Senior Data Analyst
Are you a data-driven problem solver with a knack for turning insights into impact?
Do you excel at communicating complex findings to diverse audiences?
If so, then we want to hear from you!
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), delivering over £2 billion in payments to farmers, traders and landowners each year.
We are an Operational Delivery Profession organisation, with the majority of our people delivering day to day services to our customers and stakeholders.
We make excellent delivery happen, empowering agricultural and rural communities to create a better place to live.
We manage over 40 schemes, and also make payments on behalf of Natural England, to ensure we have a healthy rural economy, strong and sustainable rural communities, and to protect and enhance the natural environment.
Our vision is to create a great place for living for people in this country. We have developed a set of four strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all of the important.
Further information can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website www.rpa.gov.uk.
Strategic Analysis Team.
Role 1 – Budget Forecasting and Analysis
This role requires an understanding of data analysis, financial modelling, and forecasting techniques. The successful candidate will play a critical role in forecasting spend, analysing financial data, and providing actionable insights to support strategic decision making.
Key responsibilities include:
- Develop and maintain spend forecasting models to support both in-year and future years financial planning and budget processes.
- Analysis of historical data to identify trends and patterns to develop assumptions.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather non-data based assumptions and insights
- Collaborate with Finance and Operations colleagues to ensure a broader understanding of forecast assumptions and methodologies.
- Present findings and recommendations to budget holders.
- Monitor and report actual spend against forecasts making adjustment where necessary in the case of forecast deviation.
Role 2 – Fraud and Error Analysis
This role requires advanced analytical skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of fraud and error detection and prevention techniques. The successful candidate will play a critical role in analysing data to identify, measure, and report error that exists within subsidy scheme expenditure.
Key responsibilities include:
- Perform the yearly formal measure of error in accounts for inclusion within the published annual accounts.
- Development and maintenance of analytical pipelines to ensure efficient error reporting and analysis.
- Maintenance of documented methodologies and provide advice on sampling methodologies.
- Analysis of data to identify patterns, anomalies and potential areas most at risk of error that will inform preventative activities to reduce future error.
- Provide detailed reports and presentations on findings.
- Collaborate with internal teams and National Audit Office on error findings, results and methodologies.
Role 3 – Customer Analysis
This role requires advanced analytical skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of customer data and analysis.
The successful candidate will be responsible for performing comprehensive customer analysis to inform business strategies and enhance customer experience.
Key responsibilities include:
- Conduct in-depth customer analysis to identify trends, behaviours, and insights.
- Develop and maintain customer segmentation models to support targeted campaigns and service strategies.
- Analysis of behavioural data to form part of a wider evidence base used by the Customer business area to inform actionable insights.
- Collaborate with cross functional teams to integrate customers analysis and insights into business strategies.
- Provide detailed reports and presentations on findings.