The Open University

About the Company

The Open University is an expert in flexible higher education that fits around your working life.

We don't make you choose between a degree and a salary - more than 76% of our students are in full or part time work, while 86% FTSE 100 companies have funded staff on OU courses.

Employers including IBM, The Metropolitan Police, Unilever and many more recognise the value for money we provide, while students appreciate the range of affordable routes we offer. As a result, we are the largest academic institution in the UK, with nearly 180,000 current undergraduates, postgraduates and students on validated programmes - plus almost 1.8 million who have studied with us since our foundation in 1969.

When you join the OU, you gain a vast international network of support from university staff, alumni and fellow students (including more than 15,000 overseas) with a truly global reach. Wherever you are based, we offer flexible study with structure and support and we have been rated in the top ten UK universities for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey since its foundation in 2005.

Our commitment to distance learning and access to education enables us to cater for the widest range of students - not only those who are in paid work but also the retired, those returning to education, registered carers, single parents and more disabled people than any other UK-based university.

Flexible, affordable, respected and connected. Don't take our word for it: Listen to what our students say at www.youtube.com/user/OUlife or click on the 'Recommendations' tab at the top of this page.

Listed Jobs

Company Name

The Open University

Job Title

Research Associate

Job Description

Job title: Research Associate Role Summary: Part‑time, fixed‑term associate (26.25 hrs week) supporting the initiation and delivery of the ESRC‑funded Research Capability Hub (RCH). Responsibilities include mapping existing research training resources, co‑designing new courses, developing evaluation instruments, analysing data, producing reports, and contributing to the hub’s launch and ongoing activities. Expectations: • 7.5‑month fixed‑term contract (part‑time). • Work within a cross‑institutional team of 20+ researchers and technical staff. • Deliver on timelines for mapping, course design, evaluation, and publication. • Attend project meetings, events, and present findings as required. Key Responsibilities: - Map, curate, and integrate existing social‑science training resources from ESRC and other providers. - Co‑design the hub’s evaluation plan and develop validated pre‑post assessment instruments. - Facilitate evidence‑cafe and Q‑methodology study to identify training needs. - Design and deliver an online OpenLearn module in partnership with external providers. - Analyse qualitative (interviews, focus groups, observations) and quantitative data (surveys, learning analytics). - Produce co‑authored reports, academic papers, and presentations. - Monitor programme progress using learning analytics and report on key metrics. - Obtain ethical clearance and implement the data management plan. - Support the launch event (January 2026) and other RCH events. - Collaborate closely with the OU PI, project leads, and stakeholders. Required Skills: - Completed PhD in Educational Technology, Technology‑Enhanced Learning, or closely related field. - Proven experience using participatory, co‑production methods in social‑science research. - Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, including interview, focus‑group, observation, survey design, and learning‑analytics analysis. - Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and co‑author academic outputs (journals, books, reports). - Familiarity with online learning platforms (e.g., OpenLearn) and data‑integration tools. - Knowledge of research ethics, data‑management, and evaluation frameworks. Required Education & Certifications: - PhD in Educational Technology, Technology‑Enhanced Learning, or comparable discipline. - (No specific professional certifications required.)

Milton keynes, United kingdom

Hybrid

26-11-2025

Company Name

The Open University

Job Title

Data Analyst

Job Description

**Job Title** Data Analyst **Role Summary** Provide evidence‑based analytical insight to drive and evaluate the University’s marketing strategy, performance metrics, and growth initiatives across the student recruitment lifecycle. **Expectations** - Deliver high‑quality, actionable reports and dashboards for marketing and academic stakeholders. - Ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and relevance of insights. - Communicate complex findings clearly to non‑technical audiences. - Collaborate across departments to shape analytical approaches and challenge assumptions. **Key Responsibilities** - Plan and execute quantitative and qualitative analyses on large datasets (>1 GB) covering recruitment funnels, retention, and academic performance. - Define, commission, cleanse, and transform datasets with senior managers and internal services teams. - Respond to ad‑hoc queries and produce ad‑hoc analyses for the unit. - Identify emerging market, audience, and behavioural trends to inform strategy and proposition design. - Develop and maintain interactive dashboards and visualisations (Power BI, Tableau) to monitor performance against institutional targets. - Evaluate campaign, communication, and proposition effectiveness; recommend improvements based on data. - Contribute to consistent, reliable metrics for marketing and engagement performance. - Engage stakeholders in MarComms, Academic Services, and DSA to understand reporting needs and advise analytical approaches. - Present insights in clear, accessible formats to senior leaders and non‑specialists. - Participate in a university‑wide analytics community to share best practice and stay current on sector trends. - Continuously improve analytical processes, systems, and reporting tools. **Required Skills** - Advanced proficiency in SQL, SAS, Tableau, Power BI, and Microsoft Excel (advanced level). - Experience manipulating, analysing, and interpreting large, complex datasets. - Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and attention‑to‑detail abilities. - Excellent written and verbally communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for non‑technical audiences. - Proven capability to manage multiple priorities within deadlines. - Interpersonal and collaborative skills; ability to work independently and across cross‑functional teams. - Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion principles. **Required Education & Certifications** - Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) with a strong mathematics, statistics, or analytical focus. - Professional certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate) are desirable but not mandatory.

Milton keynes, United kingdom

Hybrid

25-11-2025