Senior Population Health Intelligence Analyst - Band 8a in Chelmsford

Are you passionate about using data and intelligence to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities? We are seeking an experienced Senior Population Health Intelligence Analyst to join our growing Data, Analytics and Population Health Intelligence function. This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in developing population health intelligence and population health management capabilities across Essex.

Working with commissioners, clinicians, public health colleagues and system partners, you will use complex health and care data to identify opportunities for improvement, support strategic decision-making and help shape services that deliver better outcomes for local communities. The role sits within a multidisciplinary analytics function that brings together data engineering, business intelligence, advanced analytics and population health intelligence. You will contribute to high-profile programmes supporting strategic commissioning, health inequalities, prevention, service transformation and the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan.

We are looking for an experienced analyst with strong quantitative and analytical skills, a passion for population health improvement and the ability to translate complex data into meaningful insight and action. You will have experience working with complex health and care datasets and applying analytical approaches such as population segmentation, risk stratification, forecasting, evaluation and statistical analysis to support decision-making. You will be confident working with NHS, local authority and wider determinants datasets and have experience presenting findings to senior stakeholders.

You will lead population health intelligence projects, support the development of Population Health Management approaches and contribute to evaluation activities that help assess the impact of services and interventions. You will work closely with colleagues across the wider analytics function, including advanced analytics specialists, to ensure robust methodologies are applied to complex analytical questions.

You should have experience using tools such as SQL, Power BI and statistical or analytical software including R, Python, Stata or equivalent. A postgraduate qualification, or equivalent experience, in a relevant quantitative discipline such as statistics, epidemiology, health economics, operational research, population health intelligence or data science would be advantageous.

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.

Main duties of the job:

• Help design and implement the ICB's approach to population health intelligence, including the use of advanced analytics, modelling and evaluation to inform strategic commissioning and resource allocation.
• Work in partnership across the ICB and the wider Essex health and care system to develop population health insight, including analysis that tests hypotheses, identifies drivers of variation and supports prioritisation of interventions.
• Support the development and implementation of a system-wide evaluation framework for commissioned services and interventions, drawing on quantitative, qualitative and lived experience data, including impact evaluation and, where appropriate, counterfactual approaches.
• Provide professional leadership within the analytical and population health intelligence function, supporting capability development, good analytical practice, and professional standards.
• Support appropriate use of linked population, service and outcomes data in line with information governance, data sharing and safe output requirements, working with data engineering, business intelligence colleagues and external organisations where required.
• Champion a culture of data-driven decision-making across the ICB, supporting commissioners and partners to use intelligence for strategic planning and continuous improvement.
• Support delivery of training and development to improve organisational capabilities in analytics, and population health intelligence.
• Support the development of an agreed methodology for segmentation and risk stratification across the ICB, with supporting tools to enable identification of priority populations to inform targeted interventions aimed at prevention, early intervention and treatment to improve outcomes.
• Lead development of specific population health intelligence and PHM tools and to support the identification of cohorts of people who can best benefit from targeted interventions.
• Work with clinical, commissioning, and public health leaders to translate data into actionable insights that guide commissioning priorities, service redesign, and investment decisions.
• Provide specialist population health intelligence input to analytical frameworks and dashboards that support effective strategic commissioning and contract management, working in partnership with Business Intelligence and commissioning teams.
• Advise on data access, data quality, analytical methods and interpretation required for robust population health analysis, including appropriate use of primary care, acute, community, mental health, prescribing, public health, demographic and wider determinants datasets.
• Deliver high-quality communications, briefings and presentations for senior leaders that translate analytical insight into clear recommendations for decision making and partner engagement.

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the ICB in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:

• From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
• From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
• From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implement policy and/or service developments related to analytics, business intelligence and insight generation, drawing on requirements from NHS strategies, including the ICB strategy and the 10 Year Health Plan.
• Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies.
• Use research and innovation to inform service improvements or performance management.
• Use complex linked health and care datasets, including activity, finance, quality, outcomes and wider determinants data, to inform population health decision making.
• Apply advanced analytical methods to complex quantitative and qualitative data, including statistical modelling, regression, forecasting, evaluation, causal inference and interpretation of uncertainty where appropriate.
• Present complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings.
• Develop and use Population Health Management methodologies and tools, including segmentation, risk stratification, impactability assessment, pathway analysis, benchmarking and evaluation, to support projects and programmes that improve outcomes and service sustainability.
• Develop and deliver project plans to support analytical and business intelligence projects, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting.
• Manage competing priorities, prioritising own and team resources to effectively deliver on short, medium and longer term priorities.
• Ensure accurate reporting and records management.
• Support delivery of business plan for the analytical and population health intelligence unit.
• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership.
• Able to take account of a broad range of perspectives, including staff, patients and the public, to inform decision making.
• Present information and training to large groups.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, VCFSE partners and communities as needed.
• Effective engagement with patients and the public as required.
• Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to enable the collective ownership and delivery of projects that are seeking to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver a sustainable health and care system.
• Share complex and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing.
• Able to manage conflict, find compromise and persuade based on evidence as needed.
• Responsible for management of budget for the analytical and population health intelligence unit, and ensuring delivery against the agreed budget.
• Lead a team within the analytical and population health intelligence unit, including overseeing recruitment, onboarding, development and performance management of team members.
• Support staff through ICB transition, including the development of teams to deliver on new ICB portfolios as agreed through transition.
• Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition.
• Able to use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role.
• Expected to be physically on site at least 2 days a week (From April 2026), this may be in the ICB office, or in a partner location as required.

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities: As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.