Research Manager; Nectar Research

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Everything our Nectar team does is powered by data and by strong relationships with some of the UK’s favourite brands. The Nectar
360 team develops loyalty programmes, turning insight into something that makes a real difference, across both traditional and digital media. It’s like an agency within a retailer, and retail media is a crucial part of our future. The culture might not be what you expect either, because there’s no setup quite like this one. The team is a real priority, connected to almost everything the business does and playing a key role in driving profitability.

It’s a place where you can take risks, learn from them, and be recognised.

At Nectar
360, we help some of the UK's best-loved brands understand their customers better and make smarter commercial decisions. Powered by the scale and strength of Nectar, one of the UK's largest loyalty programmes, our Data & Insights offer combines customer understanding, behavioural data, and research expertise to deliver meaningful impact for clients and stakeholders.

The Nectar Research team sits at the heart of this mission. As a full-service, in‑house research function, we bring the voice of the customer directly into decision‑making across the breadth of our businesses. Working across a diverse range of projects, from media effectiveness studies to purchase driver analysis, we generate insight that helps shape strategy, improve customer experiences, and unlock commercial opportunities.

With access to 10+ million contactable customers, industry‑leading research tools, and rich customer data, this is a unique opportunity to join a team that is continually innovating and redefining what modern research can achieve.

We're looking for a Research Manager to join the Nectar Research team and play a key role in delivering high‑quality research for Nectar
360, Sainsbury's and our partners. You'll take ownership of end‑to‑end research projects, leading everything from research design and methodology selection through to questionnaire development, project management, quality assurance, insight generation, and client debriefs.

This is a highly varied role where no two projects are the same. You'll work across a broad mix of research approaches, helping stakeholders answer important business questions and turning data into compelling stories that influence decisions. Alongside delivering projects, you'll contribute to the team's innovation agenda, exploring new methodologies, technologies and ways of working, including how AI can enhance the research process.

You'll also lead in proposal development, build deep internal and external relationships to find new ways to support our clients, and share your expertise across the wider team.

Working closely with analysts, insight specialists and commercial stakeholders, you'll be expected to combine research findings with behavioural and customer data to uncover deeper insight and, ultimately, drive tangible business impact. The work you deliver will directly influence how clients think about their customers, products and strategies, and in no time at all, you'll be able to see the impact of your work on the shelf.

You'll bring hands‑on experience of managing research projects from start to finish and be comfortable selecting and applying different research methodologies to answer a range of business questions. You'll know how to identify the most appropriate method, interpret findings, and communicate clear recommendations to stakeholders.

You'll be hand‑on delivering quantitative research yourself, in collaboration with the rest of our team, and you'll manage qualitative research through our expect and trusted partners who act as part of our team.

You'll be naturally curious and enjoy turning complex information into actionable insight. You're confident presenting research outputs, facilitating discussions, and challenging thinking where appropriate to achieve the best outcomes. You'll also be interested in how technology and AI can improve research delivery,…