Research Manager

UNAVAILABLE; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Flexible hybrid working

Private medical insurance

Dental plan

Enhanced parental leave

Pension scheme

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Discounts Platform

Dog-friendly office

Job summary

The Harris Poll UK is seeking a Research Manager to lead end-to-end research projects, from design through delivery, while building strong client relationships and translating findings into actionable business insights. The role combines rigorous research with commercial awareness, proactive thinking, and team development in a hybrid Southampton-based office.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong project management, advanced presentation skills, and the ability to turn data into compelling

Qualifications

• Experience in market research, insight or consultancy.
• Strong understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to interpret data.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end research projects from kick-off to final delivery.
• Manage questionnaire design, guides, fieldwork, QA and reporting.
• Maintain on-time, on-budget delivery with high quality outputs.
• Build and manage client relationships and communicate project progress.
• Deliver clear, commercially relevant insights and compelling narratives.
• Support and mentor junior team members and contribute to team development.

Skills

Project management

Analytical thinking

Communication

Client-facing

Attention to detail

Commercial awareness

Mentoring junior team

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

About Us

At The Harris Poll UK, we exist to understand consumer needs in a demanding world. We help organisations stay closer to the people they serve through research that combines hard data with human truths. Our work spans customer experience, reputation, thought leadership, innovation and brand strategy, helping clients make smarter decisions in a world where consumer expectations are constantly evolving.

Overview

Research Managers play a central role in the successful delivery of client programmes and projects across the business. They are responsible for managing research from end to end, building strong client relationships, leading project teams and ensuring outputs deliver meaningful commercial value.

This role requires someone who combines strong research expertise with commercial awareness, excellent organisational skills and the ability to translate data into compelling, actionable insight. Research Managers are expected to think strategically, operate proactively and contribute positively to both client growth and team development.

Responsibilities

Project & Programme Leadership

• Manage and deliver quantitative and qualitative research projects through the full project lifecycle, from project kick-off through to final delivery.
• Lead project design, questionnaire development, discussion guides, fieldwork management, quality assurance and reporting.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to a consistently high standard.
• Coordinate effectively across Client Advisory and Research Operations teams to ensure smooth project execution.
• Proactively identify risks, challenges or opportunities throughout project delivery and take ownership of resolving them.

Client Management

• Build strong day-to-day relationships with clients and become a trusted extension of their team.
• Lead client communications across projects and programmes, ensuring a responsive, organised and professional experience.
• Develop a strong understanding of clients’ commercial objectives, sectors and strategic challenges.
• Support senior colleagues and stakeholders in growing client relationships and identifying opportunities for additional value or future work.
• Escalate issues appropriately while demonstrating confidence and ownership in resolving day-to-day challenges independently.

Insight & Storytelling

• Deliver clear, commercially relevant and strategically meaningful insight that goes beyond reporting data.
• Identify trends, tensions and implications within research findings and translate them into compelling narratives.
• Create high-quality reports, presentations and client-ready outputs that demonstrate strong storytelling and consultancy thinking.
• Contribute to thought leadership, proactive insight generation and wider business initiatives where relevant.

Team Support & Development

• Support, mentor and guide junior team members across project delivery and day-to-day development.
• Delegate effectively and provide clear direction across project teams.
• Contribute to team resourcing discussions, workflow management and operational efficiencies.
• Help ensure established processes and quality standards are consistently followed across projects.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive and high-performing team environment.

Qualifications

• Previous experience within a market research, insight or consultancy environment.
• Strong understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong analytical thinking and confidence interpreting data and identifying meaningful insight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation and storytelling capability.
• Comfortable managing client relationships and operating in a client-facing environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality delivery.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong commercial awareness.
• Experience supporting or mentoring junior team members is desirable.
• Advanced PowerPoint and Excel skills preferred.

Benefits

30 days Annual Leave + 8 Bank Holidays

Flexible hybrid working model, supporting a balance between office collaboration and remote working

Private medical insurance, dental and cash plan

Enhanced parental leave – Maternity/Adoption and Paternity leave

Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme (statutory employer contributions)

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Discounts Platform

Dog friendly office in Southampton

Compensation

£40,000-£45,000