Planning Analyst

Grade and Salary range: Grade 7, £38,448 to £48,337 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35 hours per week), Open-Ended

Purpose of Role

The Planning Analyst plays a key role in developing and embedding the University's integrated planning capability.

The postholder develops insight into strategic priorities, operational activity, financial performance, capacity, dependencies and risk to support effective planning and decision-making across the institution.

Working across a complex stakeholder environment, the role produces analysis, forecasts and management information that support prioritisation, affordability, governance and resource allocation decisions, while contributing to the development of planning standards, processes and reporting.

About our Directorate and Team

Heriot‑Watt University is a leading UK university recognised for world‑class teaching and impactful, industry‑relevant research, with campuses in the UK, Dubai and Malaysia.

University Governance & Operations governs and directs both the University's global commercial operations and the governance arrangements that underpin its charitable status and professional services functions.

The Integrated Planning function sits within the Change, Performance & Transformation Directorate, which is responsible for establishing and embedding the University's change, planning, performance and transformation capabilities.

The function provides a university-wide view of demand, capacity, performance, affordability, risk and resource utilisation, bringing together strategic, operational and financial planning information to support prioritisation, investment decisions and delivery of Strategy 2035.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain integrated planning artefacts, including demand, capacity, dependency, resource and roadmap views to support University-wide planning and decision-making.
• Analyse planning, financial, performance, workforce and change portfolio information to identify trends, risks, constraints, opportunities and delivery implications.
• Support the development of integrated planning, forecasting and scenario modelling capabilities, providing insight into affordability, capacity, prioritisation and delivery feasibility.

Support the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the future planning model while the University* 's ongoing operational planning and decision-making continue.

• Develop and maintain management information, forecasts, dashboards and reporting that combine financial, operational and delivery measures to support executive decision-making.
• Support planning and prioritisation cycles through analysis of submissions, impacts, dependencies, risks and trade-offs.
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders across the University to gather planning inputs, challenge assumptions, improve data quality and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Develop and maintain planning standards, methodologies, templates and guidance that promote consistent planning practices and effective governance.
• Undertake capacity, workforce and affordability analysis to support investment decisions, operational performance management and resource allocation.

Contribute to governance forums and executive reporting through the provision of planning insight, forecasts, risk assessments and recommendations, while identifying opportunities to improve planning processes, reporting and ways of working.

• Education, Qualifications and Experience

• Degree qualification or equivalent relevant professional experience in planning, operational performance, change portfolio management, strategy, finance or a related discipline.
• Experience working within planning, performance, portfolio, PMO, operational management or similar environments in a complex organisation.
• Experience supporting financial planning, forecasting, prioritisation, management information, performance reporting, or resource allocation processes.
• Strong analytical skills, including experience interpreting financial, operational and performance information to assess impacts, identify risks and opportunities, and develop evidence-based recommendations.
• Demonstrable experience translating complex information into clear insights, reports and recommendations for decision-makers.
• Experience producing management information, governance materials, briefing papers and presentations for senior stakeholders.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, challenge constructively and build effective working relationships across organisational boundaries.

Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Excel, Power BI, Word, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint.

• Desirable
• Experience working within higher education,