Systems Analyst Business

Absar Sarfaraz

**********@*******.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

7+ years of experience as a Business Systems Analyst in Banking & Finance, Technology, Insurance, and Retail domains with expertise in Business Requirements Gathering, Business Process Flow, and Business Analysis.

Proficient in Business Analysis methodologies and SDLC frameworks, including Waterfall and Agile-Scrum, ensuring successful project delivery.

Skilled in preparing business documentation such as Business Cases, User Stories, Functional/Technical Specifications, Requirement Traceability Matrices, Test Plans, and Test Scripts.

Extensive experience implementing Agile and Scrum methodologies; proficient in creating User Stories with Acceptance Criteria, and utilizing tools like Jira and Confluence for collaborative development.

Assisted in developing visual aids such as Wireframes using tools like MS Visio to communicate complex processes effectively.

Developed comprehensive Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) using LucidChart to accurately represent and communicate database architectures.

Technical knowledge in SQL, Power BI, and Excel for data analytics, and data visualization to support strategic decision-making.

Validated statistical modeling and data mining techniques to extract meaningful insights from large datasets, ensuring data accuracy and improving business outcomes.

Experienced in creating test cases in test scenarios and validating data visualization dashboards, leading UAT testing, and formulating enhancements for system optimizations through continual data analysis.

Proficient in SQL ensuring data accuracy across systems. Experienced in using Postman for API testing, validating real-time data exchanges, and automating test scenarios.

Proven ability to act as a liaison between business and IT teams, ensuring seamless communication and alignment of project objectives with stakeholder expectations.

Adept in change management processes, including risk escalation, requirement revisions, and successful implementation of change requests.

Strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams to create data-driven strategies, enhance operational efficiencies, and deliver value-focused solutions.

Quick learner with excellent organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, capable of managing multiple priorities in dynamic environments.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Business Functions/Methods

SDLC, Agile, SCRUM, Waterfall, User Stories, Root-cause Analysis, Mapping Documents, Requirements Gathering, Business and Data Modeling, Wireframes, Process Flows & Use-Case Diagrams, ERD

Databases and Data Visualisation

MS SQL, MySQL, Oracle, Tableau, PowerBI

Modeling and Documentation Tools

Lucidchart, MS Visio, MS Project, MS Office Suite

Testing and Bug Tracking Tools

Jira, Confluence, AzureDevOps, Postman

Operating Systems

Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Business Functions/Methods

SDLC, Agile, SCRUM, Waterfall, User Stories, Root-cause Analysis, Mapping Documents, Requirements Gathering, Business and Data Modeling, Wireframes, Process Flows & Use-Case Diagrams, ERD

EXPERIENCE

RBC Wealth Management, Minnesota May 2023 - Present

Business Systems Analyst

Partnered with financial advisors and product owners to integrate income, assets, liabilities, and estate data into a unified client financial profile through the myGPS™ platform, enhancing comprehensive wealth management.

Authored user stories and acceptance criteria in Azure DevOps; maintained a living backlog.

Mapped current- and future-state data flows in Lucidchart, illustrating integrations with core banking, brokerage, and third-party aggregators (Yodlee), enabling real-time net-worth/financial scenario updates.

Conducted gap analysis on legacy myGPS™ planning process, designing a Goals-Priorities-Solutions framework that cut plan-creation time by 27 % and improved plan adoption by 15 %.

Created monthly and quarterly financial summaries to track client portfolio growth, net worth trends, and investment performance across business units.

Designed end-to-end test plans aligned with business workflows, covering edge cases, regression, and system integration testing.

Conducted testing for event-driven triggers implemented in SQL, validating system behavior that generated real-time client notifications and in-app advice pop-ups based on changes in financial data.

Developed dynamic what-if analysis models in Excel to evaluate the impact of interest rate changes and market fluctuations on client portfolios, enabling proactive wealth planning and risk management.

Defined functional / non-functional specs for scenario-analysis engine (early retirement, liquidity events); collaborated with data-science team on Monte-Carlo and cash-flow algorithms.

Developed reusable test scripts for financial planning modules, improving testing efficiency across sprints.

Documented UAT defects during scenario analysis engine validation and worked cross-functionally to prioritize, resolve, and retest prior to release.

Worked on event-driven goal-based dashboards that were dynamically updated in response to life-changing client events (e.g., retirement, income change), illustrating long-term portfolio impact and enabling proactive financial planning.

Executed over automated API regression tests in Postman during UAT cycles, maintaining a 98% pass rate across multiple sprints.

