Overview

Summary of the work 

Provide a flexible team of business analysts (5-10) to work in fast-paced agile delivery teams. The successful supplier will be able to demonstrate that the individuals they put forward for work have the essential experience, knowledge and technical skills set out in this proposal.

Latest start date 31/08/2016

Expected contract length 2 years but may be shorter depending on progress towards delivering the strands of work.

Region West Midlands

Organisation the work is for Skills Funding Agency (SFA) on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

About the work

Why the work is being done 

 BIS and the SFA are delivering a new digital apprenticeship service. The service vision is “Empowering employers to build skills through quality apprenticeships”. Currently apprenticeship funding is allocated and paid directly to training providers. Therefore employers will take control of government funding for apprenticeships. The policy intent is to drive up the quality and quantity of apprenticeships. We have completed a number of discovery and alpha stages for some components the service. The first strand will go live in August 2016. The services being procured are expected to deliver the remaining strands of work by April 2017.

Problem to be solved 

Often employers don't know they have the option to choose from a range of providers, or that government will fund training for their apprentices. Employers need to be able to: 

1. Hire apprentices; 
2. Choose the right type of training for their apprentices; 
3. Find a suitable training provider; 
4. Understand what funding is available, including the apprenticeship levy, where that applies to them; and manage their training costs.

Who the users are and what they need to do 

1. As a citizen I need to improve my employment prospects so that I can start a career and earn money. 
2. As an employer I need to employ an apprentice so I can improve the skills of my workforce, and get support for my business. 
3. As a training provider for apprenticeships I need to ensure employers choose my services so my business is viable. 
4. As SFA I need to manage levy payment and funding to training providers and ensure growth in apprenticeships for the benefit of the economy.
   

Any work that’s already been done 

We have completed a series of discovery and alpha phases for the various strands of work within the service. Two strands of work are currently in the beta phase.

Existing team 

The supplier will be working with civil servants and multiple suppliers across various strands of work for delivery of the service.

Current phase Beta

Work setup

Address where the work will take place Skills Funding Agency,  Coventry with occasional travel to other locations nationwide.

Working arrangements 

Onsite full-time 5 days a week co-located with the rest of the team at the SFA offices in Coventry. Occasional travel to other BIS or SFA (or partner organisation) offices may be required, subject to SFA travel and subsistence policy. This programme is being delivered using agile methodologies. Successful application of agile principles and techniques requires that the teams are co-located and able to work directly with colleagues representing digital delivery, operational and policy requirements.

Security clearance 

The successful supplier must be able to demonstrate that all proposed team members have been subject to Baseline Personnel Security Standards checks as set out in the SFA Baseline Security Policy 2014.

Additional information

Additional terms and conditions Standard DOS framework and call-off terms and conditions. Day rates should be inclusive of any costs of travelling to and working from the base location. The cost of travel to other locations while performing SFA work will be covered as per the SFA travel and subsistence policy and will need to be invoiced by the supplier with supporting receipts.

Skills and experience

Essential skills and experience 

• Provide a mix of agile and senior business analysts with substantial experience of analysing digital / web services in a fast paced environment.
• Business analysts will have the ability to gather, analyse and articulate complex business process and/or policy decisions in a clear visual way to project teams.
• Make recommendations for action against the analysis done.
• Full understanding and demonstrable experience of requirements engineering in an Agile/Scrum environment.
• Ability to plan, and facilitate workshops with a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders structured against predefined list of outcomes.
• A strong understanding of Agile and Waterfall project management delivery methodologies.
• Work closely with the nominated product owner to define a product approach to meet the specified user need.
• Experienced in developing product visions, backlogs and roadmaps.
• Experience of process modelling, including process model standards such as BPMN, IDEF0 or the IBM Notation.
• Experienced in business change, rationalisation and transformation.
• Experience of working with projects where objectives are not always fully clarified from the outset or there are significant volumes of changes.
• Ability to work with project managers, Developers, Senior Managers and a wide variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to communicate with business users in non-technical language.
• Able to coach and mentor other civil servants on agile business analysis practices.

Nice-to-have skills and experience 

• Experience of working on GOV.UK and other government services.
• Strong understanding of the Government Digital Service’s Design Principles and Digital Service Standard.
• Experience in developing target operating models, value stream mapping and LEAN process improvement.
• A qualification in business analysis, such as the BCS Diploma in Business Analysis, or Degree in related software development.
• Experience of working closely with user researchers to refine the product backlog based on research feedback

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.