Statistical Analyst - Data Insights & Solutions

Hours: 35 hours per week

Reports into: Principal Statistical Analyst

Working style: Hybrid - A blend of working from home and your nominated hub office. We have hubs located in London, Bristol, Manchester and Oxford. 

About Jisc:

For 30 years Jisc has pioneered digital solutions for UK education and research, transforming how knowledge is created, shared and used. 

We are uniquely positioned to protect, promote and lead the sector in digital and data transformation, making a difference to students, communities and society. Together, we are working to build a better digital future for education and research. 

Raise your potential at Jisc through our culture of lifelong learning. At Jisc, we're all about growth, so embrace new challenges, sharpen your skills and shape a career that excites you. 

About the Department

The Data Insights & Solutions (DIS) department’s purpose is to enrich and manage data and publish UK-wide insights and official statistics related to the Higher Education (HE) sector. Our team creates and publishes technical specifications which are used by data providers to submit data to us. Our publications and open data are available at the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) website, which is part of Jisc - https://www.hesa.ac.uk 

We process datasets and provide these with derived enhancements to the commercial data teams in Jisc which are used for developing tailored products such as Heidi Plus. We also deliver datasets to our statutory customers. Our work enhances public understanding of HE sector performance and efficiency and provides evidence for decision-making for both policymakers and practitioners.

About the Team

The Official Statistics team are responsible for the preparation and release of Jisc’s statutory data products about UK higher education, including official statistics and open data releases on topics like the availability of courses, composition of the HE student body, the outcomes of graduates, the HE staff workforce, interactions between HE providers and businesses, and the finances and carbon emissions of the HE sector. These data products are released under the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) brand.

The role:

In this role, you’ll work with complex datasets, analyse trends, and communicate your findings in a clear and compelling way. You’ll support the development of data outputs, dashboards, and statistical reports, while also helping to create innovative analytical solutions that inform key decisions. 

What you’ll be doing:

Join our team and play a key role in shaping high quality official statistics and analytical products within the higher education sector. In this role, you will:

• Contribute to the development of official statistical content and bring fresh ideas for new analytical measures and solutions.
• Support process improvements, including automation, enhanced documentation, and agile ways of working.
• Carry out analysis and quality assurance of HESA data for established statistical publications.
• Use specialist analytical tools to deliver statistical insights through clear written and verbal reporting.
• Help design and develop interactive dashboards that make complex data accessible and actionable.
• Assist in creating technical specifications, documentation, and protocols used by analysts across HESA and wider higher education stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong knowledge of HESA data collections, emerging sector trends, and evolving data needs.
• Represent the organisation at relevant conferences and seminars, providing guidance to users of HESA data.
• Manage multiple work packages simultaneously, effectively planning and prioritising tasks to meet deadlines. 

What we are looking for:

• Experience working with and analysing data from large databases.
• Understanding of descriptive statistics and basic analytical techniques.
• Ability to produce meaningful insights from datasets and present them clearly in both written and verbal formats.
• Competency with at least two of the following tools: SQL, Python, R.
• Experience using data visualisation tools such as Plotly, Tableau, or Power BI.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Ability to extract, manipulate, analyse, and quality assure data using advanced query languages or data manipulation tools.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to identify and define straightforward problems within datasets.
• Excellent attention to detail and a natural curiosity to learn.
• Strong reporting skills, with the ability to summarise key points and explain findings in a clear and user focused way.
• Effective communication skills, able to work collaboratively and build positive relationships across teams.
• Openness to feedback and willingness to incorporate it into future work.
• Ability to follow instructions, understand task requirements, and manage workload efficiently—even when working under pressure or to tight deadlines. 

Consistently embody the 4 Jisc guiding principles within their work which are:

•  Customer first
•  Never stand still
•  Make an impact
•  Always inclusive 

Desirable Experience

• Knowledge of advanced statistical methods.
• Understanding of the higher education (HE) sector.
• Experience with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to support online assets.
• Experience working with agile methodologies (e.g., Jira, Scrum). 

Qualifications & training

Need to have:

• Bachelor’s degree level in a subject containing a good proportion of data/statistical content, or equivalent work experience.  

Don’t meet every single requirement?

We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they think they can’t tick every box, so we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet 100% of the requirements, but if you feel this role is perfect for you. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles! 

Hybrid working:

Specific patterns for working in the office are not mandated, and the frequency of time worked in the office is agreed with your manager. Meeting in person is something we value, so you may need to travel on occasion to any of our hub offices. 

Why work for us?

At Jisc, every role is meaningful, and every individual is valued. We foster a culture of continuous learning and personal growth, offering opportunities to develop new skills and make a real impact in education and research. With a strong focus on work-life balance, we embrace flexible working that prioritises outcomes over hours, empowering you to create a rhythm that energises both your professional and personal life. 

Our Guiding Principles:

Jisc’s culture is powered by our four guiding principles: putting customers first, driving innovation, creating impact, and championing inclusive collaboration to deliver sustainable outcomes and shape a better future. 

Discover the amazing benefits we provide! Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Flexible work pattern, which can adapt to suit your schedules and personal commitments
• 31 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) that includes three closure days over Christmas
• Buy up to an additional 5 days leave during the flexible benefits window
• Generous flexible pension schemes
• A range of wellbeing lifestyle benefits including company paid health care cash plan, mental health first aiders and support
• A company culture of continuous learning with access to thousands of LinkedIn Learning courses, and lots of resources and opportunities to support your development
• Allocated allowance of up to £250 to equip your home office
• Financial well-being support including access to preferential loan and savings plans, mortgage advice, will writing tools and support and resources to help you make the most of your money
• A wide range of discounts and cashback from retailers and big-name high-street stores
• Family friendly policies including enhanced parental, maternity and paternity and co-parental leave as well as opportunity for career breaks
• Support your volunteering with up to 3 days volunteer leave 

Equity, diversity and inclusion:

Jisc believe our people make all the difference in cultivating an inclusive culture that welcomes ideas, encourages innovation, and values belonging. 

We work hard to create an equitable experience for our candidates and workforce which embraces all aspects of their identity including race and ethnicity, religion and belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, trans identities, age, class, disability, neurodivergence, or veteran status. 

Application process:

Please let us know how we can best accommodate you throughout the recruitment process. We’re committed to making our process accessible and comfortable for everyone - just tell us what works best for you. 

Just so you know, we review CVs as soon as we can and aim to provide an update on your application within 4 weeks of receiving it.  However, you may hear from us a lot sooner, so please keep an eye out for our emails or calls!  

We’re really looking forward to getting to know the real you. While we encourage the use of AI tools to help you get started on your CV or cover letter, we encourage you to review your application before submitting. Make sure it truly reflects your own voice, experiences, and personality. 

If you are currently a Jisc employee, please apply through your Dayforce Employee profile. 

We have a thorough background screening process that verifies the details you share with us in your CV and your application. Any inaccurate information supplied during the application stages can lead to a job offer being withdrawn.  

Sponsorship:

Please note that this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. This decision is based on current Home Office eligibility criteria, which require specific conditions to be met in terms of job type, salary level, and other factors. As such, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position. 

No agencies please.