SEND Reform Data Analyst

Permanent, Full Time

£37,649 to £44,292 per annum

Location: Chelmsford*

Closing Date: 1st November 2026

*This is a hybrid-working role contractually based in Chelmsford. You will work from the Chelmsford office at least one day per month, depending on business need.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role, so applicants must have current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

The SEND Reform Programme is redesigning how children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are supported across Essex. High-quality data and intelligence are essential to the design, delivery and evaluation of the Reform Plan and the new SEND service.

The SEND Reform Data Analyst will gather, validate, analyse and interpret data from internal and external sources, turning it into clear intelligence that informs decisions, service design, delivery and evaluation. The role will provide insight into need, access requirements, performance, capacity, outcomes, variation and gaps, helping leaders understand the current system, shape future models and assess whether changes are delivering the intended benefits.

Working closely with operational services, corporate data team, SEND strategic colleagues and partners, the post holder will develop reporting, analysis and data products for programme governance, service leaders and external returns. The role will support evidence-based implementation across the SEND Reform workstreams, including geographical planning, performance and benefits tracking, self-evaluation and continuous improvement.

We are recruiting two SEND Reform Data Analysts to work under the oversight of the SEND Data and Intelligence Lead.

Accountabilities

Gather, combine, validate and analyse quantitative and qualitative data from SEND operational systems, corporate sources and partners, ensuring analysis is accurate, proportionate and fit for purpose.
Translate complex data into clear intelligence, visualisations and concise narratives that enable reform leads, operational managers and governance boards to understand demand, performance, variation, risks and opportunities.
Provide analytical input to the design and implementation of the SEND Reform Plan and new SEND service, including baselining current activity, modelling need and testing assumptions for future operating models.
Develop and maintain dashboards, scorecards, datasets and regular reporting that track reform delivery, service performance, outcomes, benefits and key dependencies.
Produce geographical and cohort-level analysis to inform local planning, workforce deployment, sufficiency and the development of support through school clusters and other local delivery arrangements.
Support programme evaluation and self-evaluation by defining measures, establishing baselines, monitoring impact and identifying where delivery needs to adapt, working closely with evaluation, improvement and programme colleagues.
Prepare accurate and timely information for internal governance, inspection readiness, statutory requirements and Department for Education returns, including supporting evidence and clear explanations of findings.
Work collaboratively with operational and corporate teams to improve data quality, definitions, collection and reporting, escalating gaps or limitations and agreeing practical improvements.
Apply appropriate information governance, data protection and quality assurance requirements, clearly communicating the limitations of available data and analysis.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

Educated to RQF Level 6 (degree level) in data analytics, statistics, business intelligence, social research, education or a related subject, or equivalent relevant experience.
Evidence of continuing professional development in data analysis, performance or business intelligence is desirable.
Experience of gathering, cleaning, joining and analysing complex data from multiple sources, with the ability to identify patterns, variation, risks and data limitations.
Ability to translate analysis into clear, accessible and actionable intelligence for operational managers, programme leads, senior leaders and non-technical audiences.
Experience of developing dashboards, reports and data visualisations using tools such as Power BI, SQL, Excel, Tableau or equivalent analytical solutions.
Experience of supporting service design, transformation, performance management or evaluation by establishing baselines, defining measures and assessing impact.
Strong collaborative skills, with experience of working across operational and corporate teams to clarify requirements, improve data quality and deliver shared analytical products.
Understanding of information governance, data protection, analytical quality assurance and the responsible use of data within a complex public service environment.
Knowledge of SEND services, Education, Health and Care Plans, statutory responsibilities or the wider education, health and care system is desirable, with the ability to build subject knowledge quickly.

To read more about us please visit: Education

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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