Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Senior Business Analyst for our client, a local government organisation based in Bedford.

The successful post holder will provide dedicated business analysis support to the Improvement Team, using evidence, insight and structured analysis to identify opportunities for efficiencies, service redesign and organisational improvement. The role will work across a range of council services to understand demand, costs, performance and operating models, translating complex information into clear recommendations that support financial sustainability and evidence-based decision making.

This role is a temporary contract with an initial contract length of 3 months with the possibility to extend. This role is fully on-site.

Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Lead the development and maintenance of high-quality business analysis to support the Council's Improvement Plan.
• Undertake detailed analysis of service demand, expenditure, performance and operating models to identify opportunities for improvement and efficiencies.
• Conduct spend analysis, identify trends, cost drivers, demand pressures and process issues to inform decision-making.
• Support the development of business cases, cases for change and evidence-led recommendations to support service transformation and financial sustainability.
• Lead benchmarking activities using local government datasets, tools and comparative analysis techniques to assess performance against comparable authorities.
• Work collaboratively with service areas and the Improvement Team to ensure proposed interventions are clearly defined, prioritised and deliverable.
• Define business requirements, test assumptions, quantify baselines and assess the viability of proposed improvement opportunities.
• Develop financial models, forecasts and scenario analyses to support strategic decision-making and resource planning.
• Produce high-quality management information, dashboards and visual reports using Excel and Power BI.
• Translate complex financial, operational and performance data into clear insights and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Challenge assumptions, facilitate discussions with stakeholders and build consensus on proposed improvements and change initiatives.
• Ensure data quality principles are applied, maintaining reliable and proportionate analysis to support organisational decision-making.
• Present findings, options, risks, assumptions and dependencies clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Personal Requirements:

Essential:

• Extensive experience working within a local authority environment with a strong understanding of statutory responsibilities, financial pressures and decision-making processes.
• Substantial experience operating as a Senior Business Analyst across a range of complex council services.
• Proven experience delivering business analysis within improvement, transformation or organisational change programmes.
• Demonstrable experience undertaking benchmarking analysis using local government datasets and comparative tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience identifying trends, cost drivers and improvement opportunities.
• Experience developing business cases, defining requirements and producing evidence-based recommendations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong Power BI capability, including dashboard development, data visualisation and performance reporting.
• Experience undertaking financial modelling, forecasting and scenario planning to support strategic decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, challenge and engage senior leaders and service managers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Experience ensuring data quality and applying sound professional judgement when developing recommendations and business insight.

Desirable:

• Experience supporting local authority improvement plans or financial sustainability programmes.
• Knowledge of service redesign methodologies and continuous improvement techniques.
• Relevant professional qualification in Business Analysis, Project Management, Finance or a related discipline.

Working Hours: 3 days per week (Regular days to be agreed).

Pay: £500.00 per day.

Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.