Lead Business Analyst

Lead Business Analyst

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Lead Business Analyst for a contract assignment with one of our premier regulatory clients in Rockville, MD. Responsibilities include:

• Conduct moderate-to-high complexity analysis of automated surveillance systems that detect potential violations of regulatory rules.
• Responsible for understanding, validating, enhancing, and supporting surveillance patterns across multiple asset classes and regulatory domains.
• Serve as the bridge between regulatory requirements and the technical implementation of surveillance logic, ensuring patterns produce accurate, complete, and defensible results.
• Actively leverage generative AI tools to accelerate analysis, documentation, and automation — serving as the domain expert who ensures regulatory accuracy and completeness of all outputs.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of experience in financial regulatory technology, surveillance systems, or capital markets data analysis
• Proficiency in SQL for large-scale data analysis on distributed platforms
• Proficiency in at least one scripting/programming language (Python) for data analysis, automation, and tool development
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to independently investigate data discrepancies and validate system outputs
• Experience reading and interpreting complex data processing pipelines and business logic in source code
• Advanced proficiency in spreadsheet tools for business and operational analysis
• Excellent documentation skills — ability to translate complex technical implementations into clear business-facing knowledge documents and Business Requirement Documents (BRDs)

Preferred Skills:

• Major in Business Administration, Finance, Computer Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred
• Experience with project management and documentation tools and their APIs, and leading UAT efforts
• Knowledge of SEC/FINRA regulatory rules and reporting requirements
• Experience with data science efforts within financial market data (stocks, ETFs, options), and presenting findings to a wide audience
• Experience leveraging generative AI tools (LLMs, AI coding assistants) and validating AI-generated output to accelerate data analysis, code comprehension, documentation, and automate production workflows
• Strong interest in learning more about US financial market structure and evolving regulatory landscape
• Experience reverse-engineering surveillance pattern source code to build comprehensive knowledge documentation
• Familiarity with surveillance pattern architectures (exception generation, scoring, aggregation, reconciliation)
• Experience with distributed query engines and big data platforms
• Experience with source code management and release branch workflows

SGA is a technology and resource solutions provider driven to stand out. We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. Each year, we match consultants like you to more than 1,000 engagements. When we say let's work better together, we mean it. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. Be yourself, love what you do and find your passion at work.