Senior Business Analyst
Salary: £48,225 - £52,080 (including London weighting)
Hours of Work: 21 Hours PW
Closing Date: 18 May 2026
Contract: Permanent
Location: UK – Hybrid with a minimum of 40% of time in the London Office
The Senior Business Analyst leads the Business Analysis function within Digital, Data and Technology Solutions, providing expert leadership to ensure that digital and data‑enabled change is well‑defined, value‑driven and grounded in real business needs. The role focuses on shaping and assuring change, supporting CAFOD to deliver operational improvement, appropriate automation and effective, sustainable ways of working.
Specialising in problem definition, process improvement and solution adoption, the post holder works closely with managers and teams across CAFOD to analyse complex challenges and assess where changes to process, data or technology can deliver meaningful organisational benefit. Acting as a trusted bridge between business stakeholders and digital, data and technology specialists, the role ensures initiatives are delivery‑ready, supported by clear requirements, risks and success measures, and embedded into day‑to‑day practice.
Working closely with the Head of Data and Insight, the Senior Business Analyst ensures clear ownership of internal relationships and a coordinated approach to engagement, avoiding duplication and providing a consistent point of contact for departments to discuss their technology and data needs and solutions. The role also leads engagement with Technology Champions and works with Learning and Development to embed learning and training, ensuring that improvements are sustained and organisational capability is built alongside delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise‑level business analysis to ensure proposed initiatives are grounded in clear problem definition, aligned to organisational priorities and focused on meaningful operational and organisational benefit.
- Act as a trusted advisor to managers and department heads, supporting early exploration of system‑related change and continuous improvement opportunities.
- Analyse and articulate the organisational impacts of change, advising on readiness, risks and adoption requirements.
Requirements, Delivery Readiness & Quality
- Lead discovery and analysis beyond requirements capture, applying systems and process analysis to assess feasibility, options, impacts and fitness for purpose, driving continuous improvement through benefits realisation and iterative learning.
- Ensure changes are well‑defined and delivery‑ready, translating agreed outcomes into clear solution requirements and Jira change tickets.
- Enable efficient delivery and reduce risk by providing ongoing clarification and hands‑on support to developers and solution engineers, resolving ambiguity early and minimising rework.
- Lead and assure testing and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) from a business perspective, overseeing the quality of test plans and acceptance criteria and supporting confident business sign‑off.
Stakeholder & Relationship Management
- Lead relationship management and communications on behalf of DDaT Solutions, working closely with the Head of Data and Insight to coordinate engagement and ensure clear, consistent points of contact for departments.
- Facilitate structured workshops with diverse stakeholders to build shared understanding, elicit needs, test assumptions, resolve ambiguity and build shared ownership of change.
- Represent the business view credibly and constructively when working with digital, data and technology solutions colleagues, maintaining a focus on user needs and organisational outcomes.
- Provide input to technology steering groups and support effective business ownership and governance of key systems.
Capability Building & Business Analysis Leadership
- Support and strengthen organisational capability through training and engagement, developing materials, facilitating sessions and providing hands‑on assistance that improves system use and confidence over time.
- Build sustainable organisational capability by leading engagement with Technology Champions and working with Learning and Development to define and embed learning and training that supports adoption and effective system use.
- Provide professional leadership for the Business Analysis function, setting standards for quality and practice, coaching Business Analysts, and ensuring digital workspace solutions are shaped through a consistent, business‑led approach.
People Management
- Lead, manage, develop and support the team, championing purpose and values through building strong and safe working relationships, setting SMART objectives, conducting performance reviews and nurturing career development.
- Encourage collaborative ways of working and aid staff to be adaptable to change while engaging with the external and internal context.
Safeguarding
All CAFOD staff share the responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.
Job Specific Competencies
- Experience operating at a senior level in business analysis, with accountability for shaping, assuring and enabling technology‑ and data‑enabled change.
- Strong expertise in problem definition, options analysis, process improvement and solution adoption, applied in complex organisational environments.
- Good understanding of software development lifecycles and ability to translate business needs into clear, prioritised, delivery‑ready requirements and change artefacts, including Jira tickets and acceptance criteria.
- Experience leading or assuring testing and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) from a business perspective.
- Experience working effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, building engagement and providing support.
- An advanced Business Analysis qualification or equivalent experience operating at SFIA Level 5 would be advantageous.
CAFOD is a welcoming, supportive workplace committed to a safe, inclusive culture where everyone is respected. CAFOD will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process to ensure candidates with disabilities or individual needs are fully supported.
Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults
CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter‑Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.
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