Research, Insight & Evaluation Lead

HMRC; Belfast; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK governmental agency is seeking a skilled individual to lead a team focused on communications research. This role requires expertise in managing both qualitative and quantitative research to advocate for customer-focused insights within communications strategies. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills, stakeholder management experience, and a proven ability to drive research performance. This position is based in Northern Ireland with substantial responsibilities across various projects.

Qualifications

• Expertise in commissioning and leading research projects.
• Strong analytical skills to synthesize evidence into actionable insights.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience influencing senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver qualitative and quantitative research programmes.
• Work with stakeholders to draft research briefs and business cases.
• Oversee delivery of quarterly communications reports.

Skills

Research project management

Quantitative research methodologies

Qualitative research methodologies

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Evaluation processes

Job description

You will lead a small team to deliver a programme of communications research - both quantitative and qualitative - including creative and message testing, campaign and brand tracking research, as well as representing HMRC’s communications interests as a stakeholder in research projects owned by other parts of the department.You will provide expert insight and evaluation advice and support for priority external and internal communications campaigns, drawing on HMRC’s own sources and those across and outside of government.As a team, you will use these projects to develop a deep understanding of our internal and external audiences, communications channels, and reputation as a department. You will work closely with colleagues to agree priority areas for deeper analysis. You will lead your team in using this deep understanding to advocate for the use of customer-focussed insight within communications strategies and plans, influencing stakeholders, providing clear and accessible products that help shape strategic communications strategies and plans.You will act as custodian of key reputation evidence sources, ensuring that the narrative around the findings is clearly articulated and provides actionable insights for our teams, supports the development of our strategic plans, informs SMART communications objectives, evaluates campaign performance and drives continuous improvement.Your work will span campaign evaluation at a strategic level and your team will work closely with campaign leads who evaluate their campaigns in flight. You will support the setting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for HMRC’s Communications Strategy and Annual Plans, reporting on progress against these on a regular basis, and drive the research needed to measure communications performance against these KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver through your team a programme of qualitative and quantitative research that meets the evidence needs of HMRC’s Communications function, providing strategic and audience specific insight.
• Work with stakeholders to draft research briefs that articulate research objectives and target audiences, and draft business cases and briefings for research planning rounds.
• Work with partner agencies to scope, design and implement fieldwork and ensure that outputs are clear, succinct and meet business objectives.
• Support communications colleagues in setting SMART objectives and developing metrics, baselines/benchmarks and KPIs to evaluate communications campaigns and activities and demonstrate communications’ impact.
• Develop a rigorous process for future evaluation including agreements on integration of campaign deflection costs and return on investment (ROI); and to plan, track and report against the objectives set out in HMRC’s communications strategy.
• Assess the landscape into which our communications are landing, track HMRC’s reputation, and provide actionable insights in collaboration with other research owners to help inform communications priorities, evaluation measures and KPIs.
• Oversee delivery of the quarterly communications reporting hub, and the drafting of responses to enterprise level reporting commissions, with support from colleagues across the team.
• Champion the new Communications Information Management System (CIMS), and integrate insight and evaluation products and tools, such as a new insight library and audience segmentation database, to CIMS to support campaign planning and track impact.
• Drive collaboration with research teams in HMRC and with counterparts in other departments to build networks and links with other specialists, to ensure join up and support of cross-government priorities.

Skills and Qualifications

• Expertise in commissioning and leading research projects, including procuring and managing external agencies, overseeing tendering, setting up contracts, onboarding agencies and managing suppliers.
• Expert understanding of a range of research methodologies, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches, and their application in evaluating communications, policy, or public service delivery.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesise and draw conclusions from a range of evidence sources, turn these into actionable insight, and present these conclusions clearly and persuasively.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience of working with, advising and influencing a range of stakeholders, including advising and influencing senior leaders.
• Strong understanding of SMART objective setting and evaluation processes, including setting KPIs
• Experience in communications/campaign or project/programme evaluation, performance reporting, and an understanding of ROI modelling.
• Evidence of leading high performing teams to deliver multiple work projects in a complex and fast-moving environment.

Area: Derry or Londonderry
Closing date: 06 Nov 2025

Area: All of Northern Ireland
Closing date: 07 Nov 2025