Position Summary
The Strategic Analyst I works collaboratively within the Strategy and Research Department to support NBU’s internal operations and better serve the Community. This is an entry-level analytical role. The ideal candidate is a service-oriented professional who thinks critically through complex problems and communicates ideas and technical information clearly in written and spoken form. The disciplined candidate should also be broadly educated across academic and professional disciplines, bringing an adaptive, resilient, and intellectually honest mindset to every assignment.
The Strategy and Research Department leads key enterprise initiatives aligned with NBU’s Strategic Plan and Executive Leadership priorities. This Department partners with industry experts and thought leaders to anticipate and prepare for the future of utility services in New Braunfels. By fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, NBU’s strategic initiatives are developed internally or alongside public and private research institutions specializing in energy, water, and technology.
The Department’s primary functions are: 1) Advisory Services, 2) Innovation Program, and 3) Research and Development. Your areas of focus will include a) Strategic Planning, b) Internal Consultancy, c) Process Improvement, d) Research Trends and Innovative Interests, e) Strategic Research and Intelligence, and f) Knowledge Management.
As a Strategic Analyst I, you will serve in shaping the strategic trajectory and long-range planning of NBU operations under the direction of the Manager and senior department staff. You will execute assigned analytical tasks, build foundational research skills, and begin developing professional judgement that will enable your advancement to Strategic Analyst II. Your work will contribute to continuous improvement of NBU’s services. Detailed documentation of methodologies, findings, and recommendations is expected to be of a professional standard.
Success in this role requires humility, integrity, accountability, effective communication and a commitment to teamwork.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
ADVISORY SERVICES
Strategic Planning Process Support
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Serve as an analytical contributor to NBU’s annual and multi-year strategic planning cycles. Efforts will include research, data compilation, document management, and preparation of draft materials.
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Support NBU’s performance measurement infrastructure and escalating concerns or opportunities to leadership. Activities will include quarterly progress tracking and variance analytics.
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Assist in preparation of Executive level materials with structure and accuracy. Materials will include presentations, strategic planning deliverables, and internal strategic communication.
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Assist the development of business cases, tracking documents, and stakeholder communication materials.
Internal Consultancy
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Serve as an internal analytical resource to NBU. You will conduct data gathering, literature reviews, comparative benchmarking, and draft preparation of deliverables.
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Cultivate partnerships with adjacent Departments to integrate cross-functional data and information in support of active advisory service projects.
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Build and maintain quantitative and qualitative models or spreadsheets using Departmental frameworks, focused on developing personal proficiency.
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Assist in the preparation of cost-benefit analysis, feasibility assessments, and internal advisory deliverables, developing the proficiency to independently perform at Strategic Analyst II.
Process Improvement
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Support process improvement engagements by conducting interviews, observing workflows, documenting processes, and preparing draft diagrams and narrative summaries for Department review.
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Contribute to the preparation of process improvement deliverables. Efforts will include supervised gap analysis, comparative assessments, and draft recommendations. Personal focus will be to develop structured problem-solving discipline.
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Document process improvement project records thoroughly and accurately. Effective records will include methodologies, data sources, and findings so that others can discern and build upon them.
INNOVATION PROGRAM
Research Trends and Innovative Interests
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Support the Department in maintaining the Innovation Program. Activities will include research, assessments, and structured reports that are relevant to NBU’s Strategic Plan, forward-looking, and unbiased. Topics will be sourced from the Innovation Committee. You will ensure that research summaries, source documentation, and notes are current, organized, and accessible.
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Translate research information into structured intelligence products. The products will include Innovation Scans, Information Papers, Decision Papers, and Data Synthesis Memorandums.
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Support the coordination of internal stakeholders and external research partnerships. Efforts will include scheduling, correspondence, documentation, and deliverable tracking.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Strategic Research and Intelligence
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Support the Department in maintaining a repository of strategic intelligence that is accurate, organized, and accessible to the Department Staff. Intelligence will include full system analysis, literature reviews, technology assessments, and competitive benchmarking.
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Support the Department in developing scenario analyses. Activities will include drafting scenario conditions and drafting potential strategic choices that could influence hypothetical scenarios.
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Maintain an active awareness of the regulatory governance for electric and water utilities at the federal, state, and local level. You will synthesize regulatory developments and communicate the implications that affect the NBU’s Strategic Plan.
Innovation Research and Emerging Technology Assessment
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Support research efforts on emerging technologies, business models, and operational approaches relevant to the Strategic Plan. Efforts will include but are not limited to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), utility resources and infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in Utility operations, and predictive analytics.
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Identify attributes of emerging technologies that assist the Department in determining a strategic fit for NBU. Draft assessments that enable Department Staff to evaluate subjected technologies.
Knowledge Management
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Maintain assigned areas of the Department’s research library and knowledge management infrastructure. Activities will include filing, organizing, tagging, and updating research products in accordance with Department standards.
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Contribute to the development and consistent application of Department documentation templates and research protocols. Demonstrate accountability for the quality and completeness of your own records.
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Produce literature reviews, source summaries, and research inventories as assigned. Verify that all products are accurately cited, clearly organized, and ready for use by Department Staff.
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Develop foundational proficiency in process mapping methodologies and tools, applying structured techniques to accurately represent operational workflows.
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Maintain detailed, accurate documentation of all process mapping work products. Products will include diagrams, interview notes, findings, and revision histories.
COMMUNICATION AND PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTION
Analytical Communication
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Draft professionally written deliverables that communicate complex findings with clarity, pithiness, organizational structure, and adjustability for respective audiences.
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Support presentations of research findings and strategic deliverables to internal stakeholders with tact, confidence, social awareness, and the ability to articulate analytical assumptions. Verbal skills will represent humility, unbiasedness, integrity, and variable to respective audiences.
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Support the Department in cross-functional working groups and project teams. You will maintain a standard of professionalism that is consistent with the Department’s role as NBU’s internal intelligence and strategy consultant.
Departmental Contribution
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A Strategic Analyst is to uphold a standard of excellence that strives to know yourself and seek self-improvement. You will continuously identify opportunities to improve Department processes, analytical tools, data sources, and research workflows.
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Approach every task with professional ownership by meeting deadlines, communicating obstacles early, and submitting work that represents your best effort.
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Proactively pursue professional development identified for the role and be committed to professional growth.
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Your role as a Teammate will cultivate a culture that values intellectual prowess, accountability, continuous learning, and collaborative respect.
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You are asked to support the Team, the Manager, and the Director as assigned across the three primary functions; remain fluid and adapt to organizational priorities with professionalism; and overcome challenges that support the Strategic Plan.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
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Maintain regular attendance; vacation schedule will be managed so as not to interfere with the ability to accomplish tasks, including special projects and assignments with deadlines.
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Always adhere to NBU safety guidelines and practices.
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Maintain a clean and safe work area, office, field site, and vehicle, as applicable.
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Develop and maintain practical customer service skills for communication with co-workers, customers, and the public in general.
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Maintain strict confidentiality of business, employee, and customer information in written and oral communications and safeguard sensitive information.
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Adhere to NBU policies and procedures.
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Exemplify NBU Core Values of Safety, Team, Integrity, Culture, and Stewardship.
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Participate in and support initiatives to reach annual NBU Objectives.
