Senior Business Analyst – ION / Commodity Trading Systems

Senior Business Analyst – ION / Commodity Trading Systems based in Germany.

This remote contract opportunity is designed for an experienced Business Analyst with strong expertise in commodity trading systems and hedging processes. You will lead end-to-end business analysis initiatives, translating complex business needs into functional specifications and practical technology solutions. Working closely with business stakeholders, developers, solution architects, and vendors, you will support trading operations, risk management, and system integrations. Your responsibilities will span requirements gathering, testing, production support, and post-implementation stabilization. You will help ensure the reliability, efficiency, and accuracy of critical trading applications and workflows. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to complex technology initiatives within commodity trading, particularly in soft commodities such as grains and seeds.

Accountabilities:

• Lead business analysis activities for commodity trading and hedging initiatives, from requirements gathering through implementation and post-production stabilization.
• Analyze and document business processes, workflows, controls, exceptions, and front-to-back trade lifecycle activities.
• Translate business needs into functional specifications, user stories, acceptance criteria, and process documentation.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, solution architects, developers, and vendors to define solutions and deliver application enhancements.
• Support trading, risk management, position management, exposure analysis, profit and loss (P&L), settlements, confirmations, and reporting processes.
• Coordinate System Integration Testing (SIT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT), including test planning, test case reviews, execution, and defect resolution.
• Manage defect triage, investigate application issues, assess business impacts, and coordinate corrective actions.
• Support integrations involving market data, trade processing, settlements, accounting, and downstream reporting systems.
• Conduct incident analysis and root‑cause investigations in collaboration with vendors and internal IT support teams.
• Contribute to deployment readiness, cutover planning, release management, and post-go-live hypercare.
• Maintain functional specifications, operational procedures, support documentation, and troubleshooting guides.
• Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, operational efficiency, business controls, and existing processes.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions, manage dependencies, and maintain alignment between business requirements and technical delivery.

Requirements:

• At least 7 years of experience as a Business Analyst or Senior Business Analyst supporting IT applications, preferably in commodity trading and hedging.
• Hands-on experience with ION XTP or comparable ION trading platforms.
• Functional or techno-functional experience with ION Openlink, Openlink Endur, or related Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM) or Commodity Trading and Risk Management (CTRM) platforms.
• Strong understanding of commodity trading, hedging strategies, and end-to-end trade lifecycle processes.
• Experience with soft commodities, particularly grains and seeds.
• Proven expertise in requirements gathering, process mapping, functional documentation, and stakeholder management.
• Experience coordinating SIT and UAT, managing defects, and supporting deployment and post-production stabilization.
• Practical knowledge of production application support, incident management, root‑cause analysis, and vendor coordination.
• Understanding of system integrations, market data, pricing, settlements, and trading-related reporting.
• Excellent communication, analytical thinking, problem‑solving, and collaboration skills.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience in regulated or controlled environments, particularly those emphasizing auditability, operational controls, and risk management.
• Familiarity with trade confirmations, position reconciliation, exposure reporting, and P&L processes.
• Experience improving application support workflows, operational documentation, and release management practices.

Benefits:

• Fully remote working arrangement.
• Long‑term contract opportunity with an initial duration of 12 months or more.
• Opportunity to work on complex commodity trading and hedging systems.
• Exposure to ION platforms and ETRM/CTRM solutions in a business-critical technology environment.
• Salary, healthcare coverage, paid leave, and other additional benefits are not specified in the available job description.