Staples, Inc. is headquartered outside of Boston and sells a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. Staples is committed to make buying office products easy. Associates serve consumers and businesses of all sizes - from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Staples invented the office superstore concept and today, is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. Staples also serves its customers through its mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com. Staples values the diversity of our customers, associates and suppliers.

We offer very competitive benefits including; dynamic work environment, 401K, discounted employee stock purchase plan, adoption assistance, Annual Associate Scholarship Plan, Associate InventionQuest, training and development, "Work/Life" initiatives and other voluntary benefits such as pet insurance and identity theft protection. This all translates into exciting career opportunities with a talented team dedicated to personal and professional growth.

Sr. Programmer Analyst - Lincolnshire, IL

Responsibilities:

Under general supervision, formulates and designs system scope and objectives through research and fact-finding to develop or modify moderate to complex system applications. This includes analysis of business and user needs, documentation of requirements, and translation into proper system requirements. Prepares detailed specifications from which programs will be written. Competent to work on all phases of applications systems analysis activities but may require guidance/instruction in other phases. Position would involve 50-70% programming.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:
This position reports directly to the Applications Project Leader/Supervisor or Applications Project Manger.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Conducts, supports and assists in planning the design, development and implementation of manual and computer-based systems.
1.1. Evaluates present operations for potential application of information systems to business needs.
1.2. Identifies user department areas that warrant investigation and/or a feasibility study and recommends specific action plans.
1.3. Gains an understanding of the user departments’ organization, responsibilities and activities with assistance from the Business Systems Designers.
2. Codes, tests, debugs and implements application system upgrades and enhancements.
3. Work with Project Leader to identify system deficiencies and develop solutions to assist business users.
4. Supports production system operations, including error correction and performing tasks required to meet operating schedules. Provides support tracking system with appropriate knowledge to allow for the growth of a support knowledge base.
5. Works with IS and user department personnel as needed to define and prepare detailed processing, system and program features and functions, including processing rules and logic, on-line transactions and reports/forms. This includes determining with the requestor whether there is a business justification for a given request.
6. Prepares detailed specifications from which programs will be written.
7. Prepares program and system documentation.
8. Ensures quality efforts on all systems and changes developed and implemented by the team are done so in conjunction with the Quality Assurance area of IS.
8.1. Ensures that departmental standards are being met for documentation and coding.
8.2. Ensures that adequate testing procedures are being followed in the systems development and maintenance process.
8.3. Ensures the efficient operation of systems.
9. Performs other related duties as required or requested.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS:
Communicates with IS personnel (esp. Technical Systems Development, Quality Assurance, Computer/Network groups) to give/receive technical assistance and to facilitate program/system/data structure design and implementation.
Communicates with user/business department personnel to get clearer definition of systems/business requirements, to provide/receive training, present information and/or conclusions, and to learn specific business applications in order to provide better IS solutions. Occasional contact with professional organizations to maintain/improve knowledge.

Qualifications:

• College degree, preferably in Computer Science, Information Systems, or Management Science, or related field, or the equivalent in related training or work experience.
• At least four years of professional work experience in an application programmer role.
• Minimum of one to two years of systems analysis/design work, including direct contact with end users, program/systems documentation work, and preparation of detail design specifications.
• Two to three years experience programming languages and application development tools, including, but not limited to, Visual Studio 2005 or later, C#, AJAX, Web Services, CSS, Silverlight, ASP.NET, JavaScript, and HTML.
• Two to three years experience in relational database programming, MS-SQL preferred.
• Experience with CRM/Sales systems design/development a must.
• Experience with system development lifecycle and quality assurance procedures.
• Experience with support responsibilities for production systems.
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Quill/Staples is an EEO/AA Employer.