Contributions: Larissa Vieira and Lunamaura Martins

Analyzing data to guide Nubank in its business decisions. This is the short version, a tweet-size description, of what a Business Analyst (also known as BA) does here at Nubank. 

However, we need a few more characters to accurately describe what happens in our daily routines—and why we are always looking for people eager to dive into numbers and help us define the company’s next steps. After all, at Nu, we are privileged to do the best work of our lives alongside some of the most talented people in the world! 

But to revolutionize and make history by putting the customer at the center, we need to start with the basics. Let’s dive in!

What is a Business Analyst, After All?

While each place has its definitions of roles, generally, a Business Analyst helps the company solve and identify problems or hypotheses using data. This is how this category of professionals creates new spaces and challenges the conventional.

Therefore, business analysts are people who make data-driven decisions, they possess strong analytical skills and can structure problem-solving methods, translating large amounts of numbers and data into strategic decision-making. 

An important detail: making a strategic decision also involves being comfortable with uncertainties. 

Not all answers are found in the data—but a BA tries to use their findings to provide the best possible foundation for making decisions with calculated risks.

Believe it or not, this is a crucial role in a rapidly growing company like Nubank. This brings us to our next point:

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What Does a Business Analyst do at Nubank?

We’ve given a broad definition above of the Business Analyst’s (BA) role—using data to make analyses that guide business decisions. But that may sound a bit generic.

At Nubank, the role of a Business Analyst (BA) goes far beyond just analyzing data. They are responsible for structuring information, conducting in-depth analysis, and testing different solutions that could improve the company’s efficiency. This responsibility includes, but is not limited to, using tools like SQL, Python, and Scala to ensure that decisions are based on accurate data. 

A BA, therefore, starts from a problem (already mapped by the team or identified by themselves) or from an idea or hypothesis. From there, they must structure how to solve and validate this problem or hypothesis, and ultimately work with others to implement the solution.

An essential aspect of the job is the investigative nature, where the Business Analyst not only analyzes available data but also identifies gaps and decides which tests can be conducted to gather additional information. This requires strong analytical abilities and keen business acumen, enabling BAs to understand trade-offs and create structured solutions for the challenges the company faces.

This process is also highly iterative. The best solution isn’t always the first one found; the initial framework for decision-making can be incomplete or prove inconsistent as new data emerges. 

Uncertainties are inherent to Nubank’s business and environment. Being comfortable with them, measuring and assuming risks, as well as ensuring their monitoring, are also Business Analyst responsibilities. 

The result of this work is a decision that could range from credit limit increases to marketing strategies within a specific segment. 

The impact of this on the company is immense, and from day one, we are involved in decisions that will affect thousands, or even millions, of customers.

Currently, Nubank has over 600 Business Analysts spread across various business areas—from Credit Cards and Nubank Accounts to Human Resources, Marketing, Fraud, and New Products—and we are eager to expand this team.

Business Analysts (BAs) at Nubank have the opportunity to operate in different areas, with the four main ones being: Product, Credit, Marketing, and Operations. While all share the fundamental responsibility of supporting decision-making based on solid analyses, the analytical focus of each BA may vary depending on the team they are part of.

  • Product: BAs in this area focus on maximizing customer adoption, activity, and engagement through testing and segmentation. With a broad view of customer needs and business outcomes, they work closely with Project Managers (PMs), Designers, and Software Engineers, developing essential skills in communication, stakeholder management, and influence.
  • Credit: BAs in this area delve deep into statistics, data science, and modeling. They focus on solving complex problems to enhance financial efficiency, developing sophisticated credit plans that directly impact risk, credit lines, and evaluation policies.
  • Marketing: BAs here focus on understanding how marketing campaigns and initiatives affect the customer lifecycle, aiming to develop deeper relationships. They analyze customer behavior in response to various stimuli, such as conversion and engagement.
  • Operations: BAs in Operations analyze customer behavior to identify ways to scale Nubank efficiently. These BAs develop a financial approach focused on cost management and constantly interact with operations, maintaining a direct connection with customer requests and pain points to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

These different experiences allow Nubank BAs to develop specific skills and contribute significantly across various areas of the company.

We need more business analysts who are passionate about discovering and solving problems, many of which don’t even exist yet. These professionals will help Nubank make the best decisions for the future of the company and its customers.

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably interested in this topic—and in that case, here’s what some BAs have shared about their experiences at Nubank:

A Day in the Life of a Business Analyst at Nubank

Being a BA at Nu means being rational driver of a team, using data-driven decisions. We are responsible for translating customer behavior and business insights into structured and visual data for its best translation and next step definition. It means that with each test or routine monitoring we need to explore what the next analysis and decision steps are and raise the pros and cons of each alternative. Being a BA means looking at operational risk but also the risk of a long-term decision. Ultimately, it means always being connected to the business and using data to make better decisions.

Beatriz Aiex – Cross Models. 

Being a Business Analyst at Nubank means that you are the guardian of the business. That means that you must deeply understand the product you are working with and how it can be beneficial to both Nubank and our Customers (core of our business). At the same time you must be data driven to use analysis to leverage our business – this can and will be done by testing, monitoring, creating policies, deep dive into data…Expect to be highly influential and impactful by transforming data into improvements, as you guard Nubank.

Henrique Cheib – Global Bank Account Foundations.

In Nu I have been able to work with diverse people and teams from almost all functions (Engineering, Analytics Engineers, Design, project managements, among others), where I have been able to learn a ton from different visions. All opinions are important and heard, therefore, I have been able to challenge and I have been challenged by pursuing what I think is our most important value: making customers love us fanatically, delivering multiple products with the highest excellence as possible in new market countries, being able to see them grow, take care of them and pursue enhancements for future engagement growth. I have felt that the BA work here is highly challenging but full of opportunities to learn and make mistakes, always feeling cared.

Lizeth Larrea – Transfer-out.

At Nubank, you have the possibility to work with various teams and develop specific skills within each of them. As a BA, I have had the opportunity to work on credit, product, and fraud teams. Therefore, I have been involved in product launches and anti-fraud actions. It is a unique experience of daily learning, with a team that is always engaged in learning.

Lunamaura Martins, BA of Fraud.

Interested in working with us? 

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