Business Support Specialist - St. Paul, MN - Hybrid, 3 days/wk onsite

The Business Support Specialist provides flexible, as-assigned support to the Client's program. The resource completes the tasks the program assigns, which may change as program priorities and needs change.

The Client's system is a critical public-facing system that processes over $4.2 billion a year in taxes and benefits for Minnesota employers and applicants. The program is managing a portfolio of strategic projects to update that system, complete scheduled maintenance, and respond to economic conditions as needed. The program has an established oversight structure, tools, and methods. The resource works within that structure as directed by state staff and does not change it.

Role boundaries and limits of authority

This position has no decision-making authority. All decisions remain with the Client's program Leadership. The resource must:

1. Not make, approve, deny, or commit to any decision on behalf of the Client.

2. Refer every open question, issue, or pending decision to the assigned program lead for resolution.

3. Not speak, write, or otherwise represent themselves as speaking on behalf of the Client's Program, including with vendors, other agencies, employers, applicants, auditors, or the public.

4. The resource may review and provide observations to the program; acceptance decisions rest with the program.

6. Not authorize changes to scope, schedule, budget, requirements, contracts, or system configuration.

7. Identify themselves as a contract resource supporting the Client's program in all communications and meetings.

When a question comes up that requires a program decision or position, the expected response is that the resource will take it back to program leadership.

Responsibilities

The resource performs tasks as assigned by the Client program leadership. Assignments may include, but are not limited to:

• Project support: Support project planning, scheduling, tracking, and status reporting for assigned strategic and ancillary projects, using the program's existing tools and methods.

• Deliverable review: Review project and vendor deliverables for expected content and completeness against program standards, and report observations to program leadership.

• Requirements traceability: Help maintain traceability of requirements from definition through testing and deployment.

• Documentation: Draft, update, and organize process documentation, procedures, meeting notes, and reference materials for Client program review and approval.

• Research and analysis: Gather information, research questions, and prepare summaries and options for Client program decision-makers.

• Audit and review support: Support the annual external technical, project, and security review, and help track and document remediation of recommendations, as directed by program leadership.

• Coordination support: Schedule meetings, track action items, and follow up on assigned items with relevant teams.

• Tools and resources: Build and maintain trackers, templates, and other working tools as directed by state teams.

• Knowledge transfer: Document work so that Client staff can continue to maintain and update any process created.

• Other duties: Perform other related support tasks as assigned by the Client's program.

Reporting, escalation, and deliverables

The resource reports to a designated program lead, who assigns and prioritizes work.

• Weekly status report to the program lead covering work completed, work in progress, open items, and issues requiring a program decision.

• Escalation: Raise risks, issues, and questions to the program lead promptly, with relevant background, rather than resolving them independently.

• Work products: All documents, tools, and materials produced are drafts for review and are the property of the Client.

• Priorities: Accept reassignment as program priorities change, including during periods of economic or operational urgency.

Requirements

Minimum qualifications

• 3 years of experience in project coordination, project management, or business analysis support

• Ability to produce clear, accurate documentation and status reporting for both technical and business audiences

• Track record of organizing and tracking action items, deadlines, and dependencies

• Demonstrated follow-through: following up on task plans, assigned tasks, and deadlines with responsible parties, and reporting status and missed dates to the program lead

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint)

Preferred skills

• Experience supporting public sector or state government programs

• High level of curiosity and resilience, willingness to redo work, and learn from listening and redoing work

• Project oversight or project auditing experience

• Experience with project or task tracking tools

• Experience reviewing, analyzing, and interpreting financial transactions and reports

• Familiarity with requirements, traceability and structured deliverable review

• Experience with waterfall, agile, or hybrid delivery methods, and with SDLC phases from requirements through deployment

• Experience reviewing test plans, test cases, and defect tracking

• Experience with process mapping, standard operating procedures, or business process redesign; Visio or similar tools a plus

• Experience working in a role that supports decision-makers without holding decision authority

• Familiarity with unemployment insurance, tax, or benefits programs

Data, security, and conduct requirements

• Handle all data in accordance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minn. Stat. Chapter 13) and Minn. Stat. Chapter 268 data privacy provisions.

• Complete required background checks, confidentiality agreements, and security awareness training before access is granted

• Access only the systems and data needed for assigned tasks, and only as authorized by the Client's program. Will not have any access to production data.

• Not disclose program information, draft materials, or internal discussions to any party

• Disclose any potential conflict of interest, including relationships with vendors supporting the Client's program.