Senior Analyst (Inclusive Communities)

We’re looking for a Senior Analyst (Public Service Innovation) to turn data into meaningful change across the West Midlands.

This is a high-impact role at the heart of inclusive growth, across homelessness and systems change and inclusion. You’ll combine strong analytical expertise with outstanding communication skills, translating complex data into clear, compelling insight for senior leaders.

Working in a matrix environment, you’ll build trusted relationships across government, partners, and communities to influence policy, drive collaboration, and deliver real-world impact.

If you’re as confident with data as you are with people, this is your chance to make a difference at scale.

Please note, interviews will be taking place on 18th May 2026

What you will be doing. 

• Present, communicate and disseminate data appropriately and with influence and persuasion to a range of WMCA and external stakeholders using written, verbal and interactive visualisation tools, including communicating the limitations of data.
• Provide input and guidance to colleagues for the effective design and implementation of programme-specific outcomes and impact evaluation approaches. Encourage colleagues to embed good data capture practices into their own programmes to enable effective reuse and implementation of best practice.
• Champion social research across the West Midlands system to ensure the intelligence and analysis needs are met, including inclusive growth; diversity, equalities, and inclusion; homelessness; environment; and other strategic priorities as required.
• Work flexibly and with integrity to meet the needs of the WMCA and the SENZ function. Listening to the needs of stakeholders, for instance, the Homelessness Taskforce and Race Equalities Taskforce, and interpreting them into research and analytical questions. This will include hosting difficult conversations with diverse senior stakeholders, managing expectations of stakeholders as to what is achievable, and managing active and reactive communications as appropriate
• Advocate good data governance and data management standards and guidelines in line with the hub-and-spoke approach to research, intelligence, analysis and data in the WMCA, working to continually communicate and improve data management practices, and supporting the use of common analytical approaches, toolsets and software. Where possible, you will seek to automate data management activities and develop processes to enable good data management practices and compliance with data governance policies.Applying a range of methods to collate, analyse research, intelligence, analysis and data from a range of sources and synthesise findings relating to the Office for Public Service Innovation and Homelessness, effectively engaging colleagues with a range of views in appropriate use of data and evidence, advising on the choice and application of analytical approaches to assure best practice, and by making complex contested information easy to understand for a range of stakeholders.
• Use data integration tools to integrate and store evidence from multiple sources, ensuring that data is of good quality and is interoperable with other data sets, enabling reuse.
• Lead and manage complex analytical projects using appropriate project management techniques.Oversee budget planning and resource allocation for programme delivery, ensuring value for money and alignment with funding conditions and appropriate financial management and governance processes.
• Support the development of blended finance approaches and investment-readiness initiatives to unlock social finance and grant opportunities, such as the pilot with Big Issue Invest.
• Create mechanisms for monitoring financial performance of funded initiatives, ensuring accountability and sustainability.
• Ensure Value for Money and follow the appropriate governance processes for dealing with any financial activities. 

What’s essential.

• Conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis
• Producing reports, advice, and briefings for senior stakeholders.
• Ensuring relevant legal, ethical, procurement, and quality assurance practice are followed.
• Working with stakeholders to gather requirements and deliver findings.
• Strong ICT and mathematical skills demonstrated through relevant qualifications and/or work experience.
• Applied knowledge of statistical methods and data analysis techniques.
• Use of appropriate tools and techniques for the analysis and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data and evidence.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to senior stakeholders.
• Modelling, cleansing and enrichment of data and evidence.
• Applied understanding of data quality assurance, validation, and linkage.
• Ability to identify gaps in the evidence base and to make sound recommendations for how this can be managed.
• Ability to identify salient points and trends from research and analysis or other information and draws out sound, logical inferences, for example, picks out key messages from dense data sets into key business insight.
• Understanding of the legal and ethical compliance needs of research projects, and knows when to seek further support on legal or ethical issues.
• Ability to navigate complex governance, political sensitivities and communications requirements.

Hiring Manager: Si Chum Lam

Recruitment Partner: Tom Bailey

Pay Scale: SP30 - SP34

Location.

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD with at least 2 days a week spent in the office.

How to apply. 

Applying for a role with WMCA is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started.

1. Create your Careers Account. Register with your name, email address, and a password.
2. Build your Profile. Upload your CV to help populate your career and education details.
3. Write your Supporting Statement. Make sure to address each of the required essential criteria.
4. Submit your application. Do one final check and once complete, click submit.

Anonymised Applications.

Your uploaded CV won’t be visible after submission. Our process is anonymised, and only the information in your profile is used for shortlisting. Be thorough in each section. It’s your chance to showcase your skills and experience.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

We cannot stop anyone from using AI to help write application content. Used right, it can be a great tool. If you choose to use AI, then use it as a helper rather than relying on it wholly to write your application.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting. For help on how to write a supporting statement, please visit the FAQs section of our careers site.

Reasonable adjustments.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team (careers@wmca.org.uk).

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs). 
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days. 
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.   
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses. 

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Why join WMCA?

WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home.

We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values and Behaviours. 

Fostering an environment where people feel valued, included, supported, and proud to contribute to our region is important to us at the WMCA. Our behaviours are more than statements; they guide how we work, make decisions, and treat one another - they set the standards we hold ourselves to and the experience we want others to have.

• Collaborative - We work as one organisation, building trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and customers to create the biggest impact for our region.
• Driven - Focussed on impact - leading with clarity, care and courage to deliver meaningful results for the West Midlands. 
• Inclusive - Every voice matters - we create belonging, fairness and psychological safety so everyone can thrive. 
• Innovative - We think future and act smarter - embracing curiosity, creativity and continuous improvement to shape the future. 

Creating an inclusive workplace.

WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We’re a Disability Confident Employer with ‘Leader’ status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying

Right to Work in the UK

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).