Principal Business Analyst

Northrop Grumman UK; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 73,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options (hybrid)

Compressed fortnight with every other

Private medical insurance

Dental cover

Life assurance and pension

Flexible benefits package

Holiday buy/sell

Annual performance incentive

Professional development & memberships

Job summary

Northrop Grumman UK is seeking a Principal Business Analyst to drive clarity and outcomes across defence programmes in Cheltenham. You will work closely with Product Owners and stakeholders to translate complex needs into concrete requirements and delivery plans.

You will apply systems thinking and BA methods to shape solutions from concept to delivery, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and realising defined benefits for mission-critical projects.

Qualifications

• Proven BA experience in complex delivery environments.
• Experience in agile delivery, elicitation, backlog refinement and user stories.
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills.
• Experience applying systems thinking to organisational challenges.
• Knowledge of business analysis techniques, requirements management and change principles.
• Experience using Jira, GitLab and Confluence for collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Understand business challenges and translate into actionable requirements.
• Facilitate workshops and planning events to build consensus.
• Support agile delivery by elaborating work and maintaining backlogs.
• Analyse processes, operating models and tech landscapes for improvements.
• Produce business cases and requirements documentation with evidence-based recommendations.
• Ensure solutions meet user needs and align with strategic objectives.

Skills

BA experience

Agile delivery

Stakeholder management

Systems thinking

BA techniques

Jira/GitLab/Confluence

Tools

Jira

GitLab

Confluence

Job description

UK CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION: Yes

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Job Title: Principal Business Analyst

Salary: £73,000 - £109,000 DOE

Location: Cheltenham

Clearance: Must hold and maintain the highest level of UK Government Security Clearance

What’s your possible?

At Northrop Grumman UK, you are part of a team driving innovation where it matters most, solving tomorrow’s challenges and shaping the technology solutions of the future. We call it Defining Possible.

This mindset goes beyond our customer solutions. It underpins how we develop our people, support our communities and create opportunities for talented individuals to make a meaningful impact through their work.

This is more than just a job. It's a mission.

We are looking for an experienced Business Analyst to join our growing teams delivering critical programmes across the Defence and National Security sectors.

As a Business Analyst at Northrop Grumman UK, you will play a pivotal role in helping our customers solve complex challenges by bringing clarity to ambiguity, understanding the broader organisational landscape and ensuring change delivers meaningful outcomes.

Working closely with Product Owners, delivery teams, customers and senior stakeholders, you will help shape solutions from concept through to delivery. You'll apply systems thinking, business analysis expertise and stakeholder engagement skills to identify genuine business needs, define requirements and ensure solutions align with strategic objectives.

This is an opportunity to influence mission-critical programmes, contribute to major transformation initiatives and work alongside talented professionals delivering technology-enabled change that makes a real difference.

What You'll Do

• Work with stakeholders to understand business challenges, user needs and strategic drivers, translating these into clear and actionable requirements.
• Facilitate workshops, planning events and collaborative sessions to build consensus, uncover opportunities and drive successful outcomes.
• Support agile delivery teams by elaborating work, maintaining product backlogs and working closely with Product Owners to prioritise delivery.
• Analyse business processes, operating models, organisational structures and technology landscapes to identify improvements and recommend solutions.
• Produce business cases, requirements documentation and evidence-based recommendations that support informed decision-making.
• Ensure delivered solutions meet user needs, deliver expected business benefits and remain aligned to organisational objectives throughout the change lifecycle.

What We're Looking For

• Proven Business Analysis experience within complex delivery environments, ideally supporting software, engineering, defence or national security programmes.
• Experience working within agile delivery teams, including requirements elicitation, backlog refinement and user story development.
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills, with the ability to influence and communicate effectively at all levels.
• Experience applying systems thinking to understand organisational challenges and develop practical, outcome-focused recommendations.
• Knowledge of business analysis techniques, requirements management and organisational change principles.
• Experience using collaboration and delivery tools such as Jira, GitLab and Confluence.

Desirable Experience Includes

• Experience within Defence or National Security environments.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, governance frameworks or regulatory requirements.
• Business Change experience, including benefits realisation, business readiness and adoption activities.
• Experience mentoring junior Business Analysts and contributing to capability development.

We know that skills and experience come in many forms. Even if you don't meet every requirement listed, we'd still love to hear from you if you're excited about the opportunity and believe you can make a positive contribution.

Benefits

• Flexible working options, including hybrid arrangements
• Compressed fortnight working pattern with every other Friday off
• Private medical insurance, dental cover, life assurance and pension
• Flexible benefits package including critical illness cover and health cash plan
• Holiday buy and sell scheme
• Annual performance incentive programme
• Professional development, training and career progression opportunities
• Support for professional memberships and certifications

Why Join Us?

A Mission to Believe In

Every day, our teams contribute to building a more secure and connected world. Whether supporting national security, delivering advanced technology solutions or helping customers solve their most complex challenges, your work will have purpose and impact. You'll also have opportunities to engage with our employee networks, STEM outreach initiatives and community programmes.

A Place to Belong and Thrive

At Northrop Grumman UK, every voice matters. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people feel respected, supported and empowered to succeed. Diversity of thought, background and experience helps us deliver better outcomes for our customers and creates a stronger workplace for everyone.

Your Career, Your Way

Discover your possible through meaningful work, varied career paths and ongoing development opportunities. Whether you're looking to deepen your expertise, expand your leadership capability or explore new technologies and domains, we'll support your ambitions every step of the way.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce, and encourages individuals from all backgrounds and all abilities to apply and consider becoming a part of our diverse and inclusive workforce.