Business Analyst - Trusted Research & Secure Innovation Network in Kilmarnock

Overview

Role: Business Analyst

Grade and Salary: Grade 7, £37,694 - £47,389 FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE, 35hrs per week

Contract: Fixed Term until 31 July 2027 (potential for a secondment opportunity)

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Project Background

The Trusted Research and Secure Innovation (TReSI) Network is a new project, led by Heriot-Watt University and funded by the Scottish Funding Council as part of a portfolio of four projects under its Research and Innovation Shared Services Fund. The aim of the project is to build scalable, sustainable capabilities across Scottish universities to implement transparent and responsible Trusted Research and Secure Innovation practices. Leveraging collaboration across Scotland’s universities, the project will develop a customisable digital toolkit comprising scalable processes, case studies, decision-support and audit materials.

Using agile, sprint-based project management, it will:

• Define minimum requirements for due diligence, monitoring and reporting across different research contexts
• Create adaptable tools for identifying and managing high risk research areas
• Build a case study bank to support decision-making and researcher awareness

Purpose of Role

Forming part of the TReSI Network Project Team, the Business Analyst will provide business analysis skills and expertise to the project to deliver strategic and operational change across the project partners. The role operates within a matrix management environment and is part of the Global Project Management Office’s Professional Family. The role-holder will work closely with stakeholders at all levels in the host and partner organisations, acting as the key interface between stakeholders, sponsors, the project manager and project teams. The role is responsible for analysis, design and requirements work to ensure business needs are understood, appropriate solutions are defined, and stakeholder expectations are managed across the full project lifecycle through to successful delivery.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Requirements definition, gathering & management – capture, refine, and maintain requirements using interviews, workshops, and analysis techniques.
• Business Process Analysis & Design – document current-state processes, identify gaps and improvements, and design validated future-state processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement – facilitate discussions, manage expectations, and ensure clear communication throughout the project delivery lifecycle.
• Collaborate to define business needs and requirements through facilitation of workshops, meetings and individual engagement
• Solution Assessment & Validation – support evaluation, selection, and validation of solutions, coordinating User Acceptance Testing (UAT) where applicable and ensuring that solutions align with overall project and strategic goals.
• Documentation & Artefacts – produce standardised Business Requirements Documents, user stories, process maps, data flow diagrams, and benefits maps to agreed standards.
• Collaboration with Project Teams – work with PMs, PMO and other analysts, developers, testers, and business SMEs to deliver agreed scope.
• Promote continuous improvement and be a positive advocate for transformational change to business systems and processes; contribute to BA capability development, and mentor and develop junior colleagues.
• Prepare quality presentation material showcasing the ability to summarise complexity into clarity fit for a range of stakeholders including executives.
• Change operating model development – contribute and influence future state change capability development and directly influence analysis and design within the project; support training, communications, and PMO team activities.
• Undertake strategic transformation activities as required, including analysis work to evolve strategy development

Key Stakeholders & Relationships

• Global Director of Research Engagement – project lead
• TReSI Network Project Manager - colleague
• TReSI Network Community Engagement Co-ordinator - colleague
• TReSI Network Technical Specialist - colleague
• Deputy Principal (Research and Impact) – project sponsor
• Head of Global Project Management Office – professional family co-lead
• Head of Digital Transformation – professional family co-lead
• PMO Programme Managers, Project Managers and Project Support Analysts - Colleagues
• Academic Researchers -Stakeholders

No direct operational or project budget holder accountability. Accountable for authoring and sign-off of business requirements, process flows, and other key artefacts, as well as User Acceptance Testing plans, tracking and completion.

Essential Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Analytics, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related analytical field. Equivalent experience in a business analysis or operations role can substitute for formal academic qualifications.
• Higher Education Sector-specific experience with research lifecycle systems (e.g., Work Tribe), academic policy/governance processes, and regulatory compliance (e.g., UKRI, GDPR) is desirable.
• Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving – able to break down complex problems into structured, actionable elements; skilled at translating strategy and change into operational and technical requirements and solutions.
• Communication – strong written and verbal skills, adapting style to technical and non-technical audiences and for a variety of audiences.
• Stakeholder Management – able to influence and build rapport at different organisational levels, excellent facilitation skills.
• Technical Awareness – familiarity with a variety of portfolio, project, business process and technology development methodologies, concepts and approaches. Deep understanding of the project lifecycle, risks and enablers.
• Process Modelling – proficiency in business process modelling management or equivalent notation for clarity and standardisation.
• Requirements Engineering – skilled in user stories, acceptance criteria, and prioritisation techniques.
• Teambuilding and Collaboration - ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team, often in a matrix.
• Business Acumen – understanding of organisational strategy and how initiatives support strategic objectives.
• Adaptability – resilient in changing environments, working across time zones and cultures, and awareness of country-specific requirements; managing competing priorities effectively, excellent organisation and time management skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, requirements management and project collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Power BI, JIRA + Confluence, Miro, Visio, and equivalents as well as emerging AI technologies)

How To Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Tuesday 10th February 2026. Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment. We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups.

For more information, please see our website here and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers here.

Use our total rewards calculator: here to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About The Team

The Research Engagement Directorate provides high quality support for the Heriot-Watt research community across 3 divisions: Research and Researcher Development, Legal, Policy, Strategy and Impact and the Research Futures Hub (incorporating the Graduate School). Working closely with the Business and Enterprise Directorate, RED works to deliver the Excelling in Research and Enterprise theme of Strategy 2025 and development of Heriot-Watt’s new Strategy 2035.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team. Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.