Analyst - Strategic Planning, Market & Financial Analysis

The Analyst provides dedicated analytical capacity to support the Group strategic planning and decision-making processes. The role develops market and industry intelligence, financial and commercial analyses, performance insights and evaluations of strategic opportunities. The Analyst is expected to demonstrate curiosity, sound judgement and constructive challenge, and to translate complex information into concise, decision-ready insights. Relevant market intelligence will be shared with the Enterprise Risk Management and Sustainability teams to support an integrated view of strategic opportunities, risks and external developments.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Planning

• Support the annual and multi-year strategic planning cycles through research, analysis, consolidation of assumptions and preparation of supporting materials.
• Analyse Group and Business Unit performance against strategic objectives, plans and key performance indicators.
• Identify performance trends, underlying drivers, gaps and potential implications for the Group strategic agenda.
• Prepare high-quality analyses, dashboards and presentations for strategic reviews and management decision-making.
• Maintain a structured repository of strategic assumptions, benchmarks, market indicators and relevant statistics.

2.Market & Strategic Intelligence

• Conduct macroeconomic, sector, customer, competitor and market research relevant to the Group existing businesses and strategic priorities.
• Monitor developments that may create strategic opportunities, risks or sustainability implications for the Group.
• Undertake market sizing, benchmarking and comparative analyses to support strategic choices.
• Prepare concise intelligence notes that distinguish facts, assumptions, emerging signals and potential implications.
• Establish a regular mechanism for sharing relevant market insights with Strategy Planning, Enterprise Risk Management and Sustainability.

3.Financial & Commercial Analysis

• Build and maintain financial models for strategic initiatives, exploratory opportunities and selected investment proposals.
• Undertake scenario, sensitivity, break-even and option analyses to support business decisions.
• Assess financial and commercial assumptions, including demand, pricing, costs, timing and key value drivers.
• Work with Finance and Business Units to ensure analyses use appropriate and validated financial information.
• Clearly document model assumptions, information sources, limitations and sensitivities.

4.Strategic Opportunities & Business Cases

• Support the preliminary screening and evaluation of new markets, partnerships, business models and strategic initiatives.
• Prepare market, commercial and financial inputs for feasibility assessments and business cases.
• Support due diligence and strategic option assessments in collaboration with relevant internal teams and external advisers.

• Compare alternatives and prepare decision-ready findings for review by the Strategy Planning Lead and Head of Strategy Planning & Risk.
• Provide analytical support to selected strategic projects and workstreams without assuming routine project coordination responsibilities.

5. Performance & Management Reporting

• Support the analytical requirements of the Management Business Review and other strategic performance reviews.
• Analyse variances and performance patterns and identify matters requiring further investigation or management attention.
• Prepare clear visualisations and narratives linking operational and financial performance to strategic objectives.
• Support preparation of internal and external strategic materials, as required, ensuring consistency and accuracy.                                                                   

• Apply appropriate quality control, confidentiality, version control and documentation standards to analytical outputs.
• Work collaboratively with Strategy Planning, Risk, Sustainability, Finance and Business Units while respecting functional accountabilities.
• Challenge information and assumptions constructively and escalate material data gaps or inconsistencies.
• Continuously improve analytical templates, research methods, models and knowledge repositories.          

CANDIDATE’S PROFILE

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor degree in finance, economics, accounting, business analytics, business administration or a related field.
• Progress towards or completion of a relevant postgraduate or professional qualification such as CFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or an equivalent qualification would be an advantage.
• 2 to 4 years of relevant experience in strategic planning, financial analysis, transaction or investment analysis

Key competences (Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, Behaviours):

• Demonstrable experience in financial modelling, market research and preparation of management-level analysis.
• Exposure to multi-business or diversified group environments would be an advantage.
• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills, including scenario and sensitivity analysis.
• Ability to conduct structured market, industry and competitor research and assess the reliability of information sources.
• Sound understanding of financial statements, business drivers and investment evaluation principles.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint capability; familiarity with Power BI or similar visualisation tools would be an advantage.
• Ability to synthesise complex information into concise insights, implications and recommendations.
• Strong writing, presentation and stakeholder communication skills.
• Curiosity, professional scepticism and willingness to challenge standard thinking constructively.
• Self-directed, disciplined, attentive to detail and able to manage multiple analytical assignments.