensure delivered solutions meet intended business outcomes. Business Partnership & Domain Expertise Demonstrate strong curiosity and ownership in learning the Equities business, building a deep understanding of end-to-end workflows and client impacts over time. Function as a trusted partner and effective business proxy when appropriate, developing informed perspectives and making well-reasoned decisions to keep delivery moving when direct business input is not immediately available. Proactively anticipate business questions, surface implications of decisions, and communicate impacts clearly across stakeholders. Communication, Influence & Stakeholder Alignment Communicate effectively across a wide range of audiences, including senior business leaders, IT leadership, revenue producers, developers, and external partners. Tailor messaging to the audience, providing concise, outcome-focused narratives for executives and detailed context for delivery teams. Build trust and credibility quickly through preparation, follow-through, and sound judgment. Facilitate discussions and resolve misalignment across stakeholders, escalating when appropriate and with clear rationale. Demonstrate the courage to speak up when business partners or teammates may be deviating from agreed-upon goals, priorities, or intended outcomes. Help facilitate solution discussions with architects, engineers, and product partners to evaluate options, clarify tradeoffs, and ensure business intent is clearly and accurately reflected in technical designs. Team Leadership & Culture Building Over time, provide strong day-to-day leadership within delivery teams, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Contribute to the evolution of team and portfolio practices by sharing lessons learned, improving analysis approaches, and strengthening agile and delivery practices. Model a “hungry, humble, and smart” mindset, bringing energy and ownership to the work, remaining open to feedback, and demonstrating empathy and emotional intelligence in all interactions. Serve as a role model and engaged member of the Business Analysis community, helping shape standards, approaches, and development of business analysis capability across IT. Adaptability & Comfort with Ambiguity Operate effectively in environments without a defined playbook, adapting approaches to fit the initiative and context. Identify priorities, clarify unknowns, and propose practical next steps even when information is incomplete or requirements are still emerging.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Business Administration, Finance, or equivalent experience.
7+ years of professional experience, including 5+ years in Business Analysis.
Diverse project experience across multiple initiative types and business domains; financial services experience strongly preferred (particularly working with Trading functions).
Strong experience with SQL, Python, PowerBI, or other data visualization tools.
Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and deeply understand new business areas, translating complexity into clarity for diverse audiences.
Proven experience working in agile or iterative delivery environments, with a solid understanding of agile principles and team practices.
Exceptional communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
High degree of self-motivation, resilience, and emotional intelligence; comfortable receiving and applying feedback.
Demonstrated curiosity and experience with AI tools to enhance business analysis, delivery efficiency, or decision-making workflows. (e.g. M365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Claude, ChatGPT, Snowflake Cortex, etc.)

Nice To Haves

Experience working with financial services industry-standard technologies and protocols, including FIX, market data feeds, and trade order management systems (e.g. Bloomberg, Fidessa, etc.) preferred.
Relevant professional certifications are a plus but not required. We prioritize demonstrated skills, experience, and impact over credentials, and we support continued professional development as part of the role. (e.g. CBAP, IIBA-AAC, PMI-PBA, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSPO, etc.)

Responsibilities

Drive business analysis efforts across a wide range of initiatives, including new capabilities, platform enhancements, operational improvements, and data/reporting solutions.
Plan and execute discovery activities for complex initiatives, identifying stakeholders, clarifying objectives, and helping clearly articulate success measures in environments with evolving or incomplete information.
Translate business needs into high-quality artifacts such as documented business requirements, process flows, context diagrams, stakeholder maps, and user stories that enable efficient delivery and clear decision-making.
Maintain focus on outcomes and value, ensuring day-to-day work remains aligned to business priorities and strategic intent.
Assess initiative complexity and guide teams in selecting and applying appropriate delivery approaches, balancing structure with flexibility to deliver value efficiently.
Lead requirements validation and acceptance to ensure delivered solutions meet intended business outcomes.
Demonstrate strong curiosity and ownership in learning the Equities business, building a deep understanding of end-to-end workflows and client impacts over time.
Function as a trusted partner and effective business proxy when appropriate, developing informed perspectives and making well-reasoned decisions to keep delivery moving when direct business input is not immediately available.
Proactively anticipate business questions, surface implications of decisions, and communicate impacts clearly across stakeholders.
Communicate effectively across a wide range of audiences, including senior business leaders, IT leadership, revenue producers, developers, and external partners.
Tailor messaging to the audience, providing concise, outcome-focused narratives for executives and detailed context for delivery teams.
Build trust and credibility quickly through preparation, follow-through, and sound judgment.
Facilitate discussions and resolve misalignment across stakeholders, escalating when appropriate and with clear rationale.
Demonstrate the courage to speak up when business partners or teammates may be deviating from agreed-upon goals, priorities, or intended outcomes.
Help facilitate solution discussions with architects, engineers, and product partners to evaluate options, clarify tradeoffs, and ensure business intent is clearly and accurately reflected in technical designs.
Over time, provide strong day-to-day leadership within delivery teams, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Contribute to the evolution of team and portfolio practices by sharing lessons learned, improving analysis approaches, and strengthening agile and delivery practices.
Model a “hungry, humble, and smart” mindset, bringing energy and ownership to the work, remaining open to feedback, and demonstrating empathy and emotional intelligence in all interactions.
Serve as a role model and engaged member of the Business Analysis community, helping shape standards, approaches, and development of business analysis capability across IT.
Operate effectively in environments without a defined playbook, adapting approaches to fit the initiative and context.
Identify priorities, clarify unknowns, and propose practical next steps even when information is incomplete or requirements are still emerging.