Portfolio and Planning Analyst

Portfolio and Planning Analyst
£40,000 - £50,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 6A)
Manchester city centre - in this role you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office once per month (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).  

We're recruiting for two Portfolio and Planning Analyst opportunities: one permanent and one 18-month fixed-term. During the application process, you'll be able to tell us which opportunity you'd like to be considered for.

We’re reshaping our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future, creating new opportunities, strengthening our capability, and building clearer, more resilient ways of working so we can deliver even better services for our Co-op, our colleagues, members and customers.

We're looking for Portfolio and Planning Analysts to join our Planning and Portfolio Enablement team and help us bring greater visibility, coordination and confidence to the delivery of change across Co-op Technology. We have one permanent opportunity, supporting portfolio planning and value stream enablement across our Technology function; and one 18-month fixed-term contract opportunity, focused on supporting our high-profile Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) transformation programme. Whether you're interested in strategic portfolio planning, large-scale programme delivery, or both, you'll play a key role in helping us plan, coordinate and deliver change across Co-op.

Why this role matters

At Co-op, we're continuing to strengthen how we plan, prioritise and deliver change across our technology landscape. This role offers the opportunity to be part of that journey, helping to shape a growing planning and portfolio capability while working on some of our most significant transformation initiatives. You'll collaborate with senior leaders across technology and the wider business, gain exposure to strategic decision-making, and play a key role in helping us balance priorities, manage risks and deliver change that makes a real difference for our colleagues, members and customers.

What you’ll do

•    Support the planning, coordination and tracking of programmes and projects across a technology value stream
•    Work with programme, project and business leaders to identify dependencies, risks, constraints and delivery trade-offs
•    Analyse portfolio information and translate data into clear, actionable insight for stakeholders and decision-makers
•    Prepare governance materials, reports and updates to support portfolio and programme review forums
•    Monitor progress, risks and delivery confidence, helping teams identify and address issues early
•    Maintain accurate portfolio information and support consistent planning and reporting standards
•    Build trusted relationships with stakeholders across technology, finance and change delivery teams
•    Provide planning, governance and assurance support to major transformation programmes when required

What you’ll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

•    Experience supporting planning, tracking or reporting across portfolios, programmes or complex projects
•    Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and provide evidence-based recommendations
•    Experience managing risks, issues, dependencies and governance activities within a project, programme or portfolio environment
•    Confident stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and influence at different levels
•    An understanding of how delivery plans, capacity, finance and dependencies interact within a change portfolio
•    Experience working in project, programme or product-led environments, with portfolio planning experience particularly beneficial
•    The ability to balance attention to detail with a broader view of business priorities and outcomes

We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement. At Co-op, we’re committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply.

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

•    An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
•    28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
•    A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
•    Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
•    30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
•    Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
•    Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
•    24/7 colleague support service 
•    Training and support for your development and career progression
•    Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.