Job Purpose

Lead and deliver a portfolio of research and insight projects that inform organisational priorities, strategy, and external engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Research delivery and project management

• Manage multiple research and insight projects from planning through to completion, ensuring delivery on scope, time, quality, and budget
• Develop clear research plans, methodologies, and documentation

Research design and analysis

• Apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods to address research questions
• Analyse workforce, skills, and sector data to identify trends, gaps, and emerging issues
• Produce clear, evidence-based insights, reports, dashboards, or briefings

Reporting and communication

• Translate complex findings into clear, accessible outputs for varied audiences
• Produce high-quality written and visual outputs for internal and external stakeholders
• Gather and respond to feedback to improve clarity and impact of outputs

Stakeholder and cross-team collaboration

• Work with internal teams to ensure evidence informs policy, planning, products, and engagement activity
• Support external engagement by providing research evidence for briefings, submissions, and communications
• Manage relationships with external researchers, consultants, and delivery partners

Governance and quality assurance

• Ensure research activity complies with ethical, data quality, and governance standards
• Maintain clear documentation and audit trails for methods and data use

Leadership and coordination (if applicable)

• Provide oversight, coordination, or line management for research activity or staff
• Prioritise workloads and support effective delivery across the team

Person Specification

Skills and knowledge

• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
• Ability to simplify complex information into actionable insights
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strong project management and organisational capability

Experience

• Proven experience managing multiple research projects or workstreams
• Experience delivering outputs on time and within budget
• Experience working with external partners or suppliers
• Evidence of producing insights that inform decisions, strategy, or policy

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline
• Commitment to ongoing professional development