Principal Business Analyst

About US
The company
This role is in our
Springer Nature Technology division
- a diverse group of over 700 people across our main locations in Germany, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Visit to learn more about who we are and what we do.

The Department
Join the
Portfolio & Governance Office
of our CIO, where our mantra is simple yet powerful: "Do the right things. Do things right." Our team is dedicated to building a strategic, consistent, and transparent approach to how information and technology empower our entire enterprise. We focus on two essential objectives: fostering a unified vision for IT across the organisation and ensuring our IT organisation consistently delivers value through efficiency and clarity. If you're passionate about driving meaningful change at the intersection of technology, information, and business strategy, we'd love for you to be part of our mission

The Team
The Business Architecture & Integration (BA&I) team, part of the Portfolio & Governance Office reporting to our CIO, is at the forefront of shaping and delivering transformative strategies that power Springer Nature's success. We are a dynamic group of forward-thinkers, strategists and analysts who collaborate across the organisation to unlock opportunities, optimise processes, and drive meaningful change.

As a key player in enterprise-level transformation, we bridge the gap between business aspirations and technology solutions. Our team defines and executes global business architecture strategies, partners with stakeholders to discover customer-centric solutions and ensures seamless integration of acquired organisations into our ecosystem. Whether leading technical due diligence during M&A activities, orchestrating enterprise-wide business change or mentoring a thriving community of Business Analysts, our mission is clear: to create tangible business value, every day.

By joining us, you'll be part of a team that thrives on collaboration, embraces challenges, and is committed to delivering impactful outcomes. We value strategic thinking, curiosity, and a customer-first approach. Together, we'll shape the future of Springer Nature by turning complexity into opportunity and ideas into action.

At Springer Nature, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and better outcomes. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all individuals feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to thrive.

If you're ready to be part of a team that drives strategic transformation, fosters innovation, and sets the standard for excellence, we'd love to hear from you.

About The Job
Job summary
We are seeking for an experienced Principal Business Analyst to help shape the business analysis (BA) discipline within Springer Nature Technology and lead the delivery of high-impact strategic initiatives. This role combines leadership responsibilities to mature our BA community and foster consistent, value-driven analysis across our product and technology portfolio. In parallel, you will lead strategic analysis on complex, high-valued initiatives such as portfolio planning, M&A, investment cases, and cross-cutting discovery efforts. This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role.

Key Responsibilities

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Drive strategic analysis on high-impact initiatives, including feasibility studies, investment cases, and portfolio options
• Guide teams and stakeholders through early-stage ambiguity and complexity
• Champion continuous improvement in BA methods, tools, and stakeholder engagement
• Act as the escalation point for BA challenges and blockers across teams
• Collaborate with other tech functions and business leaders to influence strategic decisions
• Support portfolio governance through high-quality analysis, alignment, risk assessment, and documentation

FIRST 3 MONTHS

• Build a deep understanding of the organisational structure across SN Technology and technology departments within Operations group
• Map key business and product stakeholders, as well as their products and business direction
• Build an understanding of our customer and how their experiences relate to our business priorities and challenges.
• Engage with business and internal users to uncover value drivers and pain points
• Join and contribute to the BA community of practice
• Assess BA maturity and identify opportunities to improve value and consistency
• Capture and document a high-level domain view across technology
• Contribute to at least to one strategic discovery initiative (e.g., M&A due diligence, major portfolio investment case)
• Can articulate our company strategy

WITHIN 6 MONTHS

• Roll out a consistent and scalable BA best practice framework and discovery framework
• Lead mentoring circles and knowledge-sharing sessions to uplift the BA community
• Partner with HR and BA leads to evolve career paths and development plans
• Support governance and prioritisation processes through high-quality business analysis
• Strengthen collaboration with UX, Enterprise Architecture, Engineering, and Change Management to improve portfolio decisions

WITHIN 12 MONTHS

• Demonstrate business value through enhanced investment decisions, risk mitigation, and clearer alignment between technology and business
• Embed standardised BA approaches across teams with flexibility for multiple delivery models
• Demonstrate measurable value from BA contribution (e.g. improved decisions, faster validation, reduced risk)
• Create tools and guidance to support discovery, value modelling, and business case development
• Track and report BA impact using outcome-based metrics
• Maintain a self-sustaining BA community with active participation and growth

About YOU
YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, or related field; equivalent experience considered
• Fluency in English with strong written and verbal communication skills
• Relevant certification (e.g. CBAP, BCS, or equivalent) are a plus.

Your Experience

• Extensive experience in business analysis with a blend of strategic and delivery-focused responsibilities
• Proven experience designing and leading discovery phases to shape strategy, assess feasibility, and develop investment cases
• Proven track record of leading or mentoring Business Analyst and building community of practice
• Strong collaboration skills, optimising for team success over individual achievements.
• Familiarity with multiple methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) and their implications for analysis work
• Skilled in facilitation, negotiation, and navigating complex organisational landscapes
• Strong understanding of IT ecosystems, digital product development, and enterprise architecture
• Exposure to data analytics, process optimisation, and automation initiatives
• Background in enterprise transformations, technology rationalisation, or business model innovation
• You believe in and can articulate our company strategy on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and you want to make Springer Nature Technology a more inclusive environment for everyone
• Comfortable working across distributed and hybrid teams in an international setting
• Advocate for freedom within a framework, viewing enablement as a key leadership outcome
• Embraces failure as a learning opportunity, promoting knowledge-sharing and continuous improvement
• Encourages data-driven decision-making, experimentation, and fast feedback cycles
• Skilled in co-creating innovative solutions with stakeholders and other disciplines