Senior Business Analyst

First Bank•Cedar Falls, IA

About The Position

First Bank is seeking a Senior Business Analyst to analyze financial performance, business trends, operational efficiency, and strategic initiatives across the bank. The role partners with departments and leadership to provide data-driven insights that support decision-making, improve profitability and customer service, and help achieve strategic goals. The analyst evaluates financial and operational performance, prepares management reports, monitors key performance indicators, develops forecasts and financial models, and supports budgeting, asset/liability management, profitability analysis, and strategic planning. The position also assesses business cases and initiatives, analyzes requirements and workflows, and recommends process improvements and system enhancements. It extracts and validates data from banking and business applications and translates findings into actionable recommendations, reports, dashboards, and presentations for management and the Board. The role supports risk identification, documentation, confidentiality, compliance, audit, and regulatory reporting. It also assists with First of Waverly Corporation shareholder activities, coordinates cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives, helps with departmental overflow work, and provides high-quality service to internal and external customers. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, data analytics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least five years of experience in banking, financial services, business analysis, operations, or a related field.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Solid understanding of banking products and financial statements.
Ability to interpret complex data and present meaningful insights to management.
Strong communication, organizational, and project management skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and reporting tools.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and ensure a high level of accuracy.

Nice To Haves

Experience in process improvement, project management, or data analysis.

Responsibilities

Analyze financial performance, profitability, and financial metrics for bank departments, offices, products, and services.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial and management reports.
Monitor key performance indicators and identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
Develop and maintain financial models, forecasts, budgets, and variance analyses.
Assist with asset/liability management reporting and profitability analysis.
Support strategic planning through data analysis and financial projections.
Evaluate branch, loan, deposit, and business unit performance.
Assist the Controller with daily federal funding needs.
Conduct cost-benefit analyses for new and existing products, services, technology investments, and operational initiatives.
Assist in developing business cases for capital expenditures and strategic projects.
Gather, document, and analyze business requirements in partnership with department leaders.
Identify operational inefficiencies, evaluate workflows, and recommend process improvements, system enhancements, and strategic solutions.
Extract, validate, and analyze data from the core banking system and other business applications, ensuring data integrity and providing insights for decision-making.
Conduct operational and financial analyses to identify trends, improve productivity, enhance customer experience, and support bank objectives.
Translate complex financial and operational data into clear, actionable recommendations.
Develop reports, dashboards, and presentation materials for management and the Board.
Assist in identifying operational and financial risks.
Maintain documentation supporting reporting and analytical processes.
Ensure confidentiality and security of financial and customer information.
Support compliance, audit, and regulatory reporting requirements through accurate data analysis.
Assist First of Waverly Corporation shareholders with activities including retitling, buys, sells, meeting preparation, and proxy distribution and collection.
Lead and coordinate cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives, ensuring timely execution, stakeholder alignment, and achievement of bank objectives.
Assist others in the department with overflow projects.
Ensure high-quality customer service for internal and external customers.
Perform other duties as assigned.