About the job

Job summary

Senior Analyst

 

12 month fixed term contract

Bristol

Salary: £42,001 - £44,151

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 manage various analytical projects and activities, and have responsibility for those projects across their full lifecycle, including project planning, activity management of other members of the team, implementation, quality assurance, and process optimisation. 

To find out more about some of the work that senior analysts in DFA do to support the aims of the OfS, visit our website Data and analysis - Office for Students.   

 

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. The key person attributes to fulfil these roles are: 

• A degree in a numerate discipline, experience in an analytical role or other substantial relevant experience or qualifications;

• Experience of analytical programming. We currently use a range of programming technologies including SAS, SQL and Tableau. Knowledge of Python, PySpark, R, Databricks, Azure Synapse, Power BI is highly desirable as we will be extending our use of these tools and technologies over the coming year, although we would be interested to hear about any programming experience you have.

• Logical thinking, and an ability and interest to deploy strong numerical skills in work that will support students and their experience of higher education.
• Attention to detail, including for the purposes of identifying risk and using effective quality assurance approaches.
• Interested to engage with policy issues and propose how data could be used to support them.
• Working well within a team, with a willingness to work flexibly across a range of tasks as the needs of the OfS evolve.

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,001, Office for Students contributes £11,382 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 it 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 these roles. 

 

Closing date for applications: Sunday 11 February

 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.