Business analyst - Career guide

The duties of a business analyst vary from one company to another. Business analysis covers a wide range of activities, with specific requirements that vary depending on the organisation and its sector of activity.

Broadly speaking, their main responsibilities are as follows:

• Liaise between different departments and the IT department
• Define the roadmap and draw up the specifications for a project
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitor them
• Manage and analyse a database
• Analyse the environment (regulations, strategies, resources), business processes and the information system

Proposing continuous improvement solutions to optimise internal processes

In large companies:

Although they may sometimes work for small businesses, business analysts generally work in large companies, such as those with several subsidiaries. Many sectors are recruiting, particularly finance, banking and insurance.

They spend a large part of their day in contact with various internal teams and in their office, monitoring data on their screen.

As an independent consultant:

Business analysts can also work as independent consultants. This status is generally chosen by senior profiles after several years of experience. Their client portfolio is mainly made up of small businesses and SMEs, as large companies often prefer to recruit internally.

The profession is accessible with a three-year degree, but recruiters place greater value on candidates with a five-year degree, particularly from business or engineering schools.

You can begin your studies with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, management, economics or computer science. Bachelor’s degrees are valued for their professional and technical focus. You can pursue the following programmes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing
• Bachelor’s degree in Data Analysis
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Development

It is then advisable to continue your education with a master’s degree in data analysis or auditing. To become a business analyst, ISC Paris Grande École offers a Master’s degree in Consulting and Project Management as well as a Master’s degree in Expertise, Auditing and Control.

If you wish to work abroad, you can pursue a bilingual or fully English-taught MSc Master of Science program.

Firstly, the skills and experience gained by business analysts enable them to move into management positions, including:

• Big Data Manager
• IT Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Scheduling and Planning Manager

If they have a five-year degree, they can also apply for executive positions, such as administrative and financial director and information systems director. They are then responsible for the overall strategy applied by the company in their field (finance or IT) and coordinate projects to achieve the objectives set.

After working in a company, business analysts may choose to become an independent consultant . They then provide consulting services to companies in various sectors, using their experience to solve specific problems or support them during periods of transition.