UK Data Analyst Job Description Template 2026

Job purpose

To extract insights from data that inform business decisions. Build dashboards, run analyses, and communicate findings to stakeholders. Bridge the gap between raw data and business action.

Key responsibilities

• • Extract and analyse data from multiple sources (databases, APIs, files)
• • Build dashboards and reports for business stakeholders
• • Conduct ad hoc analyses to answer specific business questions
• • Collaborate with data engineers on data pipeline requirements
• • Maintain data quality through validation and reconciliation
• • Present findings clearly to non-technical audiences
• • Identify business opportunities through data exploration
• • Document analyses, methodology, and assumptions
• • Support data-driven decision-making across teams
• • Stay current with analytics tools and techniques

Essential skills

• ✓ SQL proficiency (writing complex queries, query optimisation)
• ✓ Excel/Google Sheets advanced skills (pivot tables, lookups, modelling)
• ✓ Data visualisation tool experience (Tableau, Power BI, Looker)
• ✓ Statistical analysis fundamentals
• ✓ Business analytical thinking
• ✓ Strong communication and stakeholder management
• ✓ Attention to detail

Desirable skills

• + Python or R for analysis
• + Specific industry/domain knowledge (e-commerce, fintech, healthcare)
• + Experience with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift)
• + Experimentation/A/B testing methodology
• + Predictive modelling fundamentals
• + ETL/dbt experience
• + Specific business intelligence platform experience

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field (Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Business Analytics) typical. Master's valued at senior level. Certifications (Google Analytics, Tableau Specialist, Microsoft DA-100) are common.

Experience

Junior Data Analyst: 0-2 years with strong technical fundamentals. Mid Data Analyst: 3-5 years with autonomous analysis ownership. Senior Data Analyst: 5-8+ years with strategic insights and team leadership. Lead Analyst: 8+ years.

UK salary ranges

Working pattern

UK data analyst roles increasingly offer hybrid (2-3 days office). London-heavy concentration but increasingly distributed. Standard hours; occasional intensity around month-end reporting or business reviews.

Career progression

Data Analyst → Senior Data Analyst → Lead Analyst / Analytics Manager → Head of Analytics → Director of Data. Some move to data scientist, data engineer, or analytics engineer roles.