Researcher

Media Contacts Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Media Contacts Ltd in Islington, London, is seeking a Researcher to drive candidate sourcing against live client briefs. You will research, identify, approach, and shortlist candidates, building a network of professionals in your market while delivering an excellent candidate experience.

You will support consultants with business development research and desk management. The role offers a defined path from Trainee Researcher to Senior Researcher, with a meritocratic culture and a four‑day week

Qualifications

• A confident, persuasive communicator with sharp questioning and listening skills and a genuine commercial instinct.
• Self-motivated, tenacious, and driven to hit targets, with the resilience a research desk demands.
• Curious and eager to learn, with a real appetite for continuous personal development.

Responsibilities

• Identify, approach, and shortlist candidates against live briefs using headhunting calls, email, and social media.
• Build and retain a network of candidates in your market, securing referrals.
• Qualify and present candidates through calls, video and in-person interviews; respond to candidate inquiries.
• Write and place adverts and research reports for social media and email marketing.

Job description

Job Title: Researcher

Location: Islington, London, Full-time

SALARY RANGE: Basic salary: £24,000 - £30,000 plus bonuses: on target earnings: £30,000 - £45,000.

Source the talent behind every placement at Media Contacts, a specialist recruitment consultancy with more than thirty years of history across publishing, business intelligence, conferences, PR, and communications.

The Researcher role is the engine of the desk. You will research, identify, approach, and shortlist candidates against live client briefs, build and own a network of talented professionals in your market, and give everyone who comes into contact with Media Contacts an experience that sets us apart from the competition.

Alongside the core sourcing brief, you will support consultants with business development research, client liaison, and the day-to-day desk management and compliance that keep a busy desk running.

This is a role with a defined path. Researchers typically join as Trainee Researcher and progress on the strength of their placements, with a clear route through to Senior Researcher for those who hit their targets consistently and know their market well enough to advise candidates with authority.

The culture is meritocratic and supportive, with progression earned on delivery. The team works four days a week from the Islington office, with one day from home.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, approach, and shortlist candidates against live briefs, using headhunting calls, email, and social media to reach passive talent.
• Build and retain a network of candidates in your market, securing referrals to widen your reach.
• Qualify and present candidates through telephone, video, and in-person interviews, and act as first-line support for candidate enquiries.
• Write and place adverts alongside ad hoc thought leadership and research reports for social media and email marketing.

Key Requirements

• A confident, persuasive communicator with sharp questioning and listening skills and a genuine commercial instinct.
• Self-motivated, tenacious, and driven to hit targets, with the resilience a research desk demands.
• Curious and eager to learn, with a real appetite for continuous personal development.

Everyone who applies will receive a response within one week.

Media Contacts partner with news, data, and intelligence companies on hires that move markets. For information on our services, email .