Business Analyst - Data Platforms and Operations

This role may be located in one of the following locations; Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.

Please find further information on the Corporate hub locations here.

Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, this role will be based at Benton Park View from September 2025, and then at 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.

Job Summary

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

Are you an experienced Business Analyst with the skills and capability to help support DWP deliver critical public services?

We have vacancies across our Data & Analytics function in Data Platforms and Operations, and Analytics.

Data Platforms and Operations play a key part of the DWP Data Strategy execution. The team build and maintain data platforms that power the department’s data capabilities.

As a Business Analyst working in Platforms and Operations, you will play a key part in supporting analysis across the product delivery lifecycle, shaping solutions that align stakeholder needs with technical capabilities. You’ll work across highly technical products and services, often involving intricate data flows and system integrations.

DWP Analytics enables data experts to provide information that benefit society by providing easy-to-use, secure and reliable hosting and tooling to support the generation of meaningful insights that improve DWP’s services and protect the business from fraud and error.

As a Business Analyst working within Analytics, you will be a key part of the team in delivering change within the department. You will work across the product delivery lifecycle to bring together business needs with technical and data capabilities, with the goal of defining solutions that deliver value.

As a Business Analyst in both areas, you will be given the opportunity to continue to grow your capabilities through working with Senior/Lead BAs and continually developing your skills and knowledge through the support of the wider community of practice.

Job Description

As a BA working within DWP Digital these are some of the things you will be doing: 

• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team in Platforms and Operations alongside Product, Delivery, Dev Ops and Engineers. You will be expected to know and apply appropriate business analysis activities to support the team’s objectives, and then translate them into repeatable, standardised processes or activities with the wider Platforms & Operations BA community where appropriate.
• Working within one of the DWP Analytics teams to support in delivering the infrastructure that enables data experts to develop, test and deploy analytics workloads and supporting transaction level decision making.
• Translate business problems and user needs into a set of detailed requirements to deliver value and great outcomes for our users. 
• Lead workshops, interviews, focus groups and utilise other techniques to effectively understand the business problems and user needs.  
• Develop and maintain stakeholder relationships. communicating effectively across both technical and business stakeholders and ensuring the understanding of requirements and acceptance criteria is aligned. 
• Gain a good understanding of the business processes and activities that impact and that are impacted by the product or service. Selecting the appropriate best practice techniques to model business processes, in order to identify potential process improvements. 
• Collaborate with the Product Manager to agree a suitable mix of epics, features & stories for each sprint, as well as contributing towards prioritisation activities. 
• Take ownership for improving your own knowledge of Business Analysis and Agile principles, methods and tools and play an active role within the BA community including coaching and supporting other members, as appropriate. 
  
  

As a BA working within DWP Digital these are some of the things you will be doing: 

• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team in Platforms and Operations alongside Product, Delivery, Dev Ops and Engineers. You will be expected to know and apply appropriate business analysis activities to support the team’s objectives, and then translate them into repeatable, standardised processes or activities with the wider Platforms & Operations BA community where appropriate.
• Working within one of the DWP Analytics teams to support in delivering the infrastructure that enables data experts to develop, test and deploy analytics workloads and supporting transaction level decision making.
• Translate business problems and user needs into a set of detailed requirements to deliver value and great outcomes for our users. 
• Lead workshops, interviews, focus groups and utilise other techniques to effectively understand the business problems and user needs.  
• Develop and maintain stakeholder relationships. communicating effectively across both technical and business stakeholders and ensuring the understanding of requirements and acceptance criteria is aligned. 
• Gain a good understanding of the business processes and activities that impact and that are impacted by the product or service. Selecting the appropriate best practice techniques to model business processes, in order to identify potential process improvements. 
• Collaborate with the Product Manager to agree a suitable mix of epics, features & stories for each sprint, as well as contributing towards prioritisation activities. 
• Take ownership for improving your own knowledge of Business Analysis and Agile principles, methods and tools and play an active role within the BA community including coaching and supporting other members, as appropriate. 
  
  

Person specification

See selection process for further details.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact [email protected].

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Business Analysis
  
  

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
  
  

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £44,447 to £46,547.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your Application Will Consist Of Five Parts

• A Personal Details application form.
• Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests.
  
  

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests. If you successfully pass both tests, you will be invited to complete the final stages of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 25th November 2025. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4pm and 7pm on 16/11/2025. There will be up to 1 hour during this time where candidates will not be able to access tests.

All online tests will be affected.

Impact for candidates

Candidates who are taking a test when the downtime starts will have their test paused. They will be able to pick up where they left off after the downtime. They can do this by accessing the test again from their application centre.

Candidates will not be able to launch new tests during the downtime.

Candidates reporting issues should be advised to return to take the test after 7pm on 16/11/2025.

Following successful completion of the tests, you will then be asked to complete: 

• Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed.
• Personal statement - up to 500 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below:
• Demonstrates significant experience of working as a Business Analyst and evidence of carrying out a wide range of analysis activities.
• Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of Business Analysis.
• How does your experience of working as a Business Analyst make you a great fit for this BA role at DWP Digital?
  
  

Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.

The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement, and technical statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge.

An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
• If your employment history, personal statement or technical statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
• Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. A candidate’s guide to artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment.
  
  

Stage 2: Interview

If You’re Successful At Sift Stage You Will Be Invited To a Video Interview Via Microsoft Teams. There, You Will Be Assessed Against The Experiences Listed Below

• Experienced in analysing and refining user and stakeholder requirements.
• Proven experience in identifying and building strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Demonstrable ability to identify improvements and make recommendations
  
  

Interviews will take place from the start of December 2025. Interview dates to be confirmed.

Further information

Find out more about Working for DWP

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.

For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Security Clearance Requirement

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Applicants for this post must have lived in the UK for 5 years or more during their lifetime for DWP to accept National Security Vetting applications at the Security Check (SC) level. Requests to apply for SC will always be supported where people have lived in the UK for the last 5 years but will be subject to a pre-assessment if they have lived outside the UK during this period.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Natalie Selby
• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles. If you wish to make a complaint, please find further details here: https://careers.dwp.gov.uk/how-we-recruit/.