UAT Business Analyst

At Smart, our mission is to transform retirement, savings and financial wellbeing, across all generations, around the world.

The Role

We’re looking for a UAT Business Analyst to join our team, playing a key role in the product development lifecycle by ensuring new products and features are ready for release. This role bridges business needs and technological execution, shaping and then validating that implemented solutions meet requirements, are ready for production and deliver real customer and business value. We are looking for a candidate who can work effectively in a dynamic environment, focusing on execution and delivery, while developing a solid understanding of Smart's business, procedures and strategic objectives.

Collaborative Opportunities

• Improve solution design, system scalability and efficiency: By advising on solutions to handle future growth, improve customer experience and operate effectively.
• Reduce operational cost and manage risk: By testing solutions and ensuring stability before release.
• Enhance the customer and user experience: By focusing on the end‑user experience, confirming solutions are intuitive and reliable.

Responsibilities

• Provide consultation and recommendation for effective application of technology and operational processes.
• Challenge design to drive optimal solutions for business whilst balancing customer needs.
• Lead and execute UAT to ensure new systems, features and enhancements meet both user needs and expected functionality from an end‑user perspective.
• Collaborate with technology, third‑party vendors, IT and operations stakeholders to gather, document and translate business needs into clear UAT scenarios, detailed test plans, comprehensive test cases and precise test scripts.
• Identify, meticulously document and track defects, working proactively with developers to ensure timely resolution.
• Conduct thorough regression testing to confirm that changes and updates do not adversely affect existing system functionality.
• Set and execute operational readiness checklists, secure final sign‑off from key stakeholders and provide clear recommendations on whether solutions are fit for purpose and ready for release.
• Act as the primary link between business users, developers, QA and project teams.
• Develop and sustain effective working relationships across the entire organisation.
• Provide clear, concise analysis and constructive feedback regarding test results, identified risks and overall system performance.
• Communicate complex technical issues to internal business stakeholders using appropriate, non‑technical business language.
• Utilise data analysis to identify key trends, systemic issues and opportunities for continuous operational improvement.
• Assess and manage any accepted emerging risks.
• Resolve complex issues by applying strong commercial and business awareness.
• Support and guide business users through the UAT process, including providing necessary training.
• Prepare and maintain comprehensive UAT documentation for audit and regulatory compliance purposes.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the business strategy and how potential impacts could affect both team and customer outcomes.

Who We Are Looking For

• Experience in Financial Services/ a regulated environment.
• Experience in the DC pensions industry (desirable).
• Experience as a UAT Tester or a Business Analyst with strong involvement in driving operational processes and customer experience with technology solutions including AI, UAT and functional testing.
• Proven ability to gather and interpret business requirements and translate them into test scenarios.
• Hands‑on experience writing and executing test plans, test cases, and managing defects.
• Experience of working in an agile environment is preferred.
• Experience with test/defect management tools e.g. Jira.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non‑technical stakeholders across all levels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Able to engage and develop trusted relationships across multiple stakeholders.
• Professional and accountable, projects credibility.
• Demonstrate a flexible approach towards changing business needs.
• Able to deal with ambiguity and varying priorities.
• Accepts and tackles demanding goals with enthusiasm.
• Demonstrates the Smart Experience Hallmark behaviours in delivering a collaborative customer centric experience.
• Basic SQL knowledge for data validation (desirable).

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday per year, increasing with length of service.
• £500 annual training budget to spend on your professional development.
• Extensive private healthcare, including dental, eyecare and EAP.
• Enhanced sick leave (three months’ pay per year).
• Enhanced maternity and paternity (maternity – 6 months fully paid / paternity – 3 weeks fully paid).
• Death in service insurance cover.
• Fully‑paid five‑week sabbatical after five years of employment.
• In‑office wellbeing, such as manicures, massages and barbers.
• Smart employees also enjoy a 50% discount on orders from our sister company Arena Flowers, Britain's most ethical florist.

At Smart, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to do their best work. We believe that diverse perspectives help us lead the way in transforming retirement, savings, and financial wellbeing. We welcome differences in background, experience, thinking, and identity, and we recognise that innovation is strongest when it is built on inclusion and fairness. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in the workplace, we encourage you to let us know – we are committed to supporting you.