The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic.

 

In Student Systems, we are pivotal to shaping the direction of technology use and the developments of Digital Education services within the University Administration. Our aim is to enhance the student, administrative, and academic experience through the development and implementation of the central Student administration system and its supporting functions.

 

 As a key member of our team of business analysts, you will collaborate closely with both business and technical staff. Your role will be crucial in identifying and communicating the requirements for our new and updated systems, ensuring they meet the needs of our users and drive continuous improvement.

 

The role is advertised as Grade 8, with the corresponding Job Description, but we would be happy to receive applications from anyone who does not yet meet those criteria fully and could take on the role as a Business Analyst at Grade 7 (£36,024-£44,263 per annum) with an appropriate reduction in responsibilities.

 

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

 

•               An excellent contributory pension scheme

•               38 days annual leave

•               A comprehensive range of childcare services

•               Family leave schemes

•               Cycle loan scheme

•               Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

•               Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

 

This role also offers the opportunity for hybrid working.

 

 

Student Systems has a vacancy on a permanent contract for a Business Analyst to contribute to the development of the University’s administrative systems used by staff and students. The successful candidates will work closely with both Student Systems staff and with the Education IT Portfolio team, as well as with business stakeholders across the University administration.

 

Over the past year, the University has re-engineered its approach to technology developments, and the Education Portfolio is at the forefront of these exciting changes.  Student Systems is expanding and developing its Analyst and Test teams to support new developments in many areas; we have implemented new methodologies to enable continuous improvements to our existing systems, which enable our business analysts to work in an agile and flexible way, using Scrum methodology and teams to deliver rapid developments to our users.

 

As a business analyst, you will be working with many of the departments and functions across the University Administrative Services division, representing their user needs, and formulating initiaves a at the heart of a range of user-centric improvements across the many functions in the University.

Your work will offer you the opportunity to both work independently on shaping the initatives and collaboratively with a fast-moving and compact group, helping the developers deliver these changes in the most efficient and timely way.

 

You will find yourself working on many different aspects of the Education Portfolio – all providing systems to help with the journey of our world-class students through their higher education – examples are our Admissions departments, Examinations, Disability Services, Student Registry and  Degree Ceremonies.  The Business Analyst is in the enviable position of being able to engage with a broad range of these aspects of Student and University life, and become a trusted ally in helping stakeholders get the best from the systems they use.

 

Upcoming and current projects include reimagining our Student Fees and Funding systems, the development and expansion of our new Student app, MyOxford, which acts as a central point of communication for college and departmental information to the mobiles of our students, a new Undergraduate Admissions Testing initiative to assist us in identifying the best applicants, along with many systems improvements to enable our students, and the staff who help them, to interact efficiently with University services.

 

As a business analyst, you will be based in the Student Systems Department, and work co-operatively as part of a cross-functional project team alongside colleagues from IT Services, the Academic Administration Division, Academic Divisions and Departments, and Colleges.

 

For this role, you will be able to show your ability to apply communication, negotiation and analytical skills to collect, collate and document processes and propose alternative approaches to proposed developments. 

 

The successful candidate will be expected to use their written and verbal communication skills to identify and communicate the requirements of new systems, and possess an ability to evaluate alternative approaches and solutions, and work effectively with business and technical staff to support developers and the project team in delivering new solutions in an efficient and timely manner.

 

Knowledge of technology project lifecycles and processes would be helpful, as would experience of reviewing, assessing, and improving business processes, in the Higher Education sector or elsewhere. Experience of some university administration systems, which would allow you to recognise user requirements, would be helpful.

 

However, the Department is willing to help suitable candidates further develop their sector-specific knowledge and business analysis skills where required.

 

An ability to complete project documentation and knowledge of common desktop tools would be helpful – especially Microsoft Excel.  Knowledge of development in Tribal SITS or Microsoft Dynamics would be helpful and provide an insight into the development implications of decisions,  but is not essential. Both Waterfall and Scrum methodologies are used for managing development.

 

For an informal discussions about the position, please contact Jeremy Welch, Head of Technology Developments via Jeremy.welch@admin.ox.ac.uk.

 

You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

 

The closing date for applications is 12noon on 10 September 2024.

 

Interviews are planned to take place during week commencing 23 September 2024 and will be held in person in central Oxford.