Data Analyst

About Independent Media

Independent Media comprises The Independent, Standard Digital, Bulletin, BuzzFeed UK, HuffPost UK, Tasty UK, Seasoned, IndyBest and indy100.

Harnessing market-leading innovation and excellence across its portfolio of pioneering brands, Independent Media has unrivalled scale, integrity and authority via its sites, apps, video, audio, experiential, newsletters and social media.

While each Independent Media brand speaks in an authentic, unique voice to a loyal and distinct audience, they stand together in their commitment to positivity, inclusivity, and quality journalism and content.

Independent Media’s network reaches 650 million users each month, with 1.1 billion content views across its brands and platforms, including web, apps, social media, podcasts, email, YouTube, syndication partners and print.

The role and the team

As a Data Analyst, you will support the Digital Analytics team in providing reporting, analysis and insight across Independent Media, with a particular focus on understanding how our journalism and content performs across our digital platforms and syndication partners.

Working closely with analysts and stakeholders across Editorial, Audience, Product, Commercial Licensing & Syndication and Marketing teams, you will help produce regular performance reporting, maintain dashboards and respond to day-to-day analytical requests.

This would suit someone with some experience working with digital or audience data who is looking to develop their career in analytics within a fast-paced news and publishing environment.

You will be responsible for:

• Compile regular editorial and management reports using key audience and content data sources.

• Support the Licensing & Syndication team with reporting and analysis to understand how our content performs across third-party and off-platform partners.

• Support analysis of website traffic, audience engagement, search, social media and video performance.

• Work with the Customer Analytics and Marketing teams to track and analyse marketing activity, helping to understand how campaigns drive users through the registration and subscription funnels and increase audience frequency and engagement.

• Use GA4 and other analytics platforms to investigate changes and trends in audience behaviour.

• Help maintain BI dashboards and recurring reports used by stakeholders across the business.

• Monitor performance and highlight significant or unusual changes that may require further investigation.

• Support the team with ad hoc analytical requests, ensuring outputs are accurate and delivered within agreed deadlines.

• Work with editorial and audience teams to help them understand how their content is performing.

• Use SEO and search performance tools to understand how content performs through search e.g. Google Search Console

• Analyse social media performance using relevant platform metrics and analytics tools e.g. Supermetrics

• Help ensure reporting definitions and methodologies are applied consistently.

• Carry out appropriate quality assurance and sense-checking before data or analysis is shared.

• Develop a working knowledge of the databases, analytics platforms and reporting tools used across the business.

• Handle data responsibly and securely, in accordance with GDPR, the Data Protection Act and the Company’s Code of Conduct.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. As a growing and global brand, we must have a workforce that’s more representative of our readers, viewers, clients and partners, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone

• We are committed to hiring and developing a diverse workforce regardless of background, and we support our people to thrive in their careers here.

The Independent is an equal opportunities employer, if you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to advise us accordingly.

About you

You are curious, analytical and have a strong attention to detail. You enjoy solving problems and investigating why something has happened rather than simply reporting the numbers.

You have an interest in news, digital publishing and how audiences discover and engage with content online. You will have some previous experience in an analytics, insights, digital marketing or similar role and be keen to develop your skills further.

You should be comfortable working with data and able to communicate your findings clearly to colleagues with different levels of data knowledge.

Essential skills and experience

• Degree level, ideally in a numerate, analytical or relevant subject.

• Around 1-2 years’ experience in an analytics, insights, digital marketing or similar data-focused role.

• Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, reliable work.

• Strong problem-solving skills and a curious approach to data, with an interest in understanding the reasons behind changes in performance.

• Experience using GA4 or another digital analytics platform, such as Adobe Analytics.

• Good working knowledge of Excel or Google Sheets.

• An interest in news, digital publishing and audience behaviour.

• An ability to interpret data and communicate findings clearly to non-technical colleagues.

• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple requests and deadlines.

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

• A collaborative approach and willingness to learn new tools and techniques.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience analysing social media metrics across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.

• Experience working with BI or visualisation tools such as Domo, Looker, Tableau or Power BI.

• Some knowledge of SQL or an interest in developing SQL skills.

• Experience working with content, audience or editorial data.

• Previous experience within digital publishing, media or a newsroom environment.

• Familiarity with tools such as Chartbeat or other real-time audience analytics platforms.

• An understanding of how SEO, social media and other referral channels contribute to digital audience growth.Key responsibilities and accountabilities

Our values – you will deliver across all our values

Inclusive: We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. Working as a team, we put transparency and effective communication at the heart of everything we do.

Innovative: From the very beginning, The Independent has been breaking the mould. We take risks and are always looking to try new ideas in pursuit of excellence.

Independent: Nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own minds and aren’t afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences.