Strategic Operational Research Manager

Strategic Operational Research Manager

£50,000 - £57,000pa plus Excellent Benefits

Hybrid working with occasional travel to our Coventry Head Office and Campuses (Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester) once a month

Full-Time Permanent

Read the full job description here

About Arden University:

We are an aspirational and multi-award-winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first-choice university for career-focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Arden University, as we expand into new disciplines, forge worldwide partnerships, and expand our locations.

About the Department:

The Analysis, Insights & Performance department at Arden University plays a vital role in driving data-driven decisions. By providing valuable insights, monitoring performance, and promoting innovation, the team supports the university's mission to enhance student outcomes and drive continuous improvement.

About the Opportunity:

We have an exciting new opportunity for an Analytical Strategist to work closely with our executive team to support the implementation of our Data Practice Strategy, aligning data insights with the university's strategic goals. Covering areas such as Student Experience, Compliance, Corporate, and Academic operations, you'll develop data solutions to improve decision-making, enhance divisional operations, and provide insights that deepen our understanding of the student journey. You will collaborate with a broader team of strategists and analysts to deliver impactful analysis and ensure data-driven decision-making across the university.

About You:

We are looking for candidates who will bring expertise and passion to the role, with a strong analytical and scientific foundation to support impactful data-driven insights across the organisation. You must have:

• A background in Operational Research, Data Science, or a related analytical field
• Foundational knowledge in science or mathematics
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a proactive and solution-focused approach
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to convey complex information to senior stakeholders in an understandable, persuasive manner
• Confidence in discussing the impact of data products and insights
• A solid grasp of scientific principles, enabling effective troubleshooting and resolution of data-related challenges
• A commitment to using data insights to drive meaningful, measurable results across the organisation

Why Arden:

At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students' journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits. Employees benefit from:

• 30 days holiday, add the bank holiday on top, and we even throw in Christmas closure
• A generous Aviva pension plan, our contributions start at 7%
• Private Medical Insurance
• Study any Arden course for free, with generous discount for all family and friends
• Our ‘Golden Ticket’ which allows you to gift anyone in your life a free Arden education
• Plus, other competitive benefits!

Our Values:

Stand out, Progressive, Accessible, Resourceful, Kindness, reflect who we are as an institution, a team and as individuals. If they also reflect you and you are excited by the chance to be the driving, creative force within a growing business, we want to hear from you.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Arden University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you have a disability, as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010, you may be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, you can indicate via the application form below. By doing so, you are also consenting for this information to be shared with the hiring team. For more details on what qualifies as a disability under the Disability Equality Act 2010, please refer to the guidance here.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Therefore, we make sure that our recruitment and selection processes never discriminate based upon people's age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances, and actively welcome applications from all groups.