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Thames Water

Lead Business Analyst

Reading·Hybrid·1d ago·Closes in 3 days

Salary

£65k – £80k

Work type

Hybrid

Level

lead

Category

Analytics & BI

About the role

As a Lead Business Analyst, you will play a key role within the Digital team at Thames Water, supporting the delivery of digital transformation initiatives across a portfolio of projects.

This role contributes to Thames Water’s digital transformation by managing the ideation, analysis, and implementation lifecycle of digital initiatives, while leading and developing a team of Business Analysts. You will collaborate across the organisation to ensure effective delivery, high-quality analysis, and continuous improvement in ways of working.

What you’ll be doing as a Lead Business Analyst

  • Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, influencing and communicating effectively across all levels of the organisation.
  • Champion the Business Analysis function, promoting its value, vision, and strategic direction.
  • Manage the allocation and utilisation of Business Analysts across initiatives, ensuring optimal resourcing and alignment with skills and development goals.
  • Take ownership of early-stage requirements through structured processes such as Stage Gate requests.
  • Provide leadership and management to a team of Business Analysts, including coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback.
  • Adopt a strategic approach to business analysis, focusing on complex solutions and identifying new opportunities for value creation.
  • Support stakeholders in visualising outcomes, prioritising work, and delivering minimum viable products (MVP).
  • Support Digital transformation objectives, including improvements to processes, adoption of new ways of working, and capability development.
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives within the Business Analysis practice, including adoption of Agile principles and cultural change.

Base location – Hybrid – Clearwater Court, Reading.
Working pattern – 36 hours Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

  • Extensive experience working in a Digital Business Analysis environment.
  • Experience managing portfolios of initiatives and early-stage demand (e.g., “Front Door” requests).
  • Proven experience leading and managing teams, with the ability to coach and mentor others.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build relationships.
  • Ability to communicate complex business and technical concepts clearly and effectively.
  • Strong customer-focused mindset with the ability to manage expectations and priorities.
  • Experience directing business analysis activities, including requirements elicitation and problem-solving.
  • Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

Technical experience and skills

  • Strong knowledge and application of Business Analysis methodologies and practices.
  • Ability to work across a range of delivery methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall.
  • Experience supporting portfolio prioritisation, planning, and delivery tracking.
  • Ability to produce high-quality documentation and analysis outputs aligned to business objectives.

Desirable qualifications and experience

  • Proactive and adaptable approach, with the ability to work independently and manage varied workloads.
  • Deep expertise in Business Analysis practices and frameworks.
  • Understanding of the water industry, including regulatory and operational considerations.
    -Experience working across both large and small project teams.

Desirable technical skills and qualifications

  • BCS Diploma or equivalent qualification in Business Analysis.
  • Experience or certification in DevOps tools, processes, and methodologies.
  • Management or leadership qualification.
  • Degree-level qualification in Information Technology or a related field.
  • Experience working within a Digital Cyber Security Portfolio, including supporting security‑focused initiatives, understanding cyber risk, and collaborating with security architecture, operations, and governance teams.

What’s in it for you?

  • Competitive salary from £65,000 to £80,000 per annum.
  • Annual Leave: 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
  • Car Allowance.
  • Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
  • Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
  • Private Medical Health Care.
  • Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

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