Workforce Data Analyst

NHS; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking a Workforce Data Analyst to provide high-quality workforce information to support decision-making and staff engagement. The successful candidate will produce data reports, analyze trends, and ensure data quality across the organization. This role requires strong analytical skills, intermediate to advanced Excel proficiency, and knowledge of HR systems. The position offers a full-time permanent contract based in Greater Manchester with a salary range of £31,049 to £37,796. Flexibility in working hours is encouraged.

Qualifications

• Must be educated to degree level or have equivalent experience.
• Previous experience in an Informatics role is essential.
• Experience using workforce or HR information systems is required.

Responsibilities

• Produce accurate and timely workforce data reports.
• Support statutory and external reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with colleagues to improve workforce data quality.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent attention to detail

Clear communication skills

Proactive mindset

Intermediate to advanced Excel skills

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

GCSE Maths & English (Grade C or equivalent)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

Qlik Sense

Job description

Job Summary

Are you passionate about turning data into meaningful insights that drive real change? Do you enjoy working with numbers, spotting trends, and helping others make evidence-based decisions? We are looking for an enthusiastic and detail-focused Workforce Data Analyst to join our People Directorate at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL). In this role, you'll play a key part in supporting our Trust's People Strategy by producing, analysing and presenting high-quality workforce information. Working closely with Divisional teams, Finance and other People Services functions, you'll help shape workforce planning decisions that directly impact our staff and the care we provide to patients.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a short technical assessment as part of the selection process. This will be proportionate to the role and designed to assess analytical and data-handling skills relevant to the post.

What You'll Do

• Produce accurate and timely workforce data reports and dashboards to support operational and strategic decision making.
• Analyse trends in workforce activity (such as SIP, turnover, absence, temporary staffing and vacancy rates).
• Support statutory and external reporting requirements including GM/NHSE returns.
• Drive improvements in data quality, ensuring our workforce systems reflect the most accurate and reliable information.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that workforce data informs planning, resourcing and improvement initiatives.

What We're Looking For

• Strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience using workforce or management information systems (e.g. ESR) and intermediate to advanced Excel skills.
• Clear communication skills, with the ability to explain data and trends to non-technical audiences.
• A proactive, flexible and solution‑focused mindset.
• Experience with data visualisation tools is desirable but not essential – we’ll support your development.

You must be available to travel between the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh sites as required by business needs.

About Us

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that "happy staff, makes for happy patients". We have a recognised track record in staff engagement and living our values.

People at the Heart
Listen and Involve
Kind and Respectful
ONE Team

WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. We are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.

At WWL we value the benefits a rich and diverse workforce brings to our community and therefore welcome applications from all sections of society.

Job Details

Date posted: 23 December 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: 5
Salary: £31,049 to £37,796 a year pro rata, per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 302-25-7563115CPR
Job locations: Buckinghams Row, Brick Kiln Lane, Wigan, WN1 1XX

Key Responsibilities

• Corporate workforce information requirements including Trust Executive Board & People Committee reporting
• Divisional reporting requirements
• External information requests to GM and NHS England
• Mandatory reporting including providing data to support completion of the WDES, WRES and Gender Pay Gap reports
• Ad hoc workforce information/reporting requests including (but not limited to) workforce related FOI requests
• Produce & distribute statistical information/analysis, including a range of reporting on workforce trends such as labour turnover, sickness absence and temporary spend
• Manipulation of information and usage of appropriate tools to present data, graphically and pictorially, including excel & PowerPoint
• Be a resource for analysis, interpretation and presentation of datasets
• Provide high quality workforce information for the Trust's annual Workforce Planning Strategy to include returns to GM and NHS England
• Proactively contribute to improvements in ESR data quality through utilisation of WOVEN data quality reports & associated data cleansing activity
• Utilise other information sources to provide benchmarking information
• Support the continuing improvement of the workforce information provided to service users
• Be the central point of contact for Professional Registration interfaces with ESR e.g. GMC & NMC and co‑coordinate any associated data cleansing actions that are required
• Advise managers on all aspects of workforce data ensuring compliance with Trust Policies and Procedures, legislation and best practice
• Support the development and maintenance of workforce dashboards and reports using ESR, Qlik Sense, and Power BI (or equivalent), ensuring that data is presented clearly and effectively to support decision making
• Provide workforce analytics to support establishment control, vacancy monitoring, skill mix reviews and paybill forecasting
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives to automate reporting and improve data accuracy and efficiency
• Provide data insight and analysis to support Trust-wide and divisional workforce planning
• Plan and organise a comprehensive reporting schedule to ensure key deadlines are met
• Work independently including planning and organising own workload
• Support the Trust's workforce planning cycle by supporting the production of accurate forecasts and scenario models that inform budget setting, Staff In post and establishment reviews, and strategic workforce planning priorities
• Undertake effective communication with a range of stakeholders within the People Directorate and Divisional Management teams, enhancing explanation of statistical concepts and reporting techniques
• Communicate complex workforce information clearly to non‑technical audiences including senior operational and clinical leaders
• Build strong collaborative relationships with Finance, Rostering, Divisional Management teams, and external reporting functions
• Promote effective utilisation of resources within the People Directorate
• Provide training within own discipline as required by the needs of the People Directorate
• Adhere to and promote Trust policies, procedures and guidelines
• Ensure compliance with Mandatory training in accordance with Trust Policy
• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – proactive risk management and reporting of incidents, near misses and hazards
• Provide informal training and guidance to managers and colleagues on accessing and interpreting workforce reports and dashboards
• No on‑call required within the role

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths & English (Grade C or equivalent grade/qualification)
• Educated to degree level, or equivalent experience
• ECDL or equivalent IT skills

Essential Experience

• Previous experience of working in an Informatics role
• Experience of using computerised Management Information or HR systems
• Experience of working with statistics / relational databases and reporting tools
• Experience of using Microsoft packages to include Excel, Word, PowerPoint and E‑mail
• Experience of using Excel V‑lookup and Pivot functions

Desirable Experience

• Experience of utilising the Electronic Staff Record (ESR)
• ESR Business Intelligence Local report writing experience

Essential Skills

• A high standard of analytical and numeracy skills
• Skills in using & extracting data from computerised Management Information and/or HR systems
• Excellent organisational skills to enable effective prioritisation of workload and deadline management
• Intermediate to Advanced IT skills, to include Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Email
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people
• Able to interpret and present numerical information accurately and in an easy‑to‑understand way
• Excellent attention to detail and able to identify data anomalies

Essential Knowledge

• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel
• In depth knowledge & use of reporting tools to produce statistical information
• Well‑developed knowledge of electronic management information/HR systems
• Knowledge of and able to apply statistical concepts
• Knowledge of the Data Protection Act

Desirable Knowledge

• Knowledge of the Electronic Staff Record (ESR)
• Knowledge of NHS Workforce Planning
• Knowledge of ESR Business Intelligence Reporting

Additional Requirements

• Flexible and proactive approach to duties
• Agility in working with multiple systems
• Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to the role, i.e. with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

Name: Wrightington Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Buckingham Row, Brick Kiln Lane, Wigan, WN1 1XX
Website: http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/