Senior Research Officer; FTC)

asis
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Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover), up to 14 months, Full time 36 hours per week

A £312 tax-free working from home allowance is also payable annually.

Location: Cardiff, Belfast, Edinburgh (Hybrid - min. 2 days in office), or Remote (UK)

Benefits: Outstanding benefits including Civil Service Pension Scheme, flexible working, 28+ days holiday, and more.

The Electoral Commission is the UK’s independent body overseeing elections and regulating political finance. Everything we do is about ensuring trust, participation, and integrity in the democratic process.

As we continue to deliver our five-year Corporate Plan, the Commission is building on a period of growth and change, expanding our workforce and modernising how we deliver our services to better support the needs of a changing democracy. As our organisation develops and adapts to meet future challenges, this post will play a vital part in supporting that progress and helping ensure we remain responsive to the democratic needs of voters, campaigners, parties and electoral administrators across the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Electoral Commission as a Senior Research Officer and contribute directly to strengthening democracy across the UK. Research plays a critical role in informing the Commission's work, helping us understand the experiences of voters, campaigners and electoral administrators, evaluate electoral events, and provide robust evidence to support policy development and decision-making.

Working within a dynamic research environment, you will lead quantitative research projects, from initial design through to analysis and reporting. You will work closely with colleagues across the Commission and manage relationships with external research suppliers to ensure projects are delivered to a high standard and provide meaningful insight.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing research projects using primarily quantitative methodologies
• Collecting/ quality assuring/ analysing/ reporting on data provided by local authorities to the commission including voter registration and electoral administrative data.
• Analysing complex data and translating findings into clear, actionable recommendations
• Managing commissioned research and relationships with external suppliers
• Producing reports, briefings and presentations for a variety of audiences
• Promoting research findings through publications, stakeholder engagement and events
• Providing expert insight on issues relating to electoral registration, elections, referendums and political finance
• Supporting planning activities, budget monitoring and the successful delivery of the wider research programme

You will join the Research Team, which is responsible for delivering the Commission's research programme and providing the evidence base that underpins our regulatory, policy and public engagement work.

The team works across a broad portfolio of high-profile projects, including public opinion research, electoral data analysis, evaluations of elections and referendums, and research into political finance. The team's insights help shape Commission priorities, inform stakeholders across the electoral community, and contribute to improving democratic participation and transparency throughout the UK.

The team is collaborative, supportive and committed to delivering high-quality research with real-world impact. Working closely with colleagues from across the organisation, you will have opportunities to develop your expertise while contributing to work that directly influences the democratic process.

We're looking for an experienced researcher with strong analytical skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment. You will be confident working with a range of stakeholders, presenting evidence clearly, and using research to support informed decision-making.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Experience designing, managing and delivering complex research projects
• Strong knowledge of quantitative research methods
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• The ability…