IT Business Analyst

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The IT Business Analyst serves as system steward and technical application liaison for assigned enterprise and operational technology systems within the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The position translates operational needs into system requirements and supports application configuration, databases, interfaces, testing, and issue resolution. Primary systems include Vontas OnRoute, GIRO HASTUS, Vontas Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs), and MDT integration with Genfare fareboxes.

Working under general direction, the analyst exercises independent professional judgment and coordinates with Information Technology, Transportation Operations, Maintenance, Dispatch, and vendors to maintain reliable systems and accurate transit data. Responsibilities include hands-on support aboard buses, deployment coordination, user support, and continuous improvement.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

System Stewardship and Application Administration

• Serve as functional owner for assigned business systems, including Vontas OnRoute and GIRO HASTUS; administer applications and maintain configurations aligned with operational needs.
• Manage workflows, permissions, application data structures, and configuration records within assigned authority and organizational standards.
• Coordinate application access, security, server and network dependencies, backups, and recovery with responsible IT teams and vendors.

Business Process Analysis and Requirements Development

• Work with Transportation Operations, Maintenance, Dispatch, and business users to document workflows, analyze system gaps, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop functional and technical requirements addressing application behavior, interfaces, hardware dependencies, security, performance, and availability.
• Assess system dependencies and proposed changes, identify risks, define acceptance criteria, and verify that delivered solutions meet documented requirements.

Database Management and System Integration

• Query and validate application data using SQL and relational database structures; investigate database-related issues and monitor performance and data integrity.
• Support data imports, exports, and exchanges among OnRoute, HASTUS, and connected transit systems; maintain data mappings and validate accuracy and completeness.
• Manage application database configurations and access within assigned permissions; coordinate upgrades, backups, recovery, and performance improvements with database administrators and vendors.
• Follow approved change control procedures and vendor support requirements for database changes; support reporting accuracy, audit records, and data governance.

Onboard Technology and Field Support

• Board buses to perform or coordinate approved software upgrades, application configuration, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and deployment validation.
• Support Vontas MDT hardware, including configuration, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and coordination of repairs or replacement.
• Troubleshoot MDT integration with Genfare fareboxes, including connectivity and data exchange; coordinate corrective actions and perform onboard integration testing.
• Assess application issues involving Integrated Vehicle Logic Units (IVLUs), Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) sensors, Cradlepoint routers, and passenger information systems; coordinate with responsible technical teams.

Testing and Deployment Coordination

• Plan application upgrades and deployments with operational and technical teams, coordinating bus availability, maintenance access, pilot testing, schedules, rollback procedures, and post-deployment support.
• Conduct functional, integration, regression, and user acceptance testing for applications and associated interfaces; document results and track defects through resolution.
• Validate application and onboard system operation after hardware or software changes; maintain release documentation, test evidence, and bus software version records.

Incident Management and Vendor Coordination

• Manage application incidents and service requests; prioritize concurrent needs, communicate operational impacts, and escalate issues affecting transit service.
• Analyze application logs, connectivity, operational data, and interfaces to identify root causes of errors and discrepancies; coordinate corrective action with vendors and technical teams.
• Coordinate vendor support, track outstanding issues and enhancements, and confirm that delivered changes resolve problems and meet operational requirements.

User Support and Knowledge Management

• Serve as liaison between business users and technology teams; explain system capabilities, changes, and best practices.
• Provide user training, onboarding, and adoption support; mentor IT staff in application troubleshooting and business systems analysis.
• Maintain support procedures, operational documentation, knowledge articles, and lessons learned to support consistent practices and sustainable knowledge transfer.

Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate application reliability, performance, usability, and data quality; recommend improvements that support operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities for automation, workflow optimization, and process standardization; support approved enhancements and organizational innovation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field; or an associate degree in one of these fields with at least ten (10) years of relevant work experience.
• Seven (7) years of progressive experience in business systems analysis, technical application support, or operational technology, including hands-on support of business-critical systems.
• Experience supporting transit applications, including Vontas OnRoute and GIRO HASTUS configuration, troubleshooting, upgrades, testing, or system interfaces.
• Hands-on experience supporting onboard bus applications and performing or coordinating software deployments in fleet or field environments.
• Experience with application database management and SQL, application incidents, vendor escalations, change control, and release documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with transit planning, scheduling, and operations, including the relationship between scheduling systems and onboard computer-aided dispatch (CAD) applications.
• Familiarity with Vontas MDT hardware, Genfare farebox integration, IVLU platforms, APC systems such as IRMA 6 and IRMA Matrix, Cradlepoint communications, and real-time passenger information systems.
• Relevant training or certifications in business analysis, IT service management, application administration, or transit technology.

Working Environment and Physical Demands

• Work is performed in offices, bus maintenance facilities, fleet locations, and onboard buses; frequent computer use and collaboration with operational and technical staff are required.
• Must be able to board and exit buses and access onboard application equipment to complete upgrades, troubleshooting, testing, and support activities.
• Responsibilities require direct work aboard buses and cannot be performed solely from an office location.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.