Lead Business Analyst

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK through its work on counter‑terrorism, policing, immigration and more. The Automation & Innovation portfolio, part of the Digital and Innovation Group, delivers the government’s commitment to set the standard for excellence in the AI age, using cutting‑edge technology to transform public services across Border Security, Immigration, Asylum case management and more.

We are already delivering significant efficiency savings, freeing operational colleagues to focus on complex, human‑centred work where they add the greatest value. We operate at pace, turning the potential of AI and automation into real solutions that make a measurable difference to people’s lives.

As Lead Business Analyst, you’ll play a key role in this multi‑disciplinary team, shaping our early project lifecycle and benefits approach. The team identifies new opportunities, defines and delivers benefits across the project lifecycle and establishing a long‑term, sustainable automation and AI function for the department.

You’ll develop tools and processes to support feasibility assessments, manage and track financial benefits throughout delivery, and ensure benefits are realised once solutions go live. You’ll also help build wider understanding of benefits management and create resources that support business leads outside technology when assessing changes to ways of working.

A self‑starter, you’ll be confident managing a diverse range of stakeholders and leading the triage and benefits journey end to end.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital.

What You’ll Do

• Developing a specialist area and delivering coaching and mentoring to staff within this area to develop their Business Analysis and professional skillset, confidence and strategic thinking. Overseeing the work of other business analysts to ensure work is focused on the right solution to deliver business value.
• Understanding and defining the problem to be solved and ensuring strategic decision-making supports business outcomes as well as user needs.
• Planning and leading significant areas of Business Analysis delivery, leading the challenge and driving through to conclusions.
• Defining, planning and leading Business Analysis delivery on significant assignments. This will include providing recommendation and rationale to programme/project leads to critically shape project scope and to the Principal Business Analyst to accurately and dynamically inform resource planning across the Profession.
• Advising the business around which metrics to put in place to ensure the product is adding business value and to identify service improvement opportunities.
• Modelling complex processes/procedures using established techniques with understanding of their purpose and importance.
• Working with the Head of Role to develop and embed clear and consistent Business Analysis standards, guidance and templates across the Profession.

Essential skills

• Building strong, strategic relationships with the ability to understand, empathise, negotiate and influence individuals and groups.
• Strategic thinking skills with the ability to turn longer term goals and business outcomes into strategic and tactical solutions as required.
• Guiding your team to decide the best approach, helping them to visualise outcomes, prioritise work and agree minimum viable product.
• Eliciting requirements and needs and leading investigations and implementations of changes to programme scope.
• Recent experience of working in the delivery of technology.
• Collaborating with user researchers and championing user research to focus on all users. Defining approaches to understand the user story.

At the Home Office, your work has real-world impact, shaping the safety and security of millions. We offer:

Benefits include

• Meaningful Work: Contribute to critical national security and public service initiatives.
• Career Growth: Benefit from tailored development frameworks and professional communities.
• Flexible Working: Balance your professional and personal life with hybrid work options.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Join a workplace where your unique background and talents are celebrated.
• Exceptional pension: Employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Generous leave: 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with service), 8 public holidays, and 1 day for the King’s Birthday.
• Flexible working: Options include full‑time, part‑time, compressed hours, job sharing, and a hybrid model (minimum 60% on‑site).
• Learning and development: Access to training, technical accreditations, and funded qualifications (subject to approval).
• Recognition and inclusion: A culture that champions diversity, enhanced parental leave schemes, annual bonuses, and recognition awards.
• Learn more about our benefits: Benefits – Home Office Careers

Additional Information

• This role requires SC clearance. To meet national security vetting requirements, you must typically have been resident in the UK for at least five years. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas.