The Electoral Commission
Senior Research Officer
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Basis: Permanent, full time, 36 hours per week
A £312 tax-free working from home allowance is also payable annually. Location: Cardiff, Belfast or Edinburgh (Hybrid – minimum 2 days in office) or Remote (UK) Benefits: Outstanding benefits including Civil Service Pension Scheme, flexible working, 28+ days holiday, and more.
About the Electoral Commission
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.
About the role
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 and deliver a range of qualitative and 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 a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies
- 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
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About the team
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.
Who we’re looking for
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 to interpret complex information and communicate findings effectively to different audiences
- Experience managing relationships with external research suppliers or stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work to deadlines
- Strong knowledge of excel. Experience with Power BI useful although not essential.
Why work for us?
This is an opportunity to deliver research that has a tangible impact on democracy in the UK. You will work on high-profile projects that influence electoral policy, regulation and practice, while developing your expertise across a diverse and challenging research portfolio. The role offers significant exposure to senior stakeholders, opportunities to shape strategic decisions, and excellent professional development within a respected and independent organisation.
The Office:
Our offices provide welcoming, collaborative spaces where colleagues can connect, share ideas and work together across teams. Whether based in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh or working remotely, you will be part of a supportive working environment that balances the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of hybrid working.
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The Benefits:
We offer a strong total reward package, including
- Flexible working and hybrid model for office-based staff, with a minimum of 40% of working time spent in the office
- Flexi-time scheme, allowing flexible hours with the option to accrue and take flexi leave
- 28 days annual leave (raising to 30 days) + Bank holidays
- Civil Service pension scheme (28.97% employer contribution)
- Performance-related pay
How to apply
We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. To help reduce unconscious bias and ensure all applicants are assessed solely on their skills, knowledge and experience, we use an anonymous recruitment process.
When applying, please provide an anonymised CV which omits your protected characteristics and any personally identifiable information:
Do not include:
- Your name, address, phone number, email or other contact details
- Your date of birth or age
- Gender, ethnicity, nationality or other personal identifiers
- A photo of yourself
- Remove educational dates as these are a clear indication of your age
- There is no requirement to include your primary education details.
Do include:
- Your employment history including employers and dates of employment
- Explanation for gaps in your history
- Your duties, responsibilities and achievements
If your CV contains personal details (such as your name or contact information), we will be unable to consider your application. Please double-check your documents before submitting, including the file name you use to save and upload your CV.
Supporting disabled applicants
The Electoral Commission is proud to be a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. As part of this commitment, we aim to prioritise interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria listed in the job description.
There may, however, be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. For example, during periods of exceptionally high application volumes or seasonal recruitment activity, the Commission may need to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both disabled and non-disabled applicants. If you have a disability and would like to be considered under this commitment, please indicate this when you apply. We also welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process or within the workplace.
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