Wilmslow, North West England, SK9 5AF
Job Summary
Research Officer
2 x positions available
Full time / Part time
Salary: £33,273 - £37,692 with potential for further progression to £42,439with our pay progression scheme.
Location: Hybrid
Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office, however, we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities. There will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need.
Why work for the ICO?
- Pay progression scheme.
- Hybrid and flexible working options.
- 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and public holidays.
- Flexi leave (up to 26 additional days leave per year).
- Pension (employer contribution around 28.9%).
- Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more.
- Health Cash Plan.
- Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.
Further details can be found on the benefits section of our website .
Job Description
This role is central to building the ICOs approach to using insight and evidence to inform ICO’s policy and decision-making. An evidence-based and outcome focused approach to regulation, which puts people at the heart of what we do, will be crucial to ensure we deliver on the vision set out in ICO25.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of information rights. In a data-driven world, we provide advice, guidance, and support to organisations enabling compliance with their obligations, as well as protecting individuals and their personal data.
As an employer, we are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and careers of our people, and we empower you to be curious, impactful, collaborative and respectful.
Job Description
You will be working in the newly formed Market Research function. You will have responsibility for supporting the commissioning and project management of market research projects, as well as supporting teams across the ICO on their respective research projects.
You’ll work closely with qualitative and quantitative researchers, insights specialists, and research managers within the function to help deliver strategically important research programmes.
You’ll be collaborating closely with colleagues across the ICO to ensure a joined up approach to research, and support to build a research culture across the ICO. You will also support the team as they scope the needs of the organisation and identify evidence gaps that require market research with the UK public.
Key Responsibilities:
- Supporting Senior Researchers with procurement and management of qualitative and quantitative market research, including quality control processes and oversight of key outputs, keeping colleagues updated and ensuring milestones are met.
- Supporting Senior Researchers to disseminate findings internally in compelling and engaging ways.
- Working with colleagues across the ICO to champion the value and importance of market research, identify priority areas for qualitative and quantitative research, build ongoing relationships and ensuring early understanding of research needs.
- Working collaboratively with colleagues to understand key concerns, the evidence required, and identify the most effective, timely and value for money approaches to delivering those needs.
- Identifying opportunities for bringing together and disseminating research and evidence both internally and, where appropriate, externally, including information gathered from external research sources.
- Supporting Senior Researchers to inform and educate colleagues on best practice and ensuring that high standards are adhered to.
- Proactively develop market research expertise, keeping abreast of developments in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
This role is central to building the ICOs approach to using insight and evidence to inform ICO’s policy and decision-making. An evidence-based and outcome focused approach to regulation, which puts people at the heart of what we do, will be crucial to ensure we deliver on the vision set out in ICO25.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of information rights. In a data-driven world, we provide advice, guidance, and support to organisations enabling compliance with their obligations, as well as protecting individuals and their personal data.
As an employer, we are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and careers of our people, and we empower you to be curious, impactful, collaborative and respectful.
Key Responsibilities:
- Supporting Senior Researchers with procurement and management of qualitative and quantitative market research, including quality control processes and oversight of key outputs, keeping colleagues updated and ensuring milestones are met.
- Supporting Senior Researchers to disseminate findings internally in compelling and engaging ways.
- Working with colleagues across the ICO to champion the value and importance of market research, identify priority areas for qualitative and quantitative research, build ongoing relationships and ensuring early understanding of research needs.
- Working collaboratively with colleagues to understand key concerns, the evidence required, and identify the most effective, timely and value for money approaches to delivering those needs.
- Identifying opportunities for bringing together and disseminating research and evidence both internally and, where appropriate, externally, including information gathered from external research sources.
- Supporting Senior Researchers to inform and educate colleagues on best practice and ensuring that high standards are adhered to.
- Proactively develop market research expertise, keeping abreast of developments in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Person specification
Essential Criteria Assessed At Application Stage:
- Experience relevant to the role requirements, as described in the role responsibilities and person specification, and accumulated through any combination of academic or vocational qualifications or experience
- Relevant experience (minimum of one year), gained from a research environment – for example within a research agency, public sector research profession, think tank, academic institution, or research commissioning.
- Experience of assisting or managing qualitative and/or quantitative research projects (minimum of one year), including sample design, questionnaire/topic guide drafting, and analysis of findings.
- Experience of developing, or supporting Senior Researchers to develop, complex questions into clearly scoped research projects, including identifying research questions, methodologies, samples, procurement processes, and/or reporting.
- Excellent research skills, with the ability to support Senior Researchers to manage a project, ensuring deadlines are met and outputs are high quality.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including being able to communicate research findings in an engaging way with colleagues.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships, especially with ICO colleagues and research agencies.
- Ability to work under pressure and support Senior Researchers and Research Managers to deal with competing priorities in a busy environment.
- Experience of research software or data analysis techniques, for example, Excel, SPSS, R; and/or surveying software for example Survey Monkey, Snap Surveys or Smart Survey.
Essential Criteria Assessed During Interview:
- Relevant experience (minimum of one year), gained from a research environment – for example within a research agency, public sector research profession, think tank, academic institution, or research commissioning.
- Experience of assisting or managing qualitative and/or quantitative research projects (minimum of one year), including sample design, questionnaire/topic guide drafting, and analysis of findings.
- Experience of developing, or supporting Senior Researchers to develop, complex questions into clearly scoped research projects, including identifying research questions, methodologies, samples, procurement processes, and/or reporting.
- Excellent research skills, with the ability to support Senior Researchers to manage a project, ensuring deadlines are met and outputs are high quality.
- Ability to understand project needs, work alongside Senior Researchers and identify appropriate qualitative/quantitative research approaches to meet those needs.
- Knowledge of qualitative/quantitative research techniques and the ways in which they can be most appropriately and responsibly used.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including being able to communicate research findings in an engaging way with colleagues.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships, especially with ICO colleagues and research agencies.
- Ability to work under pressure and support Senior Researchers and Research Managers to deal with competing priorities in a busy environment.
- Ability to work with Senior Researchers to draw together research findings into high quality outputs that tell a clear story and bring the issues being explored to life.
Alongside your salary of £33,273, Information Commissioner's Office contributes £9,639 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Please visit ico.jobs for full details, including salary and benefits.
Selection process details
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website.
Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO’s commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you are disabled or have an impairment and require an alternative application method, please email the HR team at
[email protected]Closing Date
Please submit your CV by
23:59, 23 June 2025
We reserve the right to close this vacancy before this date should we receive sufficient applications. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
https://ico.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ICO/details/Research-Officer_JR535-1
