Senior Business Analyst (Grade E3)

Scottish Funding Council; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension

Flexible working hours

Hybrid working

Annual leave 30 days + 13 public/priv

Job summary

Scottish Funding Council in Edinburgh is seeking a Senior Business Analyst (Grade E3) to help business owners shape digital solutions, automate manual processes and drive up efficiency. Hybrid working and a Civil Service Pension with employer contributions are on offer.

You will research operations, gather requirements, document specs, collaborate across directorates, design automated workflows, support project plans, and contribute to KPI development to quantify the value of digital investments.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in business analysis, project management, or related fields.
• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends and insights from complex data sets.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to develop and manage project plans, timelines, and deliverables that align with the goals of SFC.
• Experience with process improvement methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel and PowerPoint.
• Degree level education (SCQF Level 9) or equivalent experience, preferably in business, finance or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research and analysis of SFC operations, processes, and systems to identify improvements.
• Gather, analyse, and document business requirements and develop functional specifications.
• Collaborate with cross-directorate teams to implement new processes and systems.
• Identify trends, patterns, and insights to make informed decisions and develop actionable recommendations for digital transformation.
• Work with IT to design, develop, and implement automated workflows and reporting solutions.
• Support the development of project plans, timelines, and deliverables that align with strategic goals.
• Develop and maintain project and process documentation (requirements, design, test plans, user manuals).
• Support the development and maintenance of KPIs to monitor performance and ROI.

Skills

Extensive experience in business

Analytical and problem-solving

Excellent communication

Project management

Lean Six Sigma

Excel and PowerPoint

SQL

Education

Degree level education (SCQF Level 9)

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Senior Business Analyst (Grade E3)

Application Deadline: 1 November 2026

Department: Corporate Services

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Edinburgh - Hybrid

Compensation: £49,938 to £58,134. Civil Service Pension with Employer Contribution of 28.97%. Flexible Working Hours. Hybrid Working.

Description

Our ambition is for Scotland to be the best place in the world to learn, educate, research and innovate, so that all of our nation can flourish.

Our purpose is to create and sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that changes lives for the better, enriches society and supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The purpose of the role is to support Scottish Funding Council's (SFC) business owners become more actively involved in the design of the digital solutions that will, automate manual processes, drive up efficiency and empower them to create measurable added value.

Virtual interviews will be held week commencing 9 November 2026 (via Teams).

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research and analysis of SFC operations, processes, and systems to identify areas for improvement and optimisation that align with our digital goals and strategic ambitions.
• Gather, analyse, and document business requirements from stakeholders and develop functional specifications.
• Collaborate with cross-directorate teams to develop and implement new processes and systems to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Identify and analyse trends, patterns, and insights to make informed decisions and develop actionable recommendations for process improvements that support digital and modernisation.
• Work with IT to design, develop, and implement automated workflows and reporting solutions to support business operations that align with the goals of SFC.
• Working with a project manager to support the development of project plans, timelines, and deliverables that align with the strategic goals of SFC.
• Develop and maintain project and process documentation, including requirements, design, test plans, and user manuals, that support the delivery of Digital Transformation.
• Support the development and maintenance of key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor business performance that quantifies value and return of our digital investments.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

It is important through your CV / cover letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Extensive experience in business analysis, project management, or related fields.
• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends and insights from complex data sets.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to develop and manage project plans, timelines, and deliverables that align with the goals of SFC.
• Experience with process improvement methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel and PowerPoint.
• Degree level education (SCQF Level 9) or equivalent experience, preferably in business, finance or a related field.

DESIRABLE

• Experience with SQL and/or data visualization tools such as PowerBI would be an advantage.

Terms and Benefits

Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.

Annual leave entitlement of 30 days pro-rata, plus public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.

A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.

Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.

Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.

Support for continuous professional development: as a part of SFC, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development. Civil Service-Learning curriculum has thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.

Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.

We provide support to SFC employees with Volunteering Days.

Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest‑free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.

Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part‑time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate's other commitments such as caring responsibilities.We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed‑term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact [e-mail] for further information.