Research Analyst

Research Analyst

Ford & Stanley Talent Services

A Role With Real Scope to Shape Something

Based in Derby | £27,(Apply online only) – £30,(Apply online only)

If you're curious about businesses and markets, interested in how AI and emerging technology can improve the way we work, and looking for a role where you can make a genuine contribution from early on, this could be a great opportunity.

Ford & Stanley is a Derby-based talent services group working across rail, engineering, manufacturing and aerospace – placing people into some of the most recognised organisations in the sector.

We're now looking for a Research Analyst to join the business as we develop our research and commercial intelligence capability, with AI and technology playing an increasing part in how we do that.

What the Role Involves

You'll be supporting both our Sales and Operations teams with research and commercial intelligence, while also playing a part in developing how we use AI, technology and different sources of information to do that more effectively.

There's a clear structure to the role and you'll have support around you from day one – but as you settle in, the expectation is that you'll take ownership of your outputs, develop your understanding of our markets and look for better ways of doing things.

A key part of the role will be taking information from multiple sources, working out what matters and turning it into succinct, commercially useful insight.

In practice, that means:

Responding to ad hoc research requests from across the Sales and Operations teams.
Producing scheduled reports, research outputs and commercial intelligence.
Supporting research that helps our teams build a stronger understanding of clients, opportunities, decision-makers, competitors and the wider commercial environment.
Producing concise client research profiles covering company performance, recent developments, projects, leadership changes, tenders, competitors and other commercially relevant information.
Supporting candidate and supply-chain intelligence, identifying new sources, communities, networks and routes to talent beyond the traditional recruitment channels we already use.
Researching unfamiliar subjects and bringing information from different sources together to identify what is relevant and what it could mean for the business.
Working alongside AI and other research tools – reviewing and validating outputs, understanding where they work well and where human judgement is required.
Exploring new technologies, research methods and sources of information that could improve the quality, speed or reach of our research.
Contributing to conversations about which tools, platforms, vendors and approaches are worth investing in.
Finding efficient, practical and repeatable ways of getting things done.
As your understanding of Ford & Stanley, our clients and our markets grows, so will the scope of what you're involved in. We want the person in this role to increasingly understand not simply what the information says, but why it matters and what we should do with it.

What We're Looking For

You'll be degree educated and ideally have some experience of working in a professional environment – whether that's a placement year, an internship or a first role – and you'll be looking for somewhere that gives you the chance to do more with it.

We're less concerned with whether you've previously worked in recruitment or held the title of Research Analyst. We're interested in how you think.

More specifically, you'll likely be:

Naturally curious – you enjoy investigating a question, understanding businesses and markets and finding out what's really going on.
Analytical – you're able to take information from multiple sources, assess its relevance and turn it into clear, useful insight.
Commercially minded – you're interested not just in finding information, but in understanding what it means and why it matters.
Genuinely interested in AI and technology – not just aware of it, but someone who's used it, thought about its limitations and has a view on where it adds value.
Resourceful – you look beyond the obvious sources and find smarter ways of getting to an answer.
Able to exercise…