Business and Performance Analyst in Manchester

At AQA, we are committed to advancing education and our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year, and it is our people who make this happen.

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Manchester

Salary: £36,100 to £40,600

Working Arrangements: Hybrid working – 2 days a week in the office

Do you love turning complex data into insights that spark real change? As our Business and Performance Analyst, you will play a key role in helping AQA make confident, data-driven decisions. If you enjoy turning complex information into clear insights that shape strategic thinking, you will find this role both rewarding and impactful. You will work in a collaborative, supportive environment where your ideas can make a real difference.

You will use your analytical expertise to help AQA's Commercial Directorate understand performance, identify opportunities, and improve decision making. Your work will support sales, marketing, and customer-facing teams, directly contributing to AQA's mission to deliver fair and reliable assessment for learners of all abilities.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Building strong working relationships across the Commercial Directorate and developing a central library of data and metadata to support future knowledge-management needs.
• Designing analytical models, dashboards, and visualisations that help teams understand performance and make informed decisions.
• Collecting, analysing, and interpreting data from multiple sources to evaluate business activity, identify trends, and highlight opportunities for improvement.

You will thrive in this role if you are a curious, data-driven thinker who enjoys solving problems and collaborating with others. You will bring:

• Proven experience as a business analyst, performance analyst, or data analyst.
• Skills using tools such as Power BI, Excel, SQL, Alteryx, or similar analytical platforms.
• The ability to interpret complex data and present insights clearly to different audiences.
• Experience building automated reports or dashboards that support business performance.
• An understanding of sales, marketing, or customer service operations, and how data helps improve them.

This role gives you the chance to make a meaningful impact by shaping how data is used across AQA. You will benefit from:

• Opportunities to influence strategic decisions through high-value analytical work.
• Support for your professional growth, including access to new tools, training, and development.
• Flexibility to balance work and life in a supportive, collaborative environment.
• A culture that encourages innovation, continuous improvement, and shared learning.
• The satisfaction of knowing your work contributes to improving outcomes for learners.

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23.59 on Sunday 01 March. First stage interviews will take place remotely on 09 and 10 March, second stage interviews will take place on 13 March in the Manchester office.

The Business and Performance Analyst will support our Sales, Subject Support, and UAS teams by providing valuable data insights and reporting to drive performance and support strategic decision-making. The Business and Performance Analyst will play a critical role in analysing business processes and performance, identifying areas for improvement, and generating actionable insights. They will be responsible for collecting, analysing, and reporting on data related to various functions of the business, including Sales, Subject Support, and UAS. The Business and Performance Analyst will also produce clear reports on activity progress and recommendations for change and work on ensuring these reports are as automated and efficient as possible. The insights provided by the Business and Performance Analyst will drive strategic decisions and help shape the future direction of our organisation.

The role holder will be expected to be responsible for the following:

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships within the Commercial Directorate, collaborating with different teams to understand their data needs, how their data supports tactical and strategic decision making, and develop a central 'library' of data and its metadata properties to support future knowledge management requirements.
• Design modelling, analytical, and visualisation approaches most appropriate to the data, process, and audience that enable the results and reporting to be clearly understood.
• Develop strong working relationships and collaborate with other AQA teams who have interest and/or influence in the Commercial Directorate systems or information, e.g., AQA CRM or Data Analytics team.
• Determine and use the most appropriate methods and tools to collect and analyse data from various sources to evaluate business performance.
• Develop and maintain automated Management Information dashboards, reports, and visualisations to track key business metrics, using the most appropriate tools according to purpose and audience.
• Conduct in-depth analysis to identify trends, anomalies, and recommend opportunities for improvement.
• Present complex data in a clear and concise manner to stakeholders, providing actionable insights.
• Participate in strategic planning and decision-making processes by providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Assist in the implementation of business optimisation strategies and contribute to the continuous improvement of processes.
• Ensure data accuracy and compliance with relevant regulations and policies.
• Act as SME for the Commercial Directorate, reviewing tools and systems used by AQA for analysis, modelling, and reporting, and recommending options and opportunities for improving the tools and systems available to deliver increased business benefit from performance analysis activity.

To succeed in this role, the ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Proven experience as a Business Analyst, Performance/Data Analyst, or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of data analysis and reporting tools and software, such as Microsoft PowerBI (and other Microsoft Power apps), Excel, SQL, Alteryx, and BI tools.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to collect, organise, analyse, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience in creating and automating reports, dashboards, and visualisations.
• Strong understanding of sales, marketing, and customer service operations.
• Proven ability to interpret and present complex data to various stakeholders.
• Experience in project management and business process optimisation.

The ideal candidate is a data-driven individual with strong analytical and data programming skills and a keen eye for detail. They can interpret complex data and translate it into actionable business insights. They are proactive, possess excellent communication skills, and are comfortable presenting data and insights to various stakeholders. They have a strong understanding of business operations, particularly in the areas of sales, marketing, and customer service.

To be successful in this role, the Business and Performance Analyst needs to have a deep understanding of data analysis techniques and tools. They must be able to interpret business needs and translate them into analytical tasks and automated reporting. They should be comfortable working with large datasets and have the ability to turn raw data into actionable business findings accurately and efficiently. They should have a strong understanding of the functions they will be supporting – Sales, Subject Support, and UAS – and understand how their role can help these teams improve their performance. They should be committed to continuous learning, staying updated on the latest industry trends and analysis techniques.