Statutory Data Returns Manager

• Leading the team to deliver statutory data returns, ensuring compliance with timescales and deadlines.
• Being an expert on the uses and implications of institutional data within regulatory returns.
• Understanding the data required from the institution to meet statutory data requirements, including data flows across systems.
• Ensuring college systems can collect the right data by working across the data and technology landscape.
• Identifying data quality issues within statutory data and working with data owners, stewards, and producers to find resolutions.
• Defining and delivering an assured statutory dataset for insight and analysis, including providing data definitions and quality assurance.
• Leading the preparation, validation, and submission of statutory data returns, including HESA, OfS, Data Futures, Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey, Provider Profile, Discover Uni, NSS, and Graduate Outcomes.
• Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of data by implementing robust data quality checks and validation processes.
• Collaborating with internal departments to gather and compile necessary data.
• Staying updated on changes in statutory data reporting requirements to ensure institutional compliance.
• Interpreting and implementing data reporting guidelines from regulatory bodies.
• Advising senior management on compliance issues and potential impacts of regulatory changes.
• Analysing data to identify trends, anomalies, and areas for improvement.
• Developing and maintaining documentation of data processes, methodologies, and definitions.
• Conducting regular audits to ensure data integrity and compliance with reporting standards.
• Liaising with external bodies, including regulatory agencies and auditors.
• Collaborating with academic and administrative staff to enhance data collection processes.
• Providing training and support to staff involved in data collection and reporting.
• Identifying and implementing enhancements to data collection and reporting systems.
• Working with IT and other departments to optimize data management systems and tools.
• Leading and managing projects related to statutory data returns, ensuring timelines and deliverables are met.
• Preparing reports and presentations for senior management on the status and outcomes of data return submissions.
• Managing and supporting a small team of data analysts, ensuring effective resource allocation.
• Providing leadership on the implications for statutory returns of major Office for Students and Government initiatives.
• Contributing to a collaborative work environment by supporting decision-making on BI and data warehouse solutions.

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification.
• Proven experience with large and complex data sets.
• Experience managing statutory returns processes in higher education or public sector.
• Strong understanding of data quality assurance and data protection legislation.
• Ability to interpret and distil complex technical information for non-technical audiences.
• Highly analytical with the ability to process large volumes of data.
• Innovative and creative in problem-solving.

• Proficiency in using data tools and technology for data manipulation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products and data visualization tools.
• Experience using relational database systems.
• Understanding of the requirements of data protection legislation and confidentiality policies.
• Ability to understand and interpret complex information and requirements.
• Ability to assess the purpose of required outputs, identify relevant data sources, and verify their validity.
• Ability to join, conform, manipulate, and scrutinize large and disparate data sets.
• Project management skills for key analyses to drive time-dependent regulatory work.

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with specific higher education data systems (e.g., HESA, HESES).
• Knowledge of the UK Higher Education sector and national policy environment.
• Experience with advanced data manipulation and visualization tools (e.g. Power BI).
• Familiarity with data governance frameworks and best practices.
• Knowledge of cloud-based data storage and management solutions (e.g. Microsoft 365).
• Experience with data integration tools and techniques.
• Proficiency in SQL for complex queries and database management.
• Understanding of machine learning and statistical analysis techniques.

• Health Benefits
• Life Assurance Plans
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Pension, Cars, Cycle to Work)
• Annual Leave & Holiday Benefits (Buy Holiday, Additional Christmas Leave & Carry Over Leave)
• Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) & 24/7 Access to GPs
• Employee Discounts (Gym, Shopping, Cinema)

• 40 hours per week
• Flexible hybrid schedule: 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.

Compliance Statement

Successful applicants will be required to complete pre-employment checks, including a criminal records check, two references, ID and Right to Work verification, and education confirmation. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion, selection for employment is based solely on an individual’s skills, qualifications, and experience relevant to the role.