Senior Rankings and Performance Analyst(UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

The Opportunity

Henley Business School is seeking an experienced and strategically minded Senior Rankings and Performance Analyst to play a pivotal role during a six-month period of leadership cover. Reporting at senior level and deputising for the Head of Rankings and Performance, you will take ownership of global rankings activity and performance analysis that directly influences institutional decision-making and reputation.

This role sits at the intersection of data, strategy, and leadership. It offers the chance to shape how performance intelligence is generated, interpreted, and used—ensuring Henley continues to strengthen its national and international standing.

Why This Role Matters

University rankings and performance metrics increasingly influence student choice, research partnerships, and global reputation. Your work will help translate complex datasets into insight that informs priorities across Henley Business School and the wider University of Reading.

The role aligns with broader UK higher education transparency and data priorities, including public reporting and benchmarking frameworks supported by:

• Office for Students (OfS) – regulation and performance transparency
• Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) – sector-wide data standards
• Office for National Statistics (ONS) – labour market and graduate outcomes data

What You Will Be Responsible For

As Senior Rankings and Performance Analyst, you will lead both people and projects, ensuring high-quality outputs under demanding timelines.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Leadership & Deputising
Acting as deputy to the Head of Rankings and Performance, contributing to senior committees and providing expert advice on performance and reputational strategy.

Rankings Delivery & Strategy
Leading the preparation and submission of data and evidence for major national and global rankings, while identifying opportunities to improve future outcomes.

Advanced Data Analysis
Interpreting complex rankings and performance datasets, producing clear narratives, dashboards, and recommendations that support strategic decision-making.

Performance Reporting & Dashboards
Developing and enhancing a suite of Power BI reports, responding to evolving stakeholder needs and addressing data gaps.

Graduate & Student Engagement Monitoring
Overseeing key student and graduate engagement initiatives that feed into rankings indicators and reputation measures.

Team & Stakeholder Management
Managing a small specialist team, allocating resources effectively, and working collaboratively with academic and professional services colleagues to deliver agreed actions on time.

Governance & Reporting
Preparing papers, briefings, and reports for leadership teams and governance committees.

About You

You will be a confident analyst and communicator who is comfortable operating at senior level and influencing across organisational boundaries.

You will bring:

• Proven experience in performance analysis, rankings, or institutional data within higher education or a comparable sector
• Advanced data literacy, with experience turning complex datasets into clear, actionable insight
• Strong capability in dashboard development and data visualisation, ideally using Power BI
• A solid understanding of national and international university rankings methodologies
• Experience managing people, projects, or specialist workflows
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills and the confidence to challenge and advise constructively
• You thrive in a collaborative environment, manage multiple priorities with ease, and value precision, clarity, and impact in your work.

Visa and Right-to-Work Information

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker Route, subject to the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and points-based requirements.

Applicants considering sponsorship should review guidance from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)

General information on working in the UK 

Equality, Inclusion and Flexible Working

The University of Reading is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We actively support the Athena SWAN Charter, the Race Equality Charter, and LGBT+ equality, and we are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2).

Applications for job-share, part-time, and flexible working arrangements are encouraged and will be considered in line with operational requirements.