Principal Analyst (Sustainability)

Updated: 18 days ago
Location: Harrow N W and S, ENGLAND
Deadline: 09 Apr 2024

Job description

The Principal Analyst (Sustainability) is an exciting new role to lead and manage the university’s sustainability-related data, analytics and reporting. The role is based in the Analytics team within the Directorate of Finance, Procurement, Strategic Planning & Analytics , with a dotted reporting line to the Programme Director within King’s Climate and Sustainability. This is a hybrid role, split between on-site and home working. Generally, the role holder will be expected to work one day a week with the Analytics team at the Lavington Street site and one day a week with the KCS team at the Strand campus.

King’s Climate & Sustainability (KCS) is a new university-wide initiative to step up our response to the challenge of climate emergency and global sustainability, and to accelerate and connect research, education and action across King’s. With an ambition to become a net zero institution, King’s has already made progress to embed sustainability into our operations. We are now uniquely positioned to amplify, connect and scale impactful research, education and action, build new connections between fields of study – including technological, socio-economic, legal, geopolitical – and create meaningful external partnerships to deliver strong, distinctive and visible contributions to the challenge of achieving just and fair transitions to sustainability.

The role holder will lead and manage sustainability-related data, metrics and internal/external reporting across the university. They will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, including senior stakeholders, to ensure the university’s sustainability data analytics needs are met.

We are looking for someone with demonstrable experience of working with complex data sets, with a collaborative approach to their work. The successful role holder will have advanced data and analytical skills and the ability to use a range of techniques to evaluate, model and interpret data.

The Analytics Team fulfil internal and external information requirements, providing advice and analysis to support decision making processes across the university.

As a multi-award-winning data team, we are committed to investing in our people by offering growth through:

  • Dedicated learning days to support your career development
  • Hybrid and remote working arrangements and,
  • A culture of collaboration and teamwork

At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

We believe that our differences make us stronger, and encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, learning styles, ways of thinking, experiences and abilities.

King’s offers a variety of benefits to support staff wellbeing, including:

  • A highly competitive pension scheme,
  • 30 days’ paid leave each year on top of public holidays, and four extra days at Christmas
  • Paid time off to volunteer
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Leave and assistance to support parenting and caring commitments
  • Flexible working
  • Support with travel costs

More information can be found here

This post will be offered on a permanent contract.

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent, though requests for part-time working will be considered.


Key responsibilities
  • Work with colleagues to manage the provision of sustainability-related data for internal reporting requirements (e.g. Environmental Management System (EMS) reviews, sustainability KPIs, Climate & Sustainability Action Plan targets).
  • Manage the provision of data for external reporting requirements, in collaboration with the KCS team, Estates & Facilities and other relevant directorates, including:
  • Sustainability-related league tables and rankings (e.g. People & Planet; Times Higher Education Impact Rankings; QS Sustainability Rankings),
  • Surveys and questionnaires (e.g. Race to Zero, SDG Accord)
  • HESA/statutory returns (e.g. Estates Management Return)
  • King’s reports (e.g. annual King’s financial statement; King’s annual environmental sustainability report)
  • Awards and certifications (e.g. Fairtrade University certification; Sustainable Restaurant Association)
    • Work with colleagues to oversee the collation and analysis of external data, particularly scope 3 emissions data, ensuring quality control, review and sign-off and driving improvements in scope 3 reporting to support our Net Zero commitments.
    • Benchmark the University’s performance within the sector and against similar organisations using national and regional indices.
    • Provide insight and analysis to key stakeholders, synthesising data from a multitude of sources and applying a range of analytical methods, e.g. the provision of data and scenario modelling for business cases.
    • Develop data tools (e.g. Power BI dashboards) for King’s stakeholders and provide data and analysis to support the development of written materials (papers, business cases, communications) for a wide range of audiences, including committees and senior stakeholders.
    • Collaborate with communications and engagement colleagues to translate complex data into compelling stories and graphic/visual representations.
    • Provide data and analysis to assess the impact and success of sustainability projects and initiatives across King’s and the achievement of objectives in the Climate & Sustainability Action Plan.
    • Develop relationships with key colleagues and stakeholders across the university to ensure strategic, efficient and integrated data collection processes and to understand and deliver their analytical requirements.
    • Support the remit of the Analytics team to co-ordinate the delivery of business intelligence and to foster a positive data culture, including delivering training, supporting staff institution wide, and demonstrating the value of a data informed approach to the organisation.
    • Have awareness of the implications of the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act on the management and retention of data, and to act accordingly in keeping with both statutory regulations and King’s procedures.
    • Maintain professional knowledge by attending training/conferences/events, establishing personal networks and participating in professional development activities.

    The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.


    Skills, knowledge, and experience

    Essential criteria

  • Advanced data and analytical skills, with the ability to utilise a number of business intelligence tools to an advanced standard, for example Power BI, Tableau, SQL, R, M, Python, Power Fx, Excel.
  • Able to deploy a range of techniques to evaluate, model and interpret data, for example, scenario planning, horizon scanning and statistical modelling.
  • Able to communicate the outcome of analysis verbally, in writing and via presentations with experience of technical report writing for non-specialist audiences.
  • Extensive knowledge of the means through which insight can be derived from data, including understanding of relevant mathematical and statistical methods.
  • Able to effectively visualise data to an advanced level and convey the outcome of the analysis.
  • Understanding of the broad nature of sustainability data and reporting in the context of Higher Education or other large, complex institutions.
  • Experience of working with a range of different types and sources of data, placing information into relevant context to derive insights and inform decision making.
  • Strong organisational skills with the ability to contend with competing priorities, manage multiple and complex projects and effectively manage stakeholder expectations.
  • Demonstrable experience of collaborative team working to deliver successful outcomes.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and concise written materials and build effective networks.
  • Desirable criteria

  • Passion for climate change and sustainability issues, and previous experience of working on sustainability reporting and benchmarking.
  • First degree in a relevant field.
  • Knowledge of data protection legislation.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the UK Higher Education sector.
  • We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

    We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

    We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

    To find out how our managers review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’   pages.

    This role does / does not meet the requirements of the Home Office and therefore we are / are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates who require the right to work in the UK.



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