Job Description

This role sits within the University’s Strategy team, reporting to the Director of Strategy within the well-regarded Strategy, Planning & Analytics Directorate (SPA). The team works closely with the other teams in SPA – Transformation, and Analytics.

The Strategy team supports the senior leadership of the university in effective strategy development, planning and risk management. The team’s remit includes supporting strategy development projects (for specific policy positions, business decisions, business unit strategies, thematic strategies), but also synthesis of holistic external insight, institutional strategic frameworks, planning, corporate risk management and portfolio management. 

The postholder will work across the range of the team’s activities, covering both project work and developing and maintaining areas of responsibility on an ongoing basis as well as providing advice to others within and beyond the Directorate. 

The postholder will be expected to lead on relatively complex assignments, usually for a single organisational unit, or on a specific question across organisational boundaries. They will also provide high-level support for others on complex institution-wide projects. 

We particularly welcome applicants with experience and skills in the manipulation and presentation of data, and risk management.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

This is a full-time post.

Key responsibilities

The postholder will work across a wide range of topics and strategic issues. Responsibilities will vary by project but will include:  

• With limited guidance, breaking down a given high-level question effectively into a series of questions and/or hypotheses  
• Sourcing and consolidating relevant data, undertaking analysis using appropriate tools and methods, and presenting actionable insight which supports decision-making 
• Developing and evaluating options and recommendations using appropriate tools, methods and data sources.  
• Supporting effective engagement with stakeholder groups affected by strategy,  including workshop and survey design and facilitation 
• Preparing and validating business cases for proposed activities, working relatively independently as part of a cross-functional team  
• Capturing and articulating risks, and working with risk owners to quantify likelihood and impact, and develop mitigation strategies 
• Synthesising relevant external insight on particular strategic questions 
• Project managing and facilitating strategy development initiatives, including project setup and definition, developing plans and milestones, monitoring and reporting on progress and effective project closeout 

You will work with colleagues across the directorate to draw in expertise and skills from others as required to ensure the success of projects. In addition, you will be expected to contribute to the development of team, Directorate and organisational capabilities. 

Colleagues may occasionally be asked to work across the Strategy and Transformation teams, on projects which have more of a focus on implementation, and can express and interest to work in this way with your line manager and through the PDR. Colleagues will also routinely work closely to ensure seamless delivery of service between teams, for example to ensure effective transition between business case development and project delivery. 

You will be provided opportunities to attend internal training across the suite of Strategy and Transformation competencies. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. 

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent 
2. Outstanding analysis skills, including structured problem solving, breaking down issues, communicating outcomes clearly 
3. Highly numerate and analytical, can develop actionable insight from multiple, complex data sources 
4. Confident working as part of teams and building strong working relationships to drive effective outcomes 
5. Excellent written, PowerPoint and verbal communication skills 
6. Strong engagement skills, including evidence of designing and facilitating effective workshops with clear and valuable outcomes 
7. Strong stakeholder management skills, including ability to build “trusted advisor” relationships with senior colleagues 
8. Flexible, emotionally intelligent and comfortable with ambiguity 

Desirable criteria

1. Experience within the Higher Education sector or adjacent/similar sector and understanding of the strategic context in which we operate 
2. A recognised qualification relevant to strategy development, project management, business planning and/or risk management