Business Analyst II or Senior - Market Operations Support (Architecture)
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We're about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas' Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!
We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.
We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:
- Competitive and transparent pay with bonus opportunities
- Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
- Relocation bonus (if applicable)
- Hybrid working environment for positions that are eligible
- Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a pension (defined benefit plan) fully funded by SPP
COMPENSATION INFORMATION
The salary range(s) represents our good faith estimate for the role at this time. While we strive to provide competitive and transparent compensation, there may be circumstances where an offer is above or outside of the listed range. We are open to discussing salary expectations with qualified candidates considering factors such as the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, experience and geographic location will all be considered during the hiring process.
- Senior Business Analyst - Pay Range: $85,800.00 - $109,450.00
- Business Analyst II - Pay Range: $68,600.00 - $85,750.00
Join Our Market Operations Support Team as a Business Analyst!
SPP is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Businesses Analyst to join our Market Operations Support team. This critical role supports and maintains applications and databases essential to the daily operations of SPP's Coordinated Operations, including the Integrated Marketplace, Consolidated Balancing Authority (CBA), Reliability, Tariff, Markets, Scheduling, and Engineering functions.
The successful candidate will be a subject matter expert in one or more technical application areas and will play a vital role in ensuring systems function reliably and securely to support SPP's member organizations and core services.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborating with stakeholders to gather and clarify requirements and define detailed test cases and test plans
- Analyzing customer, business, and technical needs to develop functional and non-functional requirements, using SPP's established methodology
- Presenting requirements in a way that aligns with the goals and scope of each project
- Managing requirements approval, traceability, and scope control throughout the project lifecycle
- Ensuring requirements methodology and testing strategies are understood and followed by both the team and stakeholders
- Recommending and implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency and documentation quality
- Gaining deep knowledge of SPP's business operations and the systems that support them, particularly in your assigned area
- Applying technical skills to support requirements analysis and system testing
- Developing, documenting, and executing test cases and plans, including test strategy, defect tracking, and metrics reporting
- Managing multiple tasks and initiatives while meeting deadlines and quality standards
- Taking ownership of system testing and driving test automation initiatives
- Executing system integration testing and supporting other test stages (e.g., UAT, site acceptance, non-functional testing)
- Applying IT practices and methodologies to problem-solving and planning
- Mentoring junior staff, offering guidance in analysis, documentation, and testing
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders and cross-functional teams
- Supporting complex projects involving multiple systems, interfaces, and departments
- Assisting the team supervisor with task assignments, issue resolution, and team coordination
- Providing coaching and feedback to support team performance and delivery
What We're Looking For:
- Experience with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), particularly in requirements elicitation and analysis
- Skill in writing clear, testable requirements and identifying edge cases and integration points
- Strong communication and facilitation skills—not afraid to ask questions, even if it means slowing down to get it right
- Experience in developing and executing test cases for both functional and integration testing
- The ability to manage competing priorities, escalate appropriately, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
- A passion for understanding the “why” behind business needs and translating them into effective technical solutions
At SPP, you'll be part of a collaborative, mission-driven culture where curiosity is valued, and your work truly matters. Help us shape the future of the grid—and the systems that power it.
To be successful in the role we're looking for:
- Bachelor's degree or relevant/related job experience
- Senior Business Analyst: Six (6) years of SDLC experience, including requirements and/or software testing experience (in excess of degree requirement above) and/or relevant/related experience
- Business Analyst II: Two (2) years of SDLC experience, including requirements and software testing experience (in excess of degree requirement above) and/or relevant/related experience
- Working knowledge/experience in various requirements approaches and/or software testing methodologies
- Thorough knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- Experience articulating requirements in a consumable manner
- Experience leading implementation efforts involving multiple team members/stakeholders
- Logical and efficient, with attention to detail
- Strong prioritization and organizational skills
- Competent with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint)
- Proficient in both written and oral communication
- Demonstration of people leadership and process leadership
- Strong facilitation skills
Preferred:
- Five (5) years leading requirements/testing, software development, and/or system implementation efforts
- Five (5) years of Wholesale Utility industry business knowledge
- Experience with SDLC products/tools
- Professional certifications such as CCBA, CBAP, or AAC are preferred but not required
- Testing certifications like ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL), Agile Testing, or Advanced Test Management are a plus
- Competent with requirements/test management products
- Applicable knowledge and experience with developing SQL queries, macros
- Basic understanding of standard programming languages such as C, C++, Visual Basic, Java, etc.
Work Environment:
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Position Type, Location, and Hours:
This is a full-time, hybrid onsite position based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional extended hours as needed.
Travel Requirement:
- This position requires minimal travel (approximately 15%)
SPP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us at HR@spp.org and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
At SPP we believe in a culture of belonging. Learn more here: Culture of Belonging - Southwest Power Pool.
Full job descriptions will be made available to those selected for an interview.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
