Organisation: Cranfield University
Faculty or Department: People and Culture
Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work: 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type: Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period: 1 year
Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £38,655 to £42,942 per annum
Apply by: 11/11/2026
Role Description
We welcome applications from analytical, curious and collaborative individuals who are passionate about using data and insight to support evidence-based decision-making. This is an exciting opportunity to join our People & Culture team and play a key role in delivering workforce analytics, statutory reporting and strategic people insights across Cranfield University.
About the Role
We are recruiting for a Data Analyst - People to provide high-quality workforce data, analysis and reporting that supports operational and strategic decision-making across Cranfield University. Working within the People & Culture team, you will analyse and interpret people-related data, identify trends, monitor key workforce metrics and provide insights that support workforce planning, organisational effectiveness and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.
The role is responsible for delivering workforce analytics, statutory reporting and sector benchmarking activities, including HESA staff returns, pay gap reporting, Freedom of Information requests and workforce data for initiatives such as Athena Swan and other strategic projects. You will work closely with colleagues across People & Culture, Payroll, IT and the wider University to ensure high standards of data quality, governance and reporting, while contributing to the continuous improvement of reporting processes and data-driven decision-making.
About You
You will be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline, or have equivalent experience in data analytics, business analysis or a related field. You will have significant experience of people analytics, workforce reporting and data analysis, ideally within the Higher Education sector. Experience of producing statutory returns and benchmarking submissions, including HESA and UCEA returns, would be advantageous.
You will be highly analytical, with the ability to manipulate and interpret complex datasets and present findings clearly to a range of audiences. You will have advanced Excel skills, experience of designing reports and dashboards, and a strong understanding of data quality and governance principles. Experience of HR systems, workforce data management and Power BI is desirable, while knowledge of Unit4 Agresso HR would be an advantage. Most importantly, you will be able to turn data into meaningful insights that support evidence-based decision-making across the University.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.
We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Sue Edwards, Head of Reward, Systems & Data, on (E): sue.edwards@cranfield.ac.uk
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: peoplerecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5417.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 11 November 2026
Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.