Wrote complex SQL queries to validate projections and feed Power BI advisor dashboards; uncovered data-quality issues that reduced calculation errors by 40 %.

Generated ad hoc financial and operational reports for product owners and compliance stakeholders to support decision-making and audits.

Orchestrated UAT with advisors and compliance SMEs; documented 65 defects, drove fixes, and secured FINRA-ready sign-off ahead of nationwide launch.

Provided regular progress updates during steering committee meetings, supporting data-driven decision-making and stakeholder transparency.

Facilitated sprint reviews, demos, and end-user training; produced quick-start guides that accelerated advisor onboarding from two weeks to four days.

Allianz Technology of America (ATA), Minnesota Sep 2021 – May 2023 Business Systems Analyst

Gained a strong understanding of ATA’s business environment, processes, and compliance requirements to ensure project alignment with organizational goals.

Engaged with stakeholders through workshops and interviews to gather, analyze, and document business requirements for the transition to ServiceNow.

Designed business process workflow diagrams using MS Visio to visualize system workflows and transitions.

Conducted GAP analysis to identify inefficiencies in existing software renewal processes and developed solutions to improve performance in the ServiceNow platform.

Developed functional and non-functional specifications, prioritizing user stories and tasks in Azure DevOps to support Agile project execution.

Compiled financial forecasting reports to support executive decision-making on resource allocation and software procurement strategy.

Supported implementation of scheduled software renewal workflows for European branches, enabling time zone-aligned automation of renewal processes through newly added application scheduling features developed in the U.S. system

Maintained detailed budget tracking sheets in Excel to monitor monthly spend vs. projected costs for ServiceNow implementation, aiding in proactive budget management.

Conducted gap analysis and designed a Goals-Priorities-Solutions framework that improved financial planning efficiency and client plan adoption by streamlining portfolio management workflows.

Collaborated with ServiceNow developers, product owners, and project architects to translate business requirements into technical solutions.

Assessed risks in automated software renewal processes and advised on contingency workflows for exception handling.

Created and executed detailed UAT test cases across the full software renewal lifecycle to validate integration and process efficiency.

Participated in Agile ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, to support continuous delivery and iterative improvements.

Ensured traceability of requirements throughout the project lifecycle, validating that the ServiceNow solution met business needs.

Communicated issues proactively to portfolio managers and stakeholders, providing impact assessments and resolution timelines.

Led User Acceptance Testing (UAT), defining acceptance strategies, creating test plans, and executing test cases to ensure system functionality and performance.

Managed change requests and reprioritized backlogs to accommodate evolving business requirements, maintaining project integrity and delivery timelines.

Configured Azure DevOps workflows to manage user stories, tasks, and bugs across multiple sprints, ensuring project transparency and traceability.

Developed training materials and conducted system demonstrations for end-users, facilitating a smooth transition to the new ServiceNow platform.

Implemented automated workflows in ServiceNow to improve software renewal efficiency, resulting in significant cost savings and enhanced compliance with European regulations.

Summer Solace Tallow, California (Remote) Feb 2018 - Aug 2021

Business Systems Analyst

Collaborated with stakeholders across departments, including store managers, IT teams, and finance, to gather and document business requirements for POS system enhancement.

Designed future-state system architecture, defining data flows and integration points between Shopify POS and inventory, CRM, and accounting systems.

Utilized SQL for data validation and optimization to ensure accurate real-time data synchronization between Shopify POS and backend systems.

Conducted API testing to verify seamless integration and performance of real-time data exchanges.

Developed interactive sales and inventory dashboards using Power BI for real-time performance tracking and decision-making.

Integrated Shopify POS data with Excel for real-time financial forecasting, enabling agile decision-making in procurement and retail strategy.

Collaborated with data engineering to generate large-scale test datasets for performance and load testing scenarios.

Led User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and end-to-end testing, resolving system issues to ensure readiness for deployment.

Facilitated sprint reviews and retrospectives within Agile Scrum teams to assess progress, gather feedback, and implement necessary adjustments.

Created UAT test scripts for real-time data sync scenarios between Shopify POS and backend systems (inventory, CRM, accounting).

Created training materials and delivered employee onboarding sessions to support smooth adoption of the new POS system.

Implemented phased rollout strategies to minimize disruptions during deployment, ensuring continuity of operations across multiple retail locations.

Drafted and presented weekly status reports summarizing completed tasks, open risks, mitigation plans, and sprint goals.

Monitored post-implementation system performance and gathered user feedback to optimize functionality and user experience.

EDUCATION

BS in Computer Information Technology

Minnesota State University, Mankato

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