Lead IVR Analyst / Technical SME

Thank you for considering IT Concepts dba Kentro, where innovation drives opportunity and collaboration leads to success. Our dynamic community of experts is fully committed to advancing our customers' missions, fostering professional growth, and making a positive impact on our communities.                                                

Our transition to Kentro in 2025 reflects a rich legacy built upon the foundation of IT Concepts. Rather than leaving ITC behind, we confidently embrace a future centered around the Core of More. By joining our supportive community, you will find that Kentro is dedicated to your personal and professional development. Together, we can drive meaningful change, spark innovation, and achieve extraordinary milestones.

Kentro is hiring an experienced Lead IVR Analyst / Technical SME to support a large federal government contract. 

Responsibilities:

• Tracking key metrics like network contacts received, automation duration, abandonment rate via IVR, and self-service success rate within the IVR system to identify trends and potential issues. 
• Interpreting call detail records (CDRs) and other data to understand customer behavior within the IVR system and identify areas for improvement. 
• Reviewing and revising IVR scripts, prompts, and menus to ensure clarity, accuracy, and customer satisfaction as well as reduce/optimize costs. 
• Collaborating with stakeholders to design new IVR features and functionalities based on business requirements and customer feedback. 
• Performing functional testing on IVR system updates and changes to ensure proper functionality and user experience.  Familiar with multiple environments in AWS (Development vs Production) and how to promote within. 
• Identifying and resolving technical issues within the IVR system, including integration problems with other applications. 
• Providing training to contact center agents on new IVR functionalities and updates. 
• Presenting findings and recommendations to key decision-makers regarding IVR performance and improvement initiatives. 
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their goals, processes, and requirements
• Document and analyze these requirements to form a solid understanding of the business needs
• Develop detailed system specifications and design solutions that align with business objectives
• Work closely with developers and IT to ensure the proposed solutions meet business requirements
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvement within existing systems and processes
• Propose and implement changes to enhance efficiency, productivity, and overall business performance
• Analyze historical contact center data to extract insights and support decision-making processes
• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and reliability
• Using SDLC processes and associated tools, analyzes current system targeted for replacement/enhancement to determine business and technical functions to be included in design.
• Develop and execute test plans to ensure that systems and applications meet specified requirements
• Identify and address any issues or defects during the testing phase
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation including flow charts, utterances, system documentation, models, and procedures, user guides, training materials, scorecards and reporting to assist with the ongoing operation and maintenance of technology solutions.
• Keep documentation up-to-date as systems evolve and proactively take the initiative to seek out areas of improvement
• Develops test scenarios & test cases, performs test executions for various system components.
• Prepares complex test strategies to ensure comprehensive coverage of system components and interfaces; provides SME level expertise and recommends test strategies and scenarios for junior level analysts.
• Facilitate communication between business stakeholders and IT Operations, and Engineering teams
• Ensure that all parties have a clear understanding of project requirements and progress
• Provide training and support to end-users on new systems and processes
• Familiarity with Agile Processes, Ceremonies, and Structure
• Ability to write moderate to complex queries to perform adequate analysis on data for requirements gathering
• Familiarity with using JIRA or equivalent project management software to document and track user stories

Location: On-site in Woodlawn, MD

Salary Range: $125,000-$150,000. Factors influencing pay within this range include geography, market demand, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business technology, or a related field
• 5 – 7 years experience in IVR integration for large organizations (or equivalent experience).
• Understanding of IVR platforms and technologies with specific experience with Amazon Connect, Amazon Q, Amazon Contact Lens, Amazon Bedrock, Athena.
• Strong understanding of IVR technologies : (e.g., voice recognition, text-to-speech, call routing, speech analytics)
• Experience with IVR development tools and platforms with proficiency in scripting languages : (e.g., VXML)
• Understanding of enterprise integration with IVR system, IVR based self-service, automation development, design and finetuning, legacy IVR migration strategy
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills using platform features, reports, data insights.
• Understanding of self-service bots, implementing NLP / AI based features
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with customer-centric approach and guide a development team to deliver the solution
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (Tableau, QuickSight) to extract insights from call records and other metrics. SQL experience is also required.  Python is a bonus.
• Direct experience administering and optimizing modern CCaaS(Contact Center as a Service) platforms
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to understand complex business processes and recommend effective solutions
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
• Familiarity with various software and systems, as well as an understanding of programming languages, databases, and system architecture
• Identifying root causes of IVR issues and proposing effective solutions. 
• Ability to manage large scale IVR projects and meet deadlines. 

