Senior Systems Analyst (Contractor)

RE/SPEC Inc.•Austin, TX

1d•Remote

About The Position

Respec is seeking a highly skilled Senior Systems Analyst to support our Texas State Partner Agency in a strategic initiative to transition reporting and data-extract capabilities from legacy mainframe IMS systems to a modern cloud or data-lake environment. This role is critical for ensuring that business reporting needs, data extract workflows, and downstream integrations are accurately captured and translated into technical specifications for cloud-based solutions. The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical skills, experience with legacy systems, and a solid understanding of modern data platforms and integration patterns.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in a medium to large IT environment as a Systems Analyst, Business Analyst, or similar role.
3+ years of experience gathering and documenting requirements for reporting, data extracts, or data-driven applications.
3+ years understanding of cloud data platforms (Azure, AWS, Databricks, Snowflake, or similar).
5+ years proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and SharePoint).
2+ years experience interpreting data models, data dictionaries, and technical documentation.
2+ years knowledge of database structures, relational database management systems (RDBMS), and metadata management.
2+ years experience working in fast-paced environments, achieving project deliverables, and exercising sound judgment in making critical decisions.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to negotiate among multiple parties and establish effective working relationships.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Computer Science, Data Processing, Business Administration, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

3+ years familiarity with mainframe systems (IMS, COBOL files, JCL, batch processes).
2+ years experience in data-focused projects, specifically moving from legacy to newer systems.
2+ years knowledge of local, state, and federal laws and regulations (PII) relevant to data management and governance.
2+ years knowledge of master data, data warehousing, and business intelligence principles.

Responsibilities

Lead detailed sessions with business stakeholders to understand reporting needs, data extract requirements, and downstream data consumption patterns.
Facilitate Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions and stakeholder interviews.
Elicit and document data and reporting requirements (KPIs, filters, delivery cadence) and translate them into functional/data specifications.
Validate requirements with stakeholders to ensure accuracy and alignment with business objectives.
Review and interpret mainframe IMS data structures, file layouts, and extract processes.
Document current state reporting logic, data sources, extract schedules, and dependencies within the mainframe environment.
Analyze gaps between current state mainframe processes and future state cloud or data lake architecture.
Collaborate with data engineers and architects to map legacy data elements to cloud-based data models (Azure, AWS, Databricks, Snowflake, etc.).
Support the design of new reporting and extract workflows that leverage cloud capabilities.
Assist in defining data transformation rules, metadata, and data lineage documentation.
Ensure reporting and extract requirements align with enterprise data governance standards.
Produce and maintain mappings, business rules, data dictionaries, and lineage/data flow diagrams spanning staging, integration, and presentation layers.
Develop test cases and acceptance criteria for reporting and extract functionality.
Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) by validating data accuracy, report outputs, and extract completeness.
Troubleshoot defects and work with technical teams to resolve issues.