Policy Research Assistant

Citizens Advice; England; Hybrid; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent charity organization in the UK is seeking a Policy Research Assistant to join their Families, Welfare, and Work team. The ideal candidate will support research initiatives aimed at improving the welfare state for low-income individuals. Responsibilities include creating reports and engaging with policymakers. This role offers a blended work environment and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Internal training courses for career advancement

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Ability to deliver tasks and projects to specified deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Good understanding of research techniques and policy debates.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to designing and executing research in policy.
• Create influential outputs like reports and blogs.
• Engage with decision makers to influence policy.

Skills

Strong attention to detail

Excellent written communication

Excellent verbal communication

Interest in research techniques

Knowledge of current policy debates

Job description

Salary: £25,615 plus £3,520 London allowance if applicable

Closing date: 21/08/2025

Location: Blended between office and home (England and Wales)

Employment type: Permanent

Hours Per Week 36.25 hours per week / Open to flexible working

Citizens Advice works relentlessly to tackle the major issues affecting people across England and Wales. Our local Citizens Advice see first hand the problems people face day in and day out. The data we gather from these interactions means we’re uniquely placed to spot trends early, understand the root causes of issues, and develop tangible solutions to address them.

This role is in our Families, Welfare and Work team. In recent years, we’ve successfully made the case for increases in housing benefit and the extension of crisis support. Put simply, we know that too many people don’t have enough money to live on. We see this every day in the people coming to us for support, struggling to pay essential bills, and all too often in debt. It’s our job to change that.

Our team works on ways we can improve the welfare state, from changing how benefits are administered to challenging poor policy design that leaves people out of pocket. Our most recent Policy Research Assistant has been working on making the case against cutting disability benefits, including analysing data, writing blogs and reports, and engaging directly with decision makers. We’re now looking for a new team member to take on the next challenge and help ensure better support for those on some of the lowest incomes in the country.

As a member of our policy research function, you’ll be working as part of a dynamic and supportive team - contributing to designing and executing inventive and hard-hitting research and creating influential outputs including blogs, reports, presentations and social media. You’ll also have opportunities to directly influence those with the power to make change happen.

Your development is our priority - we do everything we can to help you to develop the skills you need to take the next steps in your career. For example, we provide an extensive range of internal training courses covering everything you need to succeed in this role and progress to a more senior role, including research, persuasive writing and influencing and negotiating skills.

Creating an environment and culture in which everybody can do their best work is central to our success. As a result, we offer genuine flexibility over when and where you work. Many of our colleagues work non-standard hours and are based in different locations across England and Wales.

Please provide details in your cover letter to evidence the following essential criteria. Please make sure your cover letter provides evidence for the essential criteria succinctly.

• Ability to deliver tasks and projects to specified deadlines and quality standards, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of or interest in different research techniques.
• Working knowledge of current policy debates.

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference, every single day, to people from all walks of life? The people that turn to Citizens Advice need help overcoming an obstacle in their lives – from debt to evictions to trouble at work – and you can be key to them getting the support they need in the quickest, easiest, and most effective way.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is of strategic importance within the organisation and recognised as integral to all we do as a service.