Lead Business Analyst (Discovery)

Lead Business Analyst - Discovery & Business Case Development Contract: interim / Contract Rate: Up to £600 per day (Inside IR35) Duration: Mid-June 2026 - October 2026 Location: London (1-2 days per week onsite) Overview We are seeking an experienced Lead Business Analyst to support a major business transformation programme by leading a series of discovery activities and developing robust business cases for several strategic projects scheduled to commence later within the programme roadmap. This is a highly visible role requiring exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, strong analytical capability, and the ability to rapidly assess complex business challenges and translate findings into clear recommendations and investment cases. Working across multiple business functions and alongside internal programme teams and external delivery partners, you will provide the analysis and strategic insight required to shape future projects and enable informed investment decisions.

Key Programme Areas Account Management Strategic Partner Management Self‑Service Operator Requests Run a Post Office / Onboarding Retail Change & Task Deployment Learning Management System (LMS) Replacement Additional programme workstreams as required Responsibilities Lead end‑to‑end discovery activities across multiple business transformation initiatives. Engage senior stakeholders to understand strategic objectives, operational challenges, opportunities and dependencies. Gather, analyse and interpret business, operational and financial data to support decision making.

Identify current‑state processes, pain points, risks and improvement opportunities. Define future‑state operating models and high‑level business requirements. Develop robust business cases including options analysis, costs, benefits, risks and recommendations.

Facilitate workshops with senior business leaders, SMEs and external delivery partners. Work closely with programme leadership and third‑party suppliers to align discovery outputs with wider programme objectives. Produce clear, concise and executive‑level documentation suitable for governance and investment approval.

Identify delivery dependencies, change impacts and implementation considerations for future project teams. Support prioritisation and roadmap planning activities across the programme. Key Deliverables Discovery assessments for each assigned project area.

Current‑state and future‑state analysis. Stakeholder engagement and workshop outputs. Business capability assessments.

High‑level process maps and requirements. Key Deliverables Options appraisals and recommendations. Cost‑benefit analyses.

Investment‑ready business cases. Project initiation recommendations and scope definitions. Executive‑level presentations and governance papers.

Essential Experience Significant experience operating as a Senior or Lead Business Analyst within large‑scale transformation programmes. Proven track record delivering discovery phases and shaping complex business change initiatives. Demonstrable experience developing business cases for investment approval.

Strong stakeholder management experience at Director and Senior Leadership level. Excellent workshop facilitation and requirements elicitation skills. Experience analysing large volumes of business and operational data and presenting findings clearly.

Ability to work independently and manage multiple workstreams simultaneously. Strong written communication and documentation skills. Desirable Experience Experience within large, complex customer‑facing organisations.

Experience working alongside major consulting partners and third‑party delivery organisations. Knowledge of operating model design and organisational change. Experience supporting digital transformation, customer services, onboarding, workforce enablement or learning technology initiatives.

Exposure to Agile and traditional delivery methodologies. Personal Attributes Highly credible and confident with senior stakeholders. Commercially aware and outcome focused.

Structured, analytical and detail orientated. Comfortable operating in ambiguity and rapidly evolving environments. Able to influence and challenge constructively.

Strong communicator capable of simplifying complex information for executive audiences. Assignment Outcome The primary objective of this engagement is to provide the discovery outputs, business cases and project foundations required to enable several strategic projects to move confidently into delivery phases later in the programme. #J-18808-Ljbffr