Senior Cancer Intelligence Analyst / Developer

Job summary
We are inviting expressions of interest from experienced analysts/developers who are currently employed within South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw (SYB) ICS, who can turn complex cancer data into practical operational intelligence. Working closely with the STH Cancer Turnaround Director, SYB Cancer Alliance and clinical and operational colleagues at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, this role will help develop the insight needed to understand performance, identify constraints, model recovery options and monitor service improvement.

This is much more than a retrospective reporting role. The postholder will build and develop analytical tools that help teams understand what is driving performance, what needs to change and whether recovery interventions are delivering the intended benefits.

We are particularly interested in colleagues who can demonstrate advanced analytical and development skills; experience using SQL and Power BI or comparable business intelligence tools; confidence in interpreting complex operational data; and the ability to work independently with clinicians, managers and senior leaders. Knowledge of NHS cancer pathways and performance standards would be advantageous.

Main duties of the job

• Develop integrated cancer pathway intelligence across tumour groups, pathway stages, treatment modalities and waiting times.
• Create and maintain Power BI dashboards, robust datasets and analytical products using advanced SQL and other appropriate tools.
• Develop demand, capacity, activity and productivity models, forward trajectories and scenario analysis to support credible recovery plans.
• Identify emerging operational risks, bottlenecks and unwarranted variation, translating findings into clear options for clinical and operational teams.
• Work collaboratively with Trust and Cancer Information Services teams, and Cancer Alliance colleagues to strengthen data definitions, validation, information governance and sustainable development.

About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

Please note: this is a secondment opportunity and applications from any external applicants not within South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw ICS will not be considered at this time.

Job responsibilities
This opportunity is open across South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw (SYB). The appointment will be for six months in the first instance, either as a fixed-term contract or as a secondment where supported by the applicants current line manager, with the potential for permanent recruitment in the future, subject to approvals. The postholder will be embedded within the Corporate Cancer team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and contribute directly to a priority recovery programme. We welcome discussions about flexible working arrangements, including full-time or part-time hours and on-site or remote working. The role will work in partnership with corporate information colleagues, the Cancer Alliance and support the Trust's developing Power BI environment.

This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of 6 months due to the post being externally funded. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts taking into consideration the ongoing source of the external funding and the requirement for the post to be maintained.

Please note all existing NHS staff will only be considered on a secondment basis. This must first be agreed with your current line manager.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Masters degree-level education in a relevant analytical, mathematical, statistical, computing or information discipline, or equivalent substantial professional experience; evidence of continuing professional development.
• Desirable: Further Postgraduate qualification or specialist certification in analytics, data engineering, Power BI or a related field.

Technical Expertise

• Essential: Substantial hands-on experience of complex SQL-based data extraction and transformation; advanced Power BI development including semantic/data modelling, DAX and Power Query; experience developing robust, documented, reusable analytical products and dashboards.
• Desirable: Experience with Python/R, Microsoft Fabric, cloud data platforms, version control and automated data pipelines.

Analytical experience

• Essential: Significant experience analysing complex operational datasets, reconciling conflicting information, designing meaningful metrics, identifying drivers of performance and translating findings into practical recommendations. Evidence of owning a complex BI portfolio, setting analytical priorities and providing assurance to executive or Board-level forums.
• Desirable: Experience of advanced statistical analysis, forecasting or predictive techniques.

Healthcare and recovery

• Essential: Experience working with complex healthcare or similarly regulated operational datasets; experience supporting capacity, demand, productivity, performance improvement or recovery planning. Senior experience supporting elective or cancer recovery and translating national or regional requirements into governed local intelligence products.
• Desirable: Detailed knowledge of NHS cancer pathways, national cancer waiting time standards, tumour-group segmentation and cancer datasets.

Modelling and evaluation

• Essential: Ability to develop demand and capacity models, scenario analyses, forecasts, recovery trajectories and measures to evaluate intervention impact, with transparent assumptions and limitations.
• Desirable: Experience linking operational, workforce and financial information to benefits realisation or business cases.

Data quality and governance

• Essential: Demonstrable experience of data validation, reconciliation, documentation, information governance, confidentiality and appropriate handling of sensitive data. Demonstrable experience establishing BI governance, approving definitions and methods, managing product assurance and escalating material data risks.
• Desirable: Experience of NHS data dictionaries, information standards and clinical data quality improvement.

Communication and collaboration

• Essential: Ability to explain complex technical findings to non-technical audiences, engage senior clinicians and operational leaders, gather requirements, constructively challenge assumptions and manage competing priorities. Credibility to function as the principal BI contact, influence at provider, system, regional and national level, and present balanced assurance and recommendations to executive and Board audiences. Ability to lead and develop staff, provide constructive feedback, address performance concerns and create an inclusive learning environment.
• Desirable: Experience collaborating with corporate BI teams and external NHS partners or mentoring analytical colleagues.

Skills and aptitudes

• Essential: Highly numerate, methodical, curious and proactive; able to work independently, troubleshoot complex issues, meet deadlines and balance rapid delivery with technical assurance. Able to lead through influence across organisational boundaries, coordinate pooled analytical capaci