About the job

Job summary

Senior Analyst

12 month fixed term contract

Bristol

Salary: £51,846 - £56,662

Plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension 

About us

The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England.  We aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.

We want to be driven by evidence, so data and analysis will inform our effective, efficient and intelligent regulation in the student interest. Our Data, Foresight and Analysis directorate (DFA) is currently seeking a senior analyst to join our supportive, enthusiastic, and high performing teams, where you will be part of a community of around 60 analysts.

We’re looking for skilled, committed people who care about students and their experience of higher education. Join us and you’ll be part of an energetic, forward-looking organisation with high ambitions and big opportunities for our people. 

Job description

About the role:

Senior analysts support analytical operations within the Data, Foresight and Analysis (DFA) directorate, which provides a range of data collection, analysis and research activities that underpin the regulatory functions of the OfS. A significant part of the role will involve analytical programming.

As a senior analyst you will lead projects and activities across their full lifecycle, including managing project planning, implementation, quality assurance, process optimisation. You will also have line and/or activity management responsibility for team members.

Person specification

About you

We are looking for someone who has the ability to gain insight from large and complex data, and to develop and present clear and concise conclusions. You will have experience in the following areas:

• Logical thinking and strong numerical skills, and experience of running complicated analytical processes from beginning to end (including process design, data analysis, reporting, manipulation and collection). 
• Ability to use a variety of technologies and analytical programming languages.  
• Experience of managing the work of others within a team and providing support and guidance to others. 
• Attention to detail, including for the purposes of identifying and mitigating risk, and experience of quality assuring work. 
• Ability to develop an in-depth understanding of the data available and the wider social, technological or regulatory contexts that may influence a project, including the ability to engage with policy issues and propose how data could be used to support them. 
• Ability to communicate complex analysis to internal and external technical and non-technical audiences, including the ability to present and visualise data in a meaningful way. 
• Willingness to work flexibly as the needs of the organisation evolve. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,846, Office for Students contributes £14,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Working for us

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do.

We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.

Working arrangements

Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that flexibility can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation-wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals.

To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working, for example job share and part-time working, apply to this role. 

Closing date for applications: Tuesday 6 February

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.