Data & Performance Analyst UK Visa Sponsorship

Job Description

Data & Performance Analyst
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
UKRI Band D

Salary: £37,841 per annum
Location: Polaris House, Swindon – Hybrid working available
Contract type: Permanent (open-ended)
Hours: Full-time or part-time (minimum 0.8 FTE)
Closing date: Sunday 8 February 2026 at 23:55
Interview dates: Week commencing 23 February 2026 (in-person at Polaris House)

Why Join Us?

We’re looking for a talented, adaptable analyst to become part of NERC’s lively Business Insight and Performance Team. This multidisciplinary group supports the whole of NERC  and wider UKRI  by delivering high-quality data, analytics, and evaluation work that informs important decisions.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in strengthening NERC’s evidence base and producing reliable analytical outputs that drive strategy. You’ll tackle a varied mix of projects, giving you plenty of scope to build new skills and grow in areas that matter most to your career.

Sitting within NERC’s Strategy and Performance Directorate (specifically the Performance and Data Team), you’ll collaborate closely with colleagues in our Analysis and Insight function through matrix-style working. Your day-to-day will include:

• Creating, updating, and managing data visualisations and interactive dashboards to give clearer insight into our portfolio and support better decision-making.
• Helping build and refine a Machine Learning-based Science Taxonomy for NERC, enabling deeper thematic analysis of our funding and better alignment with UKRI’s strategic goals.
• Driving ongoing improvements to our reporting systems, data workflows, and overall data quality.
• Gathering, cleaning, and preparing data to fulfil regular internal and external reporting needs, using relevant business tools and platforms.
• Leading coordination of NERC’s responses to data requests, including Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiries.
• Contributing as a collaborative team member while developing your technical and soft skills, and engaging actively with the broader UKRI analytical community.
• Championing the effective use of data and evidence across the organisation — especially with senior leaders — to promote informed, evidence-based choices.
• Providing flexible, ad-hoc analytical support to teams across NERC, applying a range of statistical and analytical techniques.

What We are Looking For

We’ll assess the following at shortlisting and/or interview (noted as S&I).

Essential criteria

• Degree-level qualification (or equivalent professional experience) in a relevant field involving data analysis. (S&I)
• Strong technical skills, with advanced Excel expertise and solid hands-on experience in analytics tools/programming languages such as Power BI, Tableau, SQL, Alteryx, R, and/or Python. (S&I)
• Excellent numerical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, with proven experience independently preparing robust data and evidence to guide decisions. (S&I)
• Track record of gathering requirements from diverse stakeholders and delivering tailored reports that genuinely meet their needs. (S&I)
• Confident communicator who can translate complex technical concepts clearly to non-expert audiences. (I)
• Well-organised, with strong prioritisation skills to manage multiple demands effectively. (I)
• Meticulous attention to detail and ability to produce accurate, reproducible reports and outputs. (I)
• Comfortable working autonomously or collaboratively within a team. (I)
• Positive interpersonal style and confidence to build relationships and engage with stakeholders at all levels. (S&I)

Desirable (nice to have)

• Familiarity with the UK research funding environment and how it operates. (S&I)
• Genuine interest in environmental science or related disciplines. (S&I)
• Practical experience querying relational databases with SQL. (S&I)
• Hands-on experience designing and building interactive dashboards in Power BI or Tableau. (S&I)

What we offer

We truly value our people and aim to create a supportive, rewarding environment. Benefits include:

• Excellent defined-benefit pension scheme
• 30 days’ annual leave + 10.5 public/privilege days (pro-rated for part-time)
• Retail, leisure, and lifestyle discounts
• Confidential employee assistance programme
• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements
• Wide range of wellbeing support and development opportunities

For full details, visit the UKRI benefits page.

UKRI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Disability Confident Employer.

How to Apply

Submit your application online via the UKRI careers portal, including a CV and cover letter. In your cover letter, please highlight examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential (and any desirable) criteria.

If you run into any technical issues applying, email Recruitment@ukri.org for support.

Visa/sponsorship note

If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you (and any dependants) will need to cover Home Office application fees upfront. UKRI may reimburse some or all of these costs once you start — this can be discussed during the recruitment process. More information is available at gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or by contacting Recruitment@ukri.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!