Senior Business Analyst - Higher Education

Warwick Employment Group (WEG); Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays

Excellent Pension

Hybrid Working

On-Site Parking

Job summary

The University of Warwick is seeking a Senior Business Analyst to lead the online learning strategy transformation within its Online Programme Management initiative. You will translate strategic aims into actionable requirements and shape digital education delivery across multiple workstreams.

Working with senior stakeholders and academic departments, you will define current and future state models, facilitate workshops, and drive evidence-based decision-making to realise sustainable change.

Qualifications

• Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Senior BA experience in Higher Education or similar complex organisations.
• Knowledge of online learning models, digital education delivery, or OPM approaches.
• Proven experience working across multi-disciplinary teams in complex programme environments.
• Experience working with external suppliers or partners, including vendor management.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to persuade and influence.
• Knowledge of applying and adapting project/programme methodologies to suit business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end business analysis activities across multiple workstreams, from Discovery through to implementation and benefits realisation.
• Translate strategic objectives relating to online learning into clearly defined business and functional requirements.
• Design and support the implementation of change, including new operating models, processes, systems, and capabilities that underpin online programme delivery.
• Facilitate workshops and engagement activities with diverse stakeholder groups to elicit, challenge, and prioritise requirements in a complex and evolving environment.
• Develop current and future state models, process maps, and service designs to support scalable online education delivery.
• Provide structured analysis and insight to inform key decisions, including options appraisals, business cases, and investment prioritisation.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Requirements gathering

Change management

Vendor management

Education

Honours degree or equivalent

BCS Diploma in Business Analysis or equivalent

PRINCE2/MSP/Agile practitioner qualifications

Job description

Senior Business Analyst - Online Learning Strategy

16 Month FTC

• 34 Days Holiday + Bank Hols
• Excellent Pension
• Hybrid Working
• On-Site Parking - Great Public Transport Links

We are seeking an experienced Senior Business Analyst to play a key role in delivering a University Online Programme Management (OPM) initiative, and support a major transformation project, supporting the University's online learning strategy and the development of high-quality digital education.

Working at the forefront of early-stage programme delivery, the role will translate strategic intent into clear, actionable requirements, helping to shape solutions and lay the foundations for sustainable change.

This role will lead Discovery activities to define business needs, map current and future states, and provide evidence-based recommendations to inform decision-making across a complex and evolving landscape.

Operating as part of a programme team, across multiple workstreams, you will collaborate with senior stakeholders, academic departments, and professional services to bring clarity, structure, and momentum to a high-profile transformation programme.

The position requires a number of duties and responsibilities including:

• Work closely with senior stakeholders, academic leadership, and professional services to shape, define, and deliver the OPM transformation programme.
• Lead end-to-end business analysis activities across multiple workstreams, from Discovery through to implementation and benefits realisation.
• Translate strategic objectives relating to online learning into clearly defined business and functional requirements.
• Design and support the implementation of change, including new operating models, processes, systems, and capabilities that underpin online programme delivery.
• Facilitate workshops and engagement activities with diverse stakeholder groups to elicit, challenge, and prioritise requirements in a complex and evolving environment.
• Develop current and future state models, process maps, and service designs to support the transition to scalable and sustainable online education delivery.
• Provide structured analysis and insight to inform key decisions, including options appraisals, business cases, and investment prioritisation.
• Support procurement and sourcing activities, including requirements definition, vendor evaluation, and selection processes for OPM services and technologies.
• Work closely with third-party suppliers and partners to ensure solutions meet business needs and align with programme objectives.
• Contribute to vendor and supplier management, including quality assurance and performance monitoring throughout delivery.
• Ensure that business analysis is underpinned by appropriate methodologies and aligned with programme and portfolio delivery frameworks.
• Collaborate with project and programme management teams to ensure effective integration of business analysis into delivery.
• Champion business analysis best practice, supporting capability development and mentoring colleagues where appropriate.
• Take ownership of complex problem-solving, providing innovative, pragmatic solutions aligned to the University's strategic vision.
• Maintain momentum across workstreams by proactively managing ambiguity, risks, and dependencies in a fast-paced transformation environment.

Person Specification

• An honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Significant Senior Business Analysis experience within Higher Education or similar complex, matrixed organisations.
• Knowledge of online learning models, digital education delivery, or Online Programme Management (OPM) approaches.
• Proven experience working across multi-disciplinary teams in complex programme environments.
• Demonstrable experience delivering outcomes in fast-paced, ambiguous environments, maintaining momentum and focus.
• Experience working with external suppliers or partners, including vendor management and quality assurance.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to persuade and influence.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships and credibility with senior colleagues, including academic and/or executive leadership in a sensitive, professional manner, establishing trust and rapport.
• Knowledge of applying and adapting the variety of project and programme methodologies to suit a business or contextual need.
• BCS Diploma in Business Analysis or equivalent.
• Practitioner-level qualifications in project or programme management (e.g., PRINCE2, MSP, Agile).

This is great opportunity to be part of the University of Warwick's current growth and transformation programme and play key role in the development and early delivery phase of an important project.

This vacancy is being supported by the Warwick Employment Group (WEG), a University of Warwick owned internal department.