Data & Automation Analyst Inside IR35 | 6-Month Contract London (Mostly Remote with Occasional Travel) We are supporting a major UK national retail and financial services network delivering large-scale operational and scheme close-down activity across an extensive branch estate. An opportunity has arisen for a hands-on Data & Automation Analyst to join a small but critical Automation & Technical Queries team supporting both BAU operations and programme-driven change. This is a practical, delivery-focused role within a lean team environment. The Team You will join a small specialist team responsible for: Implementing and maintaining Dynamics-based queries Investigating operational data incidents Developing automation tools (including exception tools) Running daily and weekly reporting across three case management systems Supporting structured scheme close-down activity Structure: 1x Lead (hands-on manager actively delivering and managing) 1 Supporting Analyst (peer role) Reporting directly into the Lead Wider Data & MI colleagues operate in adjacent but separate teams Due to increased workload and programme commitments, additional support is required. The Role This is a genuinely hands-on position. You will: Run daily and weekly BAU SQL queries Build and maintain reporting, MI and dashboards Develop and maintain automations and supporting tools Translate business asks into workable SQL/data outputs and take them through to completion Investigate system/data issues to identify root cause and implement corrections or improvements Support broader programme change activity Reconcile data at scheme end Identify and execute data cleansing activity Structure, monitor and administer data transformation & migration during scheme closure Set and manage data-driven controls Validate data consistency between operational and close-down structures Deliver data services proactively on behalf of the organisation Technical Environment SQL VBA Excel (including macros) The organisation operates within a constrained and relatively non-mature data environment (e.g. no separate data servers, limited automation layers). Important – Environment Fit Previous hiring challenges have come from candidates who are used to highly mature, enterprise-scale data estates with modern architecture and extensive automation tooling. This role is different. You must be comfortable: Working in a practical, constrained setup Building and adapting solutions without sophisticated infrastructure Rolling up your sleeves and getting into the detail Improving and rebuilding legacy queries where needed If you require cutting-edge tooling and a highly automated ecosystem, this is unlikely to be the right fit. If you enjoy solving real operational data challenges in a lean, delivery-focused environment — this will suit you well. Essential Strong SQL capability Comfortable working in a less mature technical environment Self-starter — able to take a task, ask the right questions and deliver autonomously Able to hit the ground running without micromanagement Comfortable translating business requirements into technical data solutions Able to generate insight and apply it to operational challenges Happy building queries/tools from scratch Able to pick up, understand and improve queries built by others Nice to Have Experience supporting scheme or programme data close-down Data reconciliation or transformation experience in structured closure environments