Business Analyst

Senior Business Analyst

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is seeking a Senior Business Analyst to support the Office of Educational Supports (OES) in enhancing and maintaining the Consolidated Application within the NexSys platform. This application is critical for distributing federal formula grants to Michigan Local Education Agencies. This role will serve as a strategic liaison between OES, regional field services consultants and managers, internal MDE cross-office teams (including the Office of Systems, Evaluation, and Technology - OSET), the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB), and vendor partners. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in supporting business areas to complete business requirements, perform user acceptance testing, supporting end user documentation and training, with proven leadership experience in cross-functional environments.

Job Duties

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
• Facilitate meetings with business stakeholders, technical teams, and external consultants.
• Act as the primary point of contact for field consultants regarding application issues.
• Communicate issue status, resolutions, and updates to relevant stakeholders.
• Operational & Technical Liaison
• Manage and prioritize operational support requests and enhancement tickets in Azure DevOps.
• Collaborate with OSET and vendor teams to ensure timely resolution of technical issues.
• Translate business needs into clear, actionable technical requirements.
• Leadership & Team Coordination
• Lead and mentor a team of business analysts.
• Delegate tasks effectively and ensure alignment with project goals.
• Facilitate and lead requirement-gathering sessions with both business and technical teams.
• Documentation & Knowledge Management
• Maintain comprehensive documentation on the project SharePoint site.
• Ensure all process changes and decisions are well-documented and accessible

Requirements

• 4 + years: Proven experience as a business analyst.
• 2 + years: Experience working with grant management systems or government-funded programs.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Leadership capabilities in cross-functional team environments.
• Proficiency with tools such as Microsoft SharePoint, Azure DevOps, and Microsoft Office
• Minimum Education Bachelor's Degree
• Location Local candidates (strongly preferred) or non-local (must be willing to relocate at their own expense from acceptance with no delays & follow the hybrid schedule).
• Position is a hybrid schedule with NO REMOTE ONLY OPTION. Will need to be onsite from day 1, two days a week.
• Working hours Monday-Friday, approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Additional Requirements
• Must be authorized to work in the United States; We are unable to offer sponsorships at this time.
• Must undergo a background check and drug screening for employment.
• Employment Terms
• This is a W2 position 40 hrs per week HYBRID schedule - NO REMOTE ONLY OPTION. Will need to be onsite from day 1, two days a week.
• About Zenfreed
• At Zenfreed, we are more than an IT company. We bridge the gap between people wanting to do the work they were meant to do and organizations needing the right talent. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
• Benefits
• We understand a comprehensive benefits package is crucial to employment satisfaction. We offer medical, dental and vision coverage options for all employees.