Head of Business Analysis

JR United Kingdom; Slough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned dining brand seeks a Head of Business Analysis to lead strategic initiatives within their transformation function. This senior role requires proven expertise in business analysis in guest-facing environments, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and improve guest experiences.

Benefits

Competitive annual salary

Discretionary 20% bonus opportunity

Pension contribution

25 days holiday plus all bank holidays

Various discounts across retail and leisure

Family-friendly policies for expectant and adopting parents

Qualifications

• Substantial experience as a Head of Business Analysis or similar in a guest-facing environment.
• Proven track record across large-scale transformation programmes.
• Strong background in process mapping and requirements engineering.

Responsibilities

• Leading the business analysis function and delivery.
• Identifying business pain points and delivering evidence-based solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Critical analysis

Collaboration

Emotional intelligence

Communication

Data-driven decision-making

Job description

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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, Wagamama is a celebration of Asian food that brings the brand to life.

We’re looking for a Head of Business Analysis to join us on our 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 and 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 that analysis is rooted in operational reality and that all solutions are designed with a front-line and guest-first mindset.

We’re seeking 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:

• Leading the business analysis function
• Hands-on analysis and delivery

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 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.
• 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 experiences of those who deliver and receive our service.
• Confident in using data and insights to drive business decisions and measure success.

What's in it for you

• A competitive annual salary
• Discretionary 20% bonus opportunity per year
• Pension contribution
• 25 days holiday plus all bank holidays
• Various discounts across retail, hospitality, and leisure
• Family-friendly policies: expectant persons or those adopting a child will receive 26 weeks of full pay plus 13 weeks of half pay