Research Manager

The Harris Poll UK, A Stagwell Company; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 30 days

Hybrid working

Private medical insurance

Parental leave

Pension scheme

Employee assistance program

Employee discounts

Dog-friendly office

Job summary

The Harris Poll UK, A Stagwell Company, is seeking a Research Manager to lead end-to-end client programmes, translating data into actionable insights to drive business value.

You will manage quantitative and qualitative projects, mentor junior colleagues and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality outputs in a flexible hybrid Southampton setting.

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 and ability to interpret data for insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with storytelling ability.
• Comfortable managing client relationships in a client-facing environment.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Manage quantitative and qualitative research projects through the full lifecycle from kickoff to final delivery.
• Lead project design, questionnaire development, discussion guides, fieldwork management, QA and reporting.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard.
• Coordinate across Client Advisory and Research Operations for smooth execution.
• Identify risks or opportunities and take ownership of resolutions.
• Build day-to-day client relationships and lead communications across projects.
• Develop understanding of clients’ commercial objectives, sectors and challenges.
• Support senior colleagues in growing client relationships and identifying future opportunities.
• Escalate issues confidently while owning day-to-day challenges.
• Deliver clear, commercially relevant insights and translate findings into narratives.
• Create client-ready reports and presentations; contribute to thought leadership.
• Mentor junior team members and support their development.
• Delegate effectively and guide project teams.
• Contribute to team resourcing, workflows and quality standards.

Skills

Project management

Client management

Research methodologies

Data interpretation

Communication skills

Mentoring juniors

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

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