Head of Business Analysis

wagamama; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Business Analysis to drive strategic initiatives and enhance guest experiences. In this senior role, you will lead a high-performing team, delivering hands-on business analysis while shaping solutions that address real-world challenges. Your insights will guide cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. With a focus on collaboration and operational reality, this role offers a unique opportunity to influence change within a dynamic environment. Join a company that values innovation and guest-centric solutions, and enjoy a competitive salary, bonus opportunities, and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Discretionary 20% bonus opportunity

£200 food allowance

Private healthcare

Pension contribution

25 days holiday + all bank holidays

Various discounts across retail, hospitality + leisure

Family-friendly policy with paid leave

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading business analysis in guest-facing environments.
• Strong background in process mapping and solution definition.

Responsibilities

• Lead business analysis and solution design across growth initiatives.
• Engage stakeholders to ensure solutions align with operational needs.

Skills

Business Analysis Leadership

Process Mapping

Requirements Engineering

Stakeholder Engagement

Critical Analysis

Problem Solving

Job description

at wagamama, we’re an eating house for the soul. with over 165 uk restaurants and growing, our purpose is to nourish the world from bowl to soul. inspired by fast-paced, japanese ramen bars since 1992. a celebration of asian food brought wagamama to life

we’re looking for a head of business analysis to join us on our continuous journey of true nourishment

purpose

The head of business analysis is a senior, strategic role within our transformation function, responsible for leading the business analysis + solution design capability across our multi-year growth and change programme. This is a unique opportunity to shape how we solve business challenges and develop new propositions at scale, putting our guests and restaurant teams at the centre of everything we do. you’ll combine hands-on delivery of business analysis for our most critical initiatives with leadership of a small, high-performing team of analysts. Working cross-functionally across operations, technology, people, and central functions, you’ll identify business pain points and areas of opportunity — either owning the delivery of solutions directly or feeding clear, evidence-based recommendations into our change pipeline. your insight and leadership will ensure our initiatives are grounded in real business needs, operationally viable, and aligned with our strategic goals. Critically, this role must stay close to our restaurant teams, ensuring analysis is rooted in operational reality and that all solutions are designed with a front-line and guest-first mindset.

We’re looking for someone with proven experience leading business analysis functions in guest-facing, multi-site environments (e.g., hospitality, casual dining, or retail), with the confidence to operate at pace and influence at all levels.

responsibilities:

• business analysis leadership
• hands-on analysis & delivery
• solution definition & value alignment
• stakeholder engagement
• continuous improvement

Key Skills & Experience

• substantial experience as a head of business analysis or similar leadership role in a guest-facing, multi-site environment (e.g., casual dining, retail, hospitality).
• proven track record of delivering hands-on business analysis across large-scale, cross-functional transformation programmes.
• strong background in process mapping, requirements engineering, business case development, and solution definition.
• experience working in or closely with operational restaurant/retail teams, with a deep understanding of how initiatives land in real-world environments.
• confident leading a small team of analysts, setting clear standards, mentoring others, and raising the overall capability of the function.

skills & competencies

• strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving and critical analysis skills.
• highly collaborative and people-focused, with strong emotional intelligence and relationship-building ability.
• clear and compelling communicator—able to distil complexity and present ideas in an engaging, pragmatic way.
• resilient and proactive, able to manage multiple priorities and deliver at pace in a dynamic environment.
• deeply guest- and team-centric—committed to ensuring solutions support and enhance the experience of those who deliver and receive our service.
• confident using data and insight to drive business decisions and measure success.

what's in it for you

• a competitive annual salary
• discretionary 20% bonus opportunity per year
• hybrid working model
• £200 wagamama food allowance
• private healthcare
• pension contribution
• 25 days holiday + all bank holidays
• various discounts across retail, hospitality + leisure
• family-friendly policy | any expectant person or anyone adopting a child will receive 26 weeks full pay + 13 weeks half pay