Research Assistant

As a Research Assistant, you will provide support to the Public Audiences team, working on our regular tracking research in the UK, Ireland and Canada, as well as on bespoke projects. In practice, this means working on a wide variety of topics and using many different research methodologies to help charities make better decisions. Key topics we cover in our research and outputs include brand, communications, fundraising, reputation and trust. 

Many charities subscribe to our regular tracking research, which primarily focuses on research with the general public and MPs. Some charities need more bespoke research, which would involve the team working closely with clients to help understand their needs and to design research projects to meet their objectives. This type of work could include: online surveys to measure people’s attitudes on social issues to influence the development of a campaign; interviews with service users to explore the impact of their services; focus groups to test understanding of a charity’s brand and communication; or supporter satisfaction surveys to understand the motivations and retention of supporters. 

nfpResearch is based in Spitalfields, near Liverpool Street. We adopt a flexible working environment, enabling staff to work both at home and in the office. We require one day a month in the office at least, though the successful candidate may be expected to work in-office on additional days throughout the year for training or events, etc. nfpResearch operates a 100-90-100 working policy. You will receive 100% of the listed renumeration for working 90% of required hours, provided 100% of your work-load is met. This means you can flexibly choose to take a half-day every week, or a day off every two weeks.

Description of responsibilities and opportunities: 

• Opportunities to work on the research we conduct for a whole range of charities in the UK and other countries
• You will primarily be working on our nfpPublic UK research, as well as on other public audience research 
• Support on bespoke projects, assisting with qualitative projects such by helping with recruitment for focus groups and interviews, or quantitative projects by supporting with data analysis
• Support the team on tasks such as preparing client presentations, compiling and proofreading reports 
• Attend debrief meetings with charities 
• Respond to client requests, including additional data analysis 
• Support on business development and marketing, e.g. finding charities in new areas to inform about our work
• Provide core administrative support for the team and across the company. Assisting with tasks such as event preparation, admin and answering calls

Who we are looking for:  

This post would be ideally suited to a graduate who wants to gain knowledge and experience in market research and has an interest in the not-for-profit sector.  

The post holder could have skills and experience in a variety of different areas. Some of the things we like to see in our staff: 

Essential: 

• Previous research experience, whether qualitative or quantitative 
• Strong numerical skills, experience of statistical analysis (for example using SPSS)  
• Enthusiasm and passion for working with charities
• Strong oral and written communication skills 
• Good time management and organisational skills 
• Self-motivated, hardworking and proactive
• Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly as part of a team 
• Experience of working with Microsoft Office, Excel and especially PowerPoint 

Desirable:

• Experience of charities and not for profits, such as volunteering or experience of the public or voluntary sector
• Market research experience
• An interest in the policy and campaigning work of charities
• Experience of support/administration roles 

What nfpResearch delivers to you: 

• A varied and interesting role in the UK’s leading research consultancy, working exclusively in the not-for-profit sector, providing the chance to gain considerable insight into the sector  
• The chance to be an integral part of a small but thriving, dynamic company 
• 19 days paid holiday over the 9 months, plus bank holidays and days between Christmas and New Year
• A 9 month training programme to equip you with the skills and experience to become a market researcher 
• A 360 and mid-term appraisal where you’ll receive feedback from all colleagues in the company