Principal Business Analyst

Transform; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading transformation partner in Manchester is seeking a Principal Business Analyst to join their growing Product and Delivery practice. You will set the standard for the BA community, providing guidance and leadership while working across diverse projects in both public and private sectors. Proven experience in team leadership and business development is essential. This role offers a unique opportunity to make an impact, leading initiatives that improve delivery and outcomes for clients.

Benefits

28 days holiday with option to buy/sell 5 days

Day off on or in the week of your birthday

Pension eligibility, up to 5% matched contributions

Private healthcare

Life assurance

Enhanced parental leave

Cycle to work & electric car schemes

Gym & retail discounts

Regular social events

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading teams and driving improvements in delivery.
• Skilled in coaching customers on high-quality business analysis processes.
• Experience contributing to business growth initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Set the standard for the BA community and provide leadership.
• Work across a wide range of public and private sector projects.
• Contribute to business development activities such as tenders.

Skills

Leading teams to improve delivery

Mentoring and developing BAs

Agile methods

Strong problem investigation skills

Communication with stakeholders

Education

BCS Diploma in Business Analysis

Job description

About us

We're Transform.

Transform is a fresh alternative to Big Consulting. As an end‑to‑end transformation partner, we define, design, build and operate systems that solve our clients’ toughest challenges and seize their biggest opportunities. That often means combining strategy, data, AI, technology, and change management. Sometimes we manage and operate the systems we create; other times, we hand it over for the client to run – standing by to make improvements when things change. It all comes down to making an impact: improving lives, supporting citizens, streamlining workflows, and making the world a better place. We specialise in public sector and public‑facing organisations—from government agencies and local authorities to energy, utilities, transportation and healthcare. We also work for some of the world’s most dynamic brands across automotive, retail, financial services, and consumer goods.

In 2024, Transform acquired Cadence Innova, the UK’s leading public sector change consultancy. The result is a fresh kind of partner: together, we’re able to deliver change from the very first ideas through to deployment—building on our deep relationships at every level of government.

We're part of the Next 15 group, a multi-national organisation spanning over 25 brands. We combine the financial robustness and breadth of services of a large organisation, with the nimbleness and innovation of a smaller brand.

If you are keen to help us build the workforce of the future, we should talk.

We’re all in! That's what gets us out of bed every day. We hope you feel the same.

The Role : Principal Business Analyst

We are looking for a Principal Business Analyst to join our growing Product and Delivery practice in London or Manchester.

As a Principal Business Analyst, you will set the standard for our BA community, providing leadership, guidance, and support to more junior colleagues. You’ll work across a wide range of projects in both the public and private sectors, helping organisations deliver better outcomes for their customers, clients, and stakeholders.

You’ll have proven experience leading teams (including other Business Analysts) and driving improvements in delivery. You’ll be confident “speaking digital” with both specialists and non‑specialists, enjoy tackling complex analytical challenges, and be comfortable contributing to business development activities such as tenders and pitches.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Proven track record leading teams to improve how organisations deliver for their stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring and developing BAs, ideally within a community of practice.
• Experience in team growth activities, including recruitment.
• Ability to oversee and improve BA deliverables and outputs.
• Deep understanding of Agile methods and experience working in collaborative, multidisciplinary teams.
• Skilled in coaching customers on high‑quality business analysis processes and techniques.
• Strong ability to capture and clearly articulate organisational needs.
• Experience using creative, engaging methods to bring requirements and solutions to life for stakeholders.
• Comfortable working with diverse disciplines and perspectives, aligning them into a shared vision.
• Strong problem investigation skills with the ability to guide teams toward effective solutions.
• Proficient at producing evidence, documentation, and reporting to track progress and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Holder of a BCS Diploma in Business Analysis (or similar qualification).
• Demonstratable growth mindset with evidence of continuous learning and improvement.
• Experience of contributing to wider business growth initiatives and success, both as part of a team and individually.

Desirable Skills / Experiences

• Scrum Mastery or Delivery Management
• Product Management
• Data Modelling
• Testing / QA Management
• User Research or Service Design
• Consultancy

About us and our benefits

Our culture is built on :

• Being one team; looking out for each other as a team
• The world never stops changing and we’ll never stop learning
• Infinity & Beyond; we’re crazy ambitious, not afraid to fail along the way (it’s just falling with style)
• Integrity is everything; we’re honest with each other and with our clients
• Diversity is our superpower; everyone’s story is different, and we celebrate differences
• We’re all in; we take on tough, complex challenges with lots of moving parts and we’re committed to the work, our clients and each other

Our benefits include :

• Holiday entitlement, 28 days with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Day off (on or in the week of) your birthday
• Pension eligibility, up to 5% matched contributions
• Private healthcare
• Life assurance
• Enhanced maternity and enhanced paternity and shared parental leave
• Cycle to work & electric car schemes
• Gym & retail discounts
• Regular social events / activities
• A range of other benefits from our flexible benefits package

At Transform we believe in a culture of inclusivity , we celebrate difference and believe that diversity makes our business more relevant , our work more meaningful and our people more empowered . We’re committed to equality of opportunity for all, and we actively seek applications from all ethnicities, orientations, beliefs, gender identities + those with neurodiverse traits and disabilities. We want you to have the best opportunity to show us who you are and what you can do. Please do let us know if you need any adjustments now or at any point in the recruitment process.

If this sounds like you, please get in touch to discuss in more detail.

Use of AI in CV and Interviews

Whilst we are a technology company and promote using AI the right and ethical way, we value authenticity and transparency in our hiring process. To ensure fairness and accuracy in assessing your skills and experience, we kindly request that you refrain from using AI‑assisted tools to generate answers during interviews or enhancing your CV.

We are looking for genuine insights into your abilities, experiences, and personality. Any misrepresentation through AI‑generated content may impact our ability to make an informed decision. We look forward to getting to know the real you!