Business Analyst

The ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University provides food businesses with technical, operational and commercial support to enable them to compete more effectively. ZERO2FIVE employs experienced food and drink technologists, business specialists and senior lecturers and professors. Collectively, this team specialise in all aspects of food and drink processing, manufacturing, operational and technical issues.

ZERO2FIVE is able to draw on expertise within Cardiff Metropolitan University which includes internationally recognised experts in food science, nutrition, dietetics, food legislation, environmental health, trading standards, new product development and biomedical sciences. Our team of internationally recognised food industry experts are available to assist our clients across a variety of food disciplines including baking, dairy and meat technologies, hygiene management, packaging design, technical management systems and new product development. The business team can provide marketing, market analysis, new product development, financial and trade engagement support. We can also assist companies in sourcing funding, a major stumbling block in the development of many businesses. The state-of-the-art facilities within ZERO2FIVE are available for use by businesses and schools. These include a consumer sensory suite, 4 pilot sized plants, a development kitchen and a consumer research kitchen.

The opportunity

The Business Analyst will primarily investigate situations, considering business and user perspectives, analyse business problems and processes, evaluate options and propose solutions. As the Business Analyst you will communicate and validate requirements and recommend solutions. A key part of the role is to develop digital solutions, processes and systems for their adoption into ZERO2FIVE, and with business stakeholders.

As the Business Analyst you will help develop and promote a focal point of digital excellence to support the successful delivery of ZERO2FIVE’s business improvements and project management systems. You will be expected to manage their time and prioritise their tasks on a day-to-day basis. You will make decisions which impact across ZERO2FIVE and decisions which could have significant long term impact for staff, stakeholders and customers.

What you’ll do

• Investigate, gather and document business systems needs using business analysis techniques in order to analyse impacts and risks and recommend feasible options and actions to improve their operation.
• Analyse business processes and digital information requirements and assess their efficiency and effectiveness in meeting overall ZERO2FIVE objectives.
• Capture “as is” processes and undertake analysis to identify key issues and inefficiencies. Work with ZERO2FIVE functions to create “to be” processes to address these inefficiencies in line with project and strategic drivers, highlighting the wider impact of proposed changes.
• Ensure that user requirements from business stakeholders are defined and documented and obtain relevant stakeholder sign-off.
• Assist Project Sponsors, Programme Manager and Project Managers in developing business cases for presentation to appropriate boards and ensure corporate perspective and strategic objectives is embedded in business change.
• To be responsible for designing and measuring the business benefits of allocated digital systems and processes working alongside relevant stakeholders and benefit owners, agreeing approaches for required business changes and managing their delivery to support the realisation of benefits.

What you’ll bring

• Good knowledge of digital solutions, in customer relationship, project management and business analysis theory.
• Excellent knowledge of business analysis techniques, project management and digital solutions e.g. requirements definition and benefits identification.
• MS Office suite of products including MS Visio and MS Project and other project management software solutions.
• Demonstrable ability in the use of business analysis techniques and related software solutions.
• Highly developed communication/ IT skills, including the ability to write reports and present complex information clearly and concisely in a manner appropriate to the audience.
• Ability to analyse complex situations, explore, evaluate and recommend potential digital solutions.
• Educated to Degree level or equivalent.
• Qualifications in business analysis/ digital / IT solutions/ project management. (e.g., Microsoft Teams, BCS, ISEB, Lean).

Why join Cardiff Metropolitan University?

In 2020, the University was named The Sunday Times ‘Welsh University of the Year 2021’; in 2021 it became the Times Higher Education ‘UK and Ireland University of the Year 2022’; and in 2022 it was ranked the top university in the UK in the People and Planet Green League.

In addition, the University offers highly competitive terms and conditions including:

• Annual leave of 35 days, plus 12 bank holiday / concessionary days (pro rata if part time).
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with generous contributions.
• Flexible and remote working opportunities.
• Excellent family friendly policies.
• Award winning sports and fitness facilities with subsidised membership, plus subsidised physiotherapy/complementary therapy/sports massage.
• Access to all library facilities.
• Salary sacrifice schemes including cycle to work.
• Free family access to our independent specialist wellbeing support provider, Health Assured.

If you would like to talk with us about this opportunity please contact Mandy Reed, Business Operations Director, at areed@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Should a high volume of applications be received, we may need to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage you to apply as early as possible.

The University is committed to creating a highly inclusive culture. We offer family friendly and flexible working arrangements and a range of staff networks, forums and events to support and develop our people. We warmly welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in the higher education sector.

Further information

Please read our Candidate Pack or visit our staff recruitment website for information about working for us, our culture, benefits, work-life balance and our career progression and development opportunities.