Senior Business Process Analyst - Foundations - REI - Kent, WA

The Senior Business Process Analyst – Foundations contributes to REI’s success by providing services that will govern, evolve, and deliver systems and processes which will enable Merchandising to successfully deliver on initiatives and strategies. Utilizing your strong communication skills and merchandising solutions background, you will help deliver ground-breaking business Merchandising capabilities and our Next Generation solutions. You will be a leader and advocate within our Product Management and Project Teams supporting burgeoning Agile methodology and expertise to the Merchandising organization for appropriate projects.
Acting as a business process subject matter expert for all current merchandising projects and initiatives you contribute to REI’s success by working cross divisionally advising on merchandising’s interests, supporting projects in alignment with Merchandising’s current roadmap and REI’s strategic business initiatives.

The Senior Business Process Analyst role collaborates with Merchandising product, planning, and inventory deployment teams, as well as with Information Technology and the greater REI business community to guide the development of current and upcoming systems and reports. The SBPA contributes to future solution design while maintaining a support role on current Merchandising applications. This versatile role leverages an understanding of Merchandising’s business goals and operations, combined with a technical aptitude, process improvement, and project management to deliver capability and insights throughout the supply chain. Continuously evaluate and prioritize projects within the constraints of budget, team resources and REI’s requirements in a dynamic marketplace. Focuses on growing sales and margin, increasing efficiencies, and improving processes while offering expert merchant expertise on a daily basis. Models and acts in accordance with REI’s guiding values, competencies and mission.

Immediate projects will focus on driving process improvements in REI’s Merchandising Core, including but not limited to pricing, item, inventory, PO, and vendor management.

• Leads and participates in business process design workshops, advocating for the business users, understanding and enabling industry leading best practices across multiple merchandising disciplines.
• Partners with technology teams on key projects to support leading innovation workstreams to enable all merchandising strategies and initiatives
• Develop and maintain a complete working knowledge of Merchandising processes, procedures, and current applications as well as Next Generation solutions
• Analyze, interpret and improve department specific business processes to ensure the optimal integrity and functionality of systems and technology to support merchant initiative, capabilities and projects.
• Function as subject matter expert in business functionality, interfaces, data flow, and functional architecture of systems supported
• Interprets business needs, builds requirement, and guides solution development on behalf of Merchandising
• Connects analytical information with system operation and business processes to drive process change and technical advancement
• Contributes to financial and business value analysis.
• Lead and executes medium to large sized projects in collaboration with cross divisional partners, most significantly Merchandising Information Technology (IT)
• Assist with training and rollout plans for new systems, or enhancements to existing systems as determined by direct Manager and/or Change Management lead
• Assist in meeting all project deadlines, milestones, release dates and schedules
• May function as the Product Owner for projects using the Agile methodology and Scrum framework
• Apply project management best practices and standards and advocate them across the teams and organizations
• Lead business or subject matter expert workshops, working sessions interviews for requirements gathering sessions
• Identifies and recommends tools or applications that achieve positive business results, enabling industry standard processes and leading best practices
• Maps “as is” and “to be” business processes, understands gaps, and develops transition plans.
• Assist in backlog requirements grooming/prioritization sessions to ensure sign-off by business and development teams for all projects
• Participate in all project status meetings as business lead; daily stand-ups, sprint retrospectives and sprint demonstrations for Agile projects and all other project meetings as required.
• Prepare requirements, functional specifications, user stories, business processes, and requests for proposals (RFPs) associated with our Merchandising Division
• Build and communicate business cases and project value propositions at all levels of the organization
• Provide input to the Merchandising portfolio leadership in the cadence, timing and dependencies of the various related business initiatives and projects
• Contributes to financial and business value analysis
• Perform and assist with QA and release testing, taking a leading roles with all business users during UAT activities and other key test periods
• Design and develop dashboards, reports, presentations and visual aids designed to educate, inform and influence business decisions of merchants and business leaders
• Prepare and deliver influential presentations that summarize complex analyses and drive effective business decisions
• Supports the Merchandising business users in cross-functional teams throughout REI and is subject matter expert in business functionality, interfaces, data flow, and functional business architecture of systems supported
• Provides complete and relevant requirements that support necessary functionality and a positive user experience
• May administer legacy tools that support Merchandising. Has solid technical knowledge and fluency with scripts, macros, databases and database query languages.
• Translates and effectively communicates future business needs into requirements that informs enterprise platform strategy
• Develops and builds test cases, works with QA teams, and conducts UA for end-users
• Develops and executes end-user documentation and training
• Leads change management and is an advocate for new ways of approaching business
• Other duties as assigned

Bring your passion and expertise
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Retail or Operations or related field
• 5+ years professional experience preferably in Merchandising operations, process improvement or similar for Merchandising, retail, or finance business units. X
• 3+ years of project-oriented experience in merchandising, supply chain, or retail operations preferred
• Knowledge/Proficiency with Excel VBA, SQL, or other programming languages preferred
• Advanced computer skills, to include MS Excel, Visio, Word and Powerpoint, Jira, MS Project
• Experience with MS SharePoint, SAP ECC, Enterprise Merchandising solutions such as Oracle, JDA, SAP, TXT or similar
• Ability to author technical scripts, macros or database queries using tools such as Excel, MySQL, MS SQL Server and HTML/CSS
• Certification or deep knowledge of PMP, Scrum, Agile and SAFe project frameworks
• Experience with business process improvement principles (Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen) preferred
• Excellence in applying analytical rigor & technical proficiency to the business environment
• Demonstrated ability to self-educate and learn while doing in a highly complex and rapidly changing environment
• Proficient presentation materials development and delivery including sr. management presentations
• Effective and articulate communication in all modes and all levels in an organization.
• Knowledge of standard merchandising principles, capabilities and processes.
• Knowledge of project and portfolio management best practices and methodologies
• Certification or deep knowledge of PMP, Scrum, Agile and SAFe project frameworks preferred
• Actively participates and collaborates with others on one’s own team and across REI for the achievement of business goals.
• Flexible in one’s viewpoints and positions in order to support the direction taken by others at REI.
• Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities.
• Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound decisions.
• Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
• Works smart by setting effective work goals, establishing priorities, and planning well in order to produce quality work.
• Executes effectively by using resources efficiently, meeting deadlines, and keeping others informed of work plans and progress toward goals.
• Clearly conveys and accurately receives information by a variety of methods and in various situations.
• Builds rapport with all kinds of people inside and outside the organization.
• Acts upon opportunities and involves and influences others in the accomplishment of worthwhile organizational goals.
• Challenges the status quo, champions change and influences others to change.

Why you’ll love it here
We’re a passionate community of people who believe in one simple truth: an outdoor life is a life well-lived. REI is a co-op, born in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest in 1938. We’re here to help our 5.5 million members have amazing experiences outside—and do the same ourselves. Bring your creativity, customer focus and enthusiasm for living life outdoors—we can’t wait to meet you!