Lead Business Analyst - SQL & Excel

Oliver Wyman's Data and Analytics team is looking to hire a Lead Business Analyst for our Hyderabad or Gurugram office.

OW DNA Overview

The Oliver Wyman DNA is a distinguished center of excellence for business analytics and data analytics within Oliver Wyman. This group leverages data and information to provide business insights to Oliver Wyman consulting teams driving positive outcomes and tangible impact for Oliver Wyman’s clients. The group combines cutting edge data science expertise with core consulting expertise to augment engagement teams with analytical firepower to deliver outstanding results. 

Role Summary:

The Lead Business Analyst will own and manage end-to-end analytical delivery across multiple workstream in a project, working closely with global clients and internal stakeholders. This role requires deep business understanding, exceptional analytical thinking, and expert proficiency in SQL and Excel. The Lead Analyst will interpret financial statements, solve complex commercial and operational problems, and guide a team of Analysts and Senior Analysts through structured execution. They will also ensure high-quality delivery, strong governance, and clear communication to senior stakeholders. This is a highly client-facing and leadership-oriented role suited for someone with an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to work independently

Key Responsibilities 

Team & Delivery Leadership

• Lead and oversee multiple analytical workstreams in a project, ensuring clear planning, timely execution, and high-quality outputs

• Guide Analysts and Senior Analysts through requirement breakdown, task planning, execution reviews, and capability development

• Allocate and prioritize tasks effectively to ensure seamless delivery across competing timelines

• Review SQL pipelines, Excel models, and analytical frameworks to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to best practices

• Maintain structured governance, documentation, and information flow across all deliverables

Business & Financial Problem Solving

• Interpret full financial statements to uncover insights across revenue, cost, margin, and cash flow performance

• Identify cost leakages, working capital inefficiencies, or commercial optimization opportunities using data-driven analysis

• Estimate effort for workstreams, define analytical approaches, and link outputs to measurable business value

• Build analytical frameworks, templates, and reusable assets to drive long-term efficiency and consistency

• Translate ambiguous business questions into clear, structured analytical pathways and problem statements

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for global or senior-level clients or internal stakeholders, ensuring clarity of expectations and solution alignment

• Facilitate discussions with diverse stakeholders to gather requirements, refine problem statements, and align on business outcomes

• Communicate insights in a clear, actionable, and business-oriented manner that supports leadership-level decision-making

• Build strong relationships through transparent communication, consistent updates, and proactive problem resolution

Technical & Process Excellence

• Ensure all SQL queries, Excel models, and data transformations follow best practices for scalability, performance, and accuracy

• Identify analytical risks, dependencies, data gaps, and potential bottlenecks—designing appropriate mitigation strategies.

• Drive continuous improvements in analytical processes, reporting standards, and efficiency across all projects

• Support the creation of knowledge assets, documentation, and standardized KPI frameworks for use across teams

Experience & Skills Requirements:

• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to guide a team through structured problem-solving and high-quality project execution

• Deep business understanding and the ability to translate data into meaningful insights tied to financial, commercial, and operational performance.

• Advanced ability to read, interpret, and analyze full financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow), including revenue drivers, cost structure, margins, working capital, and cash cycles

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage directly with senior and global clients

• 6+ years of hands-on SQL and Excel experience (non-negotiable), including advanced query optimization, data modelling logic, and complex calculations

• Strong domain experience in commercial analytics, pricing, supply chain, or operations analytics—preferably within the manufacturing sector.

• Ability to lead teams, allocate tasks, manage workloads, and ensure timely and flawless delivery

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive approach to identifying improvement opportunities, risks, and new solution pathways

• High ownership, discipline, and the ability to work independently while driving continuous improvement across analytical processes