Technical Consultant

Overview:
Under minimal direction, the Technical Consultant III is primarily responsible for providing technical and business support focused around multiple assigned business area solutions during product enhancement and product release processes. In particular this role conducts triage support for failed test cases and manages a list of Production tickets. This role also contributes to the organization’s performance by helping customers to understand the product functionality and providing technical support, defect fixes, and proposed solutions in a timely manner in order for customers to meet their business goals.

Responsibilities:
Essential Roles and Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with Vendors and NDT to resolve system performance issues by facilitating meetings, managing and allocating the ticket workload based on the review of technical design documents, and conducting discussions to determine root cause analysis for each performance issue.
• Provides timely triage support for any production and testing tickets related to assigned business area applications in order to remove defects pre-production and ensure the application will work according to the requirements.
• Provides SME support to test teams and customers for assigned business area regarding system functionality.
• Performs the Operations support role (as applicable).
• Reviews results to determine if there are defects in order to assign, track, and resolve defects.
• Assists Project Managers in developing Business Design, Business requirements, and Business Scenarios necessary for accurate technical design documents.
• Conducts impact analysis for any product enhancement or integrations to inform the Project team if there are any requirements that could possibly impact or break existing functionality within the assigned business area umbrella.
• Creates CSRs for defect fixes from Vendors.
• Analyzes data from the assigned business area database to inform reporting and technical design capabilities.
• Designs and codes solutions to meet Plan requirements without relying on Vendors to implement the changes.
• Checks and reviews Vendor and NDT code to ensure the highest quality is being delivered.
• Implement system configuration changes in support of operational tuning efforts and in support of requests submitted from testing efforts.
• Provides high level cost estimates (ROMs) to Plans and business teams for any enhancement or fix that involved technical work in order to allow Business Teams to accurately project budget and billing costs.
• Configures the NPS solutions prior to each new product release or enhancement in order to run batch cycles.

Additional Roles and Responsibilities:

• Assists in coaching and mentoring business teams and analysts as well as Plans regarding assigned applications.
• Create and maintain spreadsheets, flowcharts, and other documentation related to the content and purpose of assigned application components including but not limited to batch cycle job flow, integration points, API utilization, and Duty Manager information.

Qualifications:
Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience:

• Extensive SME level knowledge of NASCO System Area (applicable to particular role).
• Knowledge of Mainframe and Mid-Tier server technologies.
• Knowledge of NPS, FTP, PDM, Clearquest
• Knowledge of CSR deployment process
• Knowledge of TSO Mainframe and how to copy, create, duplicate, delete, edit, download, and upload datasets
• Knowledge of creating SQL queries and executing in DB2
• Knowledge of one or more programming languages such as COBOL or Assembler
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Excel, and Work.
• Knowledge of the Healthcare Insurance industry
• Knowledge of reviewing, running, and deploying JCL scripts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent analytical skills
• Decision making skills to use good judgment in critical times
• Problem solving skills
• Skill in being flexible and adaptable to shifting priorities.
• Skill in technical aptitude
• Ability to manage and prioritize workload based on impacts to the customer
• Ability to facilitate meetings with Customers and Vendors
• Ability to translate business needs into technical requirements
• Ability to create EDI transactions and execute these transactions for HIPAA compliance
• Ability to apply a rational approach to identify solutions
• Ability to set up an IBM Application Program Analyzer sample and review the results to understand run-time related issues.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
• Proven experience in creating test plans
• Proven experience in executing test case scenarios
• Proven experience in conducting root cause analysis on technical systems
• Proven experience in coding using one or more programming languages such as COBOL, Assembler, or other language.
• At least 10 years of experience related to software development lifecycle methodology.
• At least 5 years of experience with Healthcare Insurance Industry
• At least 10 year combined experience in software development and software implementations on mainframe, mid-tier, and integrated applications.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Experience:

• Knowledge of Microsoft Visio.
• Knowledge of UML
• Knowledge of Blue Cross Blue Shield or NASCO
• Knowledge of Syncsort/WAAPDSUT
• Ability to coach teams
• Ability to do presentations

Required Training and Education:
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field, or equivalent experience.

NASCO is a Minority/Female/Disability/Vet/Affirmative Action Employer.

Department Specific Details:
Extensive NPS Product and applications knowledge and ability to guide client through NASCO processes including facilitating Business Requirements Determination Methodology.

Extensive knowledge of BCBSMA products and use of NPS