Preferred Skills:

• AWS experience preferred, with proficiency in a wide range of AWS services
• AWS Professional level certifications preferred
• Contact center operations experience a bonus.
• Experience incorporating generative AI into voice or chat bots to answer questions or drive self-service experiences, including model selection and integration, and data preparation.

Clearance Requirements:

• Must have active Public Trust Clearance
• Must be a US Citizen or Green Card Holder

The Company

We believe in generating success collaboratively, enabling long-term mission success, and building trust for the next challenge. With you as our partner, let’s solve challenges, think innovatively, and maximize impact. As a valued member of our team, you have the unique opportunity to work in a diverse range of technology and business career paths, all while supporting our nation and delivering innovative technology solutions. We are a close community of experts that pride ourselves on creating an environment defined by teamwork, dedication, and excellence.

We hold three ISO certifications (27001:2013, 20000-1:2011, 9001:2015) and two CMMI ML 3 ratings (DEV and SVC).

Industry Recognition

Growth | Inc 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies, DC Metro List Fastest Growing; Washington Business Journal: Fastest Growing Companies, Top Performing Small Technology Companies in Greater D.C.

Culture | Northern Virginia Technology Council Tech 100 Honoree; Virginia Best Place to Work; Washington Business Journal: Best Places to Work, Corporate Diversity Index Winner – Mid-Size Companies, Companies Owned by People of Color; Department of Labor’s HireVets for our work helping veterans transition; SECAF Award of Excellence finalist; Victory Military Friendly Brand; Virginia Values Veterans (V3); Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Corporate Breath Award

Benefits

We offer competitive benefits package including paid time off, healthcare benefits, supplemental benefits, 401k including an employer match, discount perks, rewards, and more.  We invest in our employees – Every employee is eligible for education reimbursement for certifications, degrees, or professional development.  Reimbursement amounts may fluctuate due to IRS limitations. We want you to grow as an expert and a leader and offer flexibility for you to take a course, complete a certification, or other professional growth and networking. We are committed to supporting your curiosity and sustaining a culture that prioritizes commitment to continuous professional development.

We work hard; we play hard. Kentro is committed to incorporating fun into every day. We dedicate funds for activities – virtual and in-person – e.g., we host happy hours, holiday events, fitness & wellness events, and annual celebrations. In alignment with our commitment to our communities, we also host and attend charity galas/events. We believe in appreciating your commitment and building a positive workspace for you to be creative, innovative, and happy.

Commitment Equal Opportunity Employment & VEVRAA

Kentro is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Kentro is strongly committed to compliance with VEVRAA and other applicable federal, state, and local laws governing equal employment opportunity. We have developed comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure our hiring practices align with these requirements.

As part of our VEVRAA compliance efforts, Kentro has established an equal opportunity plan outlining our commitment to recruiting, hiring, and advancing protected veterans. This plan is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure its effectiveness.

We encourage protected veterans to self-identify during the application process. This information is strictly confidential and will only be used for reporting and compliance purposes as required by law. Providing this information is voluntary and will not impact your employment eligibility.

Our commitment to equal employment opportunity extends beyond legal compliance. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees, including protected veterans, are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

How to Apply

To apply to Kentro Positions- Please click on the: “Apply for this Job” button at the bottom of this Job Description or the button at the top: “Application.”  Please upload your resume and complete all the application steps. You must submit the application for Kentro to consider you for a position.  If you need alternative application methods, please email careers@kentro.us and request assistance.  

Accommodations

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you need to discuss reasonable accommodations, please email careers@kentro.us.  

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