How to Become a Business Analyst Lead in S‑PRO: Success Story

S-PRO is an international software development and IT consulting company with offices and representatives all over Europe. It works with its clients worldwide, offering full-cycle development and consulting services to corporations, startups, and scale-ups. It is known for its fintech and healthcare solutions, contribution to AI and blockchain fields, and even renewable energies. 

Meet Elena Osipenkova: Business Analyst Lead

The job of a business analyst is to find a bridge between the client’s wishes and expectations and the technical solutions that the IT department can develop. They are in charge of transforming an idea into a project with its structure, framework, specific goals, and tasks.

Business analyst leads do all this, plus they are in charge of strategic tasks like managing a team of BAs, communication with the stakeholders, documentation and reporting, quality assurance, and even strategic planning. This is a complex and important role, and to become a business analyst lead, one has to study and have relevant expertise in the field, just like Elena Osipenkova, Business Analyst Lead in S-PRO, did.

Name One Exciting Fact About Yourself

In my opinion, the most exciting fact about me is my hobby of creating crochet amigurumi toys. Nobody expects this kind of skill from a BA Lead :D I’m also a fan of winter sports like skating and skiing. However, the most interesting fact about me according to people who know me is that I moved from trainee to my current role in just two years. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely exciting.

How Has Your Role at S-PRO Evolved Since You Started?

At the beginning of my IT career, I was working in the Ukrzaliznytsia team — collecting requirements from system users and creating requests for fixing errors or adding new features. It was pretty similar to a BA job, although it was called differently. That’s why it was easy for me to develop as a Business Analyst and work for two years in this position.

Then I got an opportunity to become a Lead since S-PRO was looking for people who could manage the BA department. Truth be told, it was difficult, because I was responsible not only for my projects but also for the people in my team. I had to assign tasks, monitor their fulfillment, and maintain a suitable atmosphere in the team. Plus, I also got a new responsibility of recruiting new employees, and finding a person suitable for the job could be a challenge.

What Are You Proud Of?

Talking about my professional path, a few things come to mind:

• When I was working with the Sales Department, we honed and modified the presale process to perfection. It was fully adjusted to support the current goals, and we received great feedback from the client organization.
• Substantial changes in the work of the S-PRO, although largely caused by the pandemic and war, gave us a nudge we needed to become more flexible. The company was reorganized and restructured, and some flows changed.
• Security certification for large clients is definitely a plus for attracting new clients and being sure of our work’s safety.
• Increase in efficiency after moving to remote work. I love working in an office, but working remotely has been beneficial for the company as employees do not waste their time on the commute, and in the current situation, it is also safer, which is a big plus.

Most of these things are a result of joint work across teams and structural departments, and I am proud to represent them in this interview.

Share a Favorite Memory From Your Early Days at S-PRO

I have a lot of great memories from working in the office and our business trips. One of my earliest memories here is my first corporate party with a superhero theme. All the guests had to dress up as superheroes and do funny tasks. I learned a lot about my colleagues that day, and this was something that my previous place of work lacked.

What Skills Have You Developed During Your Time Here?

I have learned that soft skills are as important as hard skills. I feel like I have developed a lot in the following areas:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving, looking at things critically and from different perspectives;
• Curiosity is critical to understanding the client’s wants and needs; it can help us to come up with even better, easier, and cheaper solutions than the ones proposed initially;
• Communication and negotiation can help build a bridge between the team and the client;
• Adaptation to new conditions and desire to learn and improve — I believe that changes bring possibilities, and instead of fearing them, we should be welcoming them.

These skills are important for my role as a BA and as a team leader.

How Has the Company Supported Your Professional Growth?

The great thing about S-PRO is that they always support you in your wish to develop and improve. They always have growth opportunities at their disposal — you just have to ask for them. As for me, I did three online courses with a professional coach, which the company helped me find and fund. I also passed a specific training for Business Analysts and have even developed my course for BAs at S-PRO.

When Overcoming Personal Challenges, Did You Feel the Support from Your Team at S-PRO?

With all the things that have been going on in the last few years, it would be difficult to adapt without the support of the S-PRO team. They helped me and other team members with equipment during power outages and shelling and provided their support and assistance in every issue. When changes occur, they are quick to communicate how they plan to respond and to deal with the situation at hand.

What Advice Would You Give to New Employees Joining S-PRO Today?

Looking back on my work at S-PRO, I realize that there is some advice I could give to all new employees, and not only at our company. 

1. Don't stop learning and upgrading your skills. The worst thing you can do for yourself is get stuck in your development thinking you already know everything. Try new things, learn new tricks, and constantly develop your skills.
2. Making mistakes is normal, especially in the beginning. Don’t obsess about it, fix it, and try again. Making mistakes is how we learn.
3. Be a good person. Soft skills play a critical role in the life of a business analyst. We depend on the ability to communicate, meet requirements, and manage the team. 
4. Everything depends on you, and not on external circumstances like courses, mentors, and a company. Other people can help, but you have to set the main vector yourself.

These are things that I live by, and I am constantly reminded of their importance in my work and day-to-day life.

How Do You Feel the Company’s Culture Has Changed With Its Growth?

I came to work for the S-PRO when the company was six years old. Now it’s been operating for almost a decade. The company has definitely changed and developed in these years. S-PRO is paving its way, constantly looking for opportunities to become better, to do more, to improve communication, and to bring better results. It aligns with my values and the values of my team. So I hope it keeps doing the same, does not stop, and only moves forward.

S-PRO: A Company Providing Opportunities for Development

S-PRO is a place where every team member is valued and appreciated. We believe that the key to success is happy employees who can grow and improve their skills every day, feeling the support of the entire company. We are one large team that helps each other grow and become better at what we do — both for our clients and employees.