Business Analyst

IT Business Analyst Long-term contract Onsite 4x a week in Downtown Houston We are seeking an IT Business Analyst who can bridge the gap between business needs and technology solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in IT systems, software development life cycle (SDLC), and data-driven analysis, with the ability to translate business requirements into functional and technical specifications. This role requires working closely with stakeholders, project managers, developers, and QA teams to ensure successful delivery of IT and business transformation projects. Key Responsibilities Collaborate with business stakeholders to gather, document, and analyze requirements for IT systems and applications. Translate business needs into detailed functional and technical specifications, process flows, and use cases. Work with technical teams to design, test, and implement solutions that align with business objectives. Support end-to-end project lifecycle including requirements, solution design, testing (UAT), performance testing, integration testing, and deployment. Develop and maintain system documentation including BRDs, FRDs, workflow diagrams, and data dictionaries. Perform gap analysis, impact analysis, and feasibility studies for proposed system enhancements. Partner with QA teams to orchestrate the testing process including design of test cases and validation to ensure delivered solutions meet requirements. Facilitate workshops, stakeholder meetings, and requirement review sessions. Ensure compliance with IT standards, security, and governance policies. Act as a liaison between business units, IT development teams, and external 3rd party software and integration vendors. Required Skills & Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, or related field. 5+ years of experience as a Business Analyst in IT or software development projects. Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile, and Waterfall methodologies. Experience in working in fast paced, Agile environment, working closely with IT Product Owner, Business Product Manager, IT Project Manager. Experience writing detailed business/functional/technical requirements and user stories. Proficiency with SQL for data querying, analysis, and validation. Experience working with APIs, integrations, and system interfaces. Knowledge of enterprise applications (ERP, CRM, web applications, or custom-built platforms on-prem or cloud). Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation). Desirable Skills Experience in cloud platforms (Azure or GCP). Exposure to data visualization/BI tools (Power BI, Tableau). Experience with project management or Agile tools (Azure DevOps, Jira or Confluence). Domain knowledge in energy, utilities, oil, gas or financial services is a plus. EEO Employer Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law.