Senior Business Analyst
Optiom | Driven by Aviva | Calgary, AB (Hybrid)
We are looking for a Senior Business Analyst who can take the most ambiguous initiatives in that portfolio and turn them into clearly framed problems with executable paths to delivery.
This is a hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up role. You will personally own requirements end-to-end - from sponsor framing through process mapping, solution assessment, and acceptance criteria. You will run the discovery sessions, you will write the artifacts, you will sit beside QA when they're testing your spec, and you will be the one on the call telling a sponsor a request isn't ready to move forward when it isn't. Definition of Ready rigour without the bureaucracy. If you are the kind of BA who sees structure where others see chaos, who escalates ambiguity early, and who can present to a steering committee with the same calm confidence you bring to a working session - we want to talk to you.
What You'll Do
- Own the full BA lifecycle on strategic initiatives across Optiom, O2 Insurance Services, and Bamboo Premium Financing - from problem framing and requirements through process mapping, solution assessment, and delivery enablement.
- Translate ambiguous initiatives into clearly framed business problems with defined objectives, scope, constraints, and success criteria - grounded in what the business is trying to achieve and how value is created.
- Elicit complete, testable, and relevant requirements from sponsors, SMEs, and cross-functional partners; maintain traceability from business intent through acceptance criteria so audit and Aviva governance reviewers can follow the chain end-to-end.
- Document current and future state processes; identify pain points, control gaps, and handoff failures; recommend practical, controls-aware improvements with clean handoffs across business, broker/dealer-facing, underwriting, finance, and compliance functions.
- Lead discovery sessions and alignment workshops that drive decisions - particularly when priorities or interpretations differ across business sponsors and delivery.
- Apply Definition of Ready rigour without adding bureaucracy; confidently recommend "not ready" when definition is weak and broker, regulatory, or financial risk would result.
- Evaluate solution options with tradeoffs, cost and risk impacts; identify dependencies and capability sequencing so work can be mobilized in a logical, executable order.
- Establish and maintain BA standards for the Execution Office - templates, traceability, definition of ready, definition of done - appropriate for an Aviva-governed organization.
What You Bring
- 7+ years of progressive business analysis experience, with at least 3 years at a senior or lead level.
- Direct experience in financial services, insurance, MGA, brokerage, or another regulated environment where audit-defensible documentation is part of the operating context.
- Demonstrated end-to-end BA ownership - problem framing through requirements, process mapping, solution assessment, and delivery enablement (not just contribution to a larger BA team).
- A track record of producing structured artifacts - requirements documents, process maps, decision logs, acceptance criteria - that PM, QA, and technical builders have actually used without rework.
- Experience facilitating discovery sessions and alignment workshops with senior stakeholders (Director / VP level).
- Active proficiency with Jira and Confluence, plus process modelling tools (Visio, Lucidchart, or similar).
- A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Commerce, Economics, or a related discipline - or equivalent demonstrable experience.
- Clear, structured written communication - your artifacts are a key part of how you deliver value, and they will be reviewed by Aviva governance.
Bonus Points For
- CBAP, CCBA, or PMI-PBA designation.
- Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance domain experience - particularly specialty lines, MGA distribution, or auto/F&I-adjacent products.
- Experience operating under regulated parent governance - Aviva, OSFI-regulated, public company, or similar.
- Multi-system implementation experience (Salesforce, claims/policy administration platforms, premium financing platforms).
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or above.
- Basic SQL for self-service data validation.
- Exposure to OCM (Organizational Change Management) frameworks and how BA outputs feed adoption, training, and post-launch measurement.
What We Offer
- Competitive base salary in the $115,000-$140,000 range, plus incentives tied to delivery outcomes.
- Comprehensive group benefits - medical, dental, vision, EAP - effective on commencement.
- Generous vacation entitlement and Optiom's flexible time-off practices.
- Employer-supported professional development, including designation pathway support for CBAP, PMI-PBA, or Lean Six Sigma.
- A genuine build-from-scratch mandate inside the Execution Office: shape how business analysis is practiced as Optiom scales across three brands and three provinces.
- Cross-brand exposure - Optiom, O2 Insurance Services, and Bamboo Premium Financing - that's uncommon breadth for a senior individual contributor.
- Hybrid work, Calgary HQ, with flexibility for hybrid arrangements in AB, BC, or ON for the right candidate.
- The resources of one of Canada's largest and most trusted insurers behind you - and the entrepreneurial energy of a specialty MGA in front of you.
How to Apply
Apply through this platform with your resume and a brief note about why this role interests you. Our HR team reviews applications on a rolling basis and will respond within five business days. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
