The Role…

Ipsos UK Public Affairs are the leaders in social research. This role will be working within the Employment, Welfare & Skills team. Our clients are some of the biggest, most high-profile government departments (HMRC, DWP, DfE, DCMS, MaPS). 

Recent studies have included assessing the effects of changes to Universal Credit service delivery on claimants; public perceptions to inform development of Pensions Dashboards; experiences of using Tax Free Childcare and studies evaluating the impact of DWP skills and employment programmes.

What will I be doing?

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced researcher or evaluator to lead high profile studies for key clients across the public sector, whilst taking an active role in expanding the business and developing the team. 

We are looking for someone with strong experience in social policy research and evaluation, with direct experience of work in relevant policy areas. 

The main responsibilities will include:

Leading proposals and revenue generation, including making pricing recommendations.  Contributing to the successful management of contracts with key UK government departments. Leading studies and using your excellent Client First skills to maintain and grow our relationships with clients.  Delivering a range of research and evaluation projects through the full project cycle, from design, through to developing conclusions and recommendations; Communicating effectively with clients, internal and external suppliers, policymakers and internal colleagues both in writing and verbally. Supporting and developing skills and capabilities amongst junior team members. Signing off deliverables (proposals, research/evaluation tools, presentations and reports) which meet clients and stakeholders’ objectives, including applying creative approaches where applicable. Effectively managing relationships with suppliers and internal operations colleagues. Developing a strong understanding of our clients’ needs and seeking opportunities to grow our business. Contributing to the successful running of our team through building a positive, supportive environment where people are encouraged to challenge themselves to develop their skills. Working alongside the Senior Management Team in the strategic and operational management of the Employment, Welfare and Skills team.

What do I need to bring with me?

This role will suit candidates who enjoy working closely with clients, often delivering at a fast pace. We welcome interest from people with either a research or evaluation background, though you will need to have experience of delivering evaluations within relevant policy areas. We are looking for someone with: 

Proven experience of delivering research and evaluation projects through the full project cycle, from design, through to developing conclusions and recommendations; Mixed methods – proficient in both qualitative and quantitative research Experience of writing winning proposals and delivering projects within the Employment, Welfare and Skills policy areas. Desire to work closely with clients to grow relationships.  Able to lead multiple projects and support junior members of the team to develop their project management skills.  Understanding and practical application of research and evaluation methods. Ability to work to tight deadlines to deliver profitable work and assure quality of outputs. Ability to lead development of high-quality materials which answer client objectives. Ability to understand and interpret complex data to draw out a clear narrative and insight to inform client decision making. Excellent client handling and supplier negotiation skills. Confident and clear written and verbal communication skills with a high level of accurate use of English.

What is in it for me?

Ipsos UK offer an attractive basic salary and a rewards package including 25 days annual leave, a pension scheme and a great range of flexible benefits to suit your personal needs. For roles at Research Manager level and above we also offer private healthcare.

In addition to this we have a fantastic Learning & Development offer delivered through a mix of face to face, online or on-demand; you can read more by clicking here.  

We realise you may have commitments outside of work and will consider flexible working applications - please highlight what you are looking for when you make your application. 

Ipsos is committed to equality, treating people fairly, promoting a positive and inclusive working environment and ensuring we have diversity of people and views. We also recognise that this is important for our business success - a more diverse workforce will enable us to better reflect and understand the world we research and ultimately deliver better research and insight to our clients.