Project Analyst

Aqua Consultants Ltd; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqua Consultants Ltd is seeking a Project Analyst to support governance, performance monitoring and delivery of the project portfolio in Leeds. You will provide portfolio analytics, commercial oversight, and MI to enable informed decision making across the Business Unit.

You will lead a team of Project Administrators, ensuring consistent standards, workload allocation and ongoing development in the Project Delivery Office. Collaboration with PMs, finance and leadership is essential.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication with clients and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to identify and escalate business, commercial and delivery risks.
• Experience working across multiple projects, teams and clients.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel and data analysis in Excel.

Responsibilities

• Produce portfolio-level reporting dashboards analysing project performance, utilisation, revenue and margins.
• Monitor project financial performance and margins throughout the lifecycle.
• Lead and develop a team of Project Administrators and optimise workload allocation.
• Support governance, risk management and commercial controls across the portfolio.
• Provide regular performance reports and actionable recommendations to senior leadership.

Skills

Client-facing communication

Stakeholder management

Multi-project management

Analytical thinking

Excel proficiency

Tools

Excel

Job description

Job Description

Job Purpose

We are seeking a skilled Project Analyst to support the governance, performance monitoring and successful delivery of our project portfolio. The role is responsible for providing portfolio analytics, commercial oversight, project assurance, financial performance monitoring and management information to support effective decision making across the Business Unit.

A key aspect of the role is the proactive analysis of project and portfolio data to identify trends, risks and opportunities, ensuring that concerns relating to resource utilisation, project profitability, margin performance, commercial compliance and delivery performance are identified early and escalated appropriately.

The Project Analyst will work closely with Project Managers, Service Line Managers, Finance and the Business Unit Director to ensure projects are delivered in line with commercial commitments, governance requirements and business performance objectives.

In addition, the role will provide direct line management and leadership to a team of Project Administrators, ensuring consistent standards, effective workload allocation and ongoing professional development across the Project Delivery Office function.

Analytics & Performance Management

• Produce and maintain portfolio-level reporting dashboards providing meaningful analysis of project performance, utilisation, revenue, margin and forecasting metrics.
• Analyse portfolio and project performance data to identify trends, risks, opportunities and areas requiring management intervention.
• Provide regular performance reports and actionable recommendations to the Business Unit Director and senior leadership team.
• Establish and monitor project and portfolio KPIs to support effective decision making.
• Support monthly business reviews by providing accurate management information and performance analysis.
• Facilitate the administration of projects by working with the Client Project Manager through the proposal, set up, delivery, and closure stages. Including being responsible for:
  • Project set up on systems
  • Creation of project documentation and repositories
  • Management of the process to obtain internal and client approval
  • Validating monthly invoicing values prior to issuing to clients

Commercial Performance & Margin Protection

• Monitor project financial performance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Track and analyse actual project margins against those committed during quotation and bid approval stages.
• Investigate margin erosion and work with Project Managers to identify corrective actions and recovery plans.
• Provide visibility of profitability performance across the portfolio and highlight significant variances to senior management.
• Support continuous improvement in commercial performance and project profitability.

Commercial Governance & Risk Management

• Monitor compliance with contractual and commercial governance requirements.
• Identify and report projects operating without approved Purchase Orders, contract awards, contract amendments or client authorisations.
• Work with Field based Project Managers, Finance and Clients to ensure commercial risks are addressed promptly.
• Maintain visibility of commercial exposure across the portfolio and elevate risks to the Business Unit Director where appropriate.
• Support management of work-in-progress (WIP), invoicing status, aged debt and revenue recovery risks.

Forecasting & Business Planning

• Support monthly revenue, margin and utilisation forecasting activities.
• Work closely with the Business Unit Director to develop and maintain accurate portfolio forecasts.
• Provide analysis of future workload, resource demand and business performance trends.
• Ensure forecasting assumptions and associated risks are clearly communicated to stakeholders.

Leadership & People Management

• Provide direct line management for a team of Project Administrators. (POD)
• Manage workload allocation and prioritisation across the POD
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, performance reviews and development planning activities.
• Mentor and coach team members to support professional growth and capability development..
• Support recruitment, onboarding and succession planning activities within the team.

Qualifications

Key Skills and Qualifications

Essential

• Good client-facing communication skills and internal stakeholder management abilities
• Ability to identify and elevate business, commercial and delivery risks effectively.
• Ability to work across multiple projects, teams, and clients simultaneously
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel

Desirable

• Experience with NEC contracts (PSC and/or ECC)
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification preferred, or working towards

Experience leading, coaching and developing team members.

Additional Information

Annual Objectives

Objective 1: Improve Portfolio Visibility and Management Information

Deliver accurate, timely and actionable portfolio performance reporting that supports informed decision-making by the Business Unit Director and Leadership Team.

Measures

• Monthly portfolio dashboard issued on time.
• Forecast accuracy within agreed tolerance.
• Portfolio risks identified and escalated within agreed timescales.

Objective 2: Improve Resource Utilisation Across the Business Unit

Provide proactive analysis and recommendations that maximise utilisation and reduce resource conflicts.

Measures

• Achieve utilisation targets across service lines.
• Reduce resource clashes and allocation conflicts.
• Improve forward resource planning capability.
• Support successful recruitment and resource planning decisions.

Objective 3: Protect Portfolio Profitability

Provide visibility of margin performance and support project teams in protecting and improving project profitability.

Measures

• Margin reporting accuracy.
• Margin recovery actions identified with BUD and implemented.
• Reduction in projects operating below target margin.
• Early identification of margin erosion risks.

Objective 4: Strengthen Commercial Governance

Improve compliance with project commercial controls and reduce financial exposure.

Measures

• Reduction in work undertaken without approved Purchase Orders.
• Reduction in WIP.
• Reduction in commercial governance breaches.

Objective 5: Develop High-Performing Project Administration Team

Build capability and consistency within the POD.

Measures

• Completion of development plans for team members.
• Improved stakeholder satisfaction.
• Reduced administration backlog.
• Increased team engagement and capability.

Adler and Allan are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We proudly embrace equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.If you require any support with your application, whatever the circumstance, please let us know.