Senior Analyst

Manchester City Council; Greater Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Pension scheme

Enhanced parental and carers leave

Brilliant perks

Job summary

Manchester City Council is seeking an Analyst to join the Performance, Research & Intelligence team. The role focuses on evaluating place-based programs, combining qualitative and mixed-methods evidence to shape policy and practice.

You will design analyses, synthesise diverse evidence, and present clear insights to senior leaders and partners to inform decisions and drive improvements for Manchester residents.

Qualifications

• Strong qualitative and mixed-methods research skills.
• Ability to design and deliver robust evaluations that inform policy and practice.
• Experience with interviews, surveys, literature reviews and evidence synthesis.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver analysis blending data with lived experience to track change.
• Turn findings into clear insights to inform decision-makers and action.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to support learning and improvement across communities.

Skills

Qualitative research

Mixed-methods

Data analysis

Interviewing

Facilitation

Communication

Tools

Qualitative analysis software

Job description

About The Role

Working hours: 35 hours per week

Contract type: Time limited to March 2029

Working style: Hybrid - Employees split their time between working remotely (e.g., from home) and working on-site (e.g., in an office).

Closing date: 11.59pm, 8 September 2026

Interview method: Virtual

Applicants must have existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This role is subject to:

• Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
• 2 References - where possible we require 3 years' history.
• DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply for a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. We have a policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders and it is available upon request.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic and forward thinking Performance, Research & Intelligence team. Our mission is to ensure decision-makers in Manchester have the evidence and intelligence they need to shape strategic and operational thinking and are able to demonstrate the impact of those choices on meeting the priorities of the 'Our Manchester Strategy' and making lives better for everyone who lives in our city.

This is a time-limited role for an Analyst to support a major place-based evaluation that is building a clear and credible story of change across people, places, systems and time. The role will help assess impact and value, support decision-making, and generate practical learning by bringing together evidence on outcomes, system change and community impact. You will work within a collaborative evaluation approach that aligns local work with wider programme and reporting requirements, helping ensure findings are robust, useful and ready to inform action.

The role contribute to the design and delivery of analysis that blends data with lived experience, tracks early signals of change, and supports ongoing learning with communities, partners and decision-makers. This will include helping turn emerging findings into clear insights that can be shared regularly to celebrate progress, identify what is working, and shape improvement over time.

Over the course of the evaluation, the postholder will support a wide range of analytical activity, from early outcomes tracking and demand analysis and longer-term assessment of inequality reduction, prevention impact and population-level change. We are looking for someone who combines strong technical skills with curiosity, sound judgement and a commitment to co‑design, and who is excited by the opportunity to contribute to an evaluation that is both rigorous and grounded in what matters to communities here in Manchester.

You’ll be supported by, and work alongside a large, diverse, multi‑disciplinary team with a wide range of thematic areas and there are opportunities to collaborate on cross‑cutting projects and innovations. You'll work with a team of people who are energised and passionate about Manchester and are driven to ensure that we are making the right connections and maximising the power of data and intelligence to achieve the best outcomes for our residents and our city.

About the Candidate

The successful candidate will bring strong qualitative and mixed-methods research skills, with the ability to design and deliver robust evaluations that inform policy, practice and decision-making.

You’ll be someone who can quickly grasp new and complex subject matter, with a strong ability to learn and adapt across different thematic areas. A solution-focused mindset and the ability to manage and prioritise your own workload are essential.

They will have experience of working with both quantitative and qualitative evidence, including surveys, evaluations, literature reviews, policy and document analysis, and evidence synthesis. They will be confident in analysing complex and unstructured data from a range of sources, such as interviews, focus groups, consultations, social media content, documents, and other engagement activity.

The role requires the ability to collect high-quality evidence through effective interviewing, facilitation and observation, building rapport with a wide range of stakeholders and working sensitively across different settings and communities.

The postholder will be skilled in qualitative analysis, including qualitative data coding, categorisation, thematic analysis and synthesis, and will be able to draw together diverse sources of evidence into clear, meaningful findings. They should also be confident using relevant software and digital tools to organise, manage and analyse large volumes of qualitative and mixed‑format data. The role involves analysing insights from a range of qualitative and mixed‑format sources, including interviews, focus groups, survey free‑text responses, social media content, policy documents, and audio or video materials.

Strong communication skills are essential. The successful candidate will be able to translate complex evidence into clear, accessible and compelling insight for different audiences, including senior leaders, partners and communities. They will also understand the importance of reflexivity, methodological rigour, and quality assurance in evaluation and research.

About Us

We're the local council for one of the UK's most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn't just a job - it's an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it's strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you'll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city - a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We 'own it' and we're not afraid to try new things
• We're proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks during our annual leave purchase period.
• A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK's largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro‑rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition
• Have you completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme or any MCC positive action programmes?

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [email protected].

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre‑employment checks required will depend on the role you've applied for, see the top of the advert for details.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we'll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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