Research analyst

Yellosa; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Yellosa in Pretoria is seeking a Research Analyst to design methodologies, manage fieldwork operations, and analyze complex datasets to deliver actionable insights for public sector and commercial clients.

You will work across the full project lifecycle from proposal to reporting, employing SPSS, CSPro, and CATI platforms, with strong analytical, writing, and presentation skills to support strategic decisions under tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Sociology, Public Administration, or a related quantitative field. (A Master’s degree is highly advantageous).
• 2–4 years of applied experience in a market research, academic research, or consultancy environment.

Responsibilities

• Research Design & Planning: Draft comprehensive research proposals, define sampling frameworks, and develop robust methodologies for bespoke quantitative and qualitative studies.
• Data Collection Management: Oversee end-to-end data gathering, including programming electronic survey databases, configuring Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) systems, and coordinating on-the-ground field teams to ensure high-quality data capture.
• Data Processing & Analytics: Clean and validate raw data sets, performing keystroke quality checks and resolving technical queries. Utilize statistical software to run cross-tabulations, variance analysis, and significance testing.
• Qualitative Analysis: Manage the transcription of verbatim proceedings from focus groups or expert panels, extracting key themes and coding qualitative data for narrative reporting.
• Reporting & Consulting: Translate complex statistical findings into clear, visually engaging reports, dashboards, and presentations. Provide evidence-based recommendations and competitive benchmarking to stakeholders.
• Project Administration: Assist with agency operations, including drafting comparative vendor quotations, tracking project budgets, and ensuring compliance with all client procurement requirements.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Data collection

Research design

Mixed methods

Reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Sociology, Public Administration, or a related quantitative field

Tools

SPSS

R/STATA

CSPro

CATI

Job description

Job Title: Research Analyst

Department: Research & Insights

Reports To: Research Director / Head of Research

Location: Pretoria

Job Type: Full-Time

About the Role

We are seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented Research Analyst to join our team. The successful candidate will play a critical role in designing research methodologies, managing fieldwork operations, and analyzing complex datasets to deliver actionable strategic insights to our clients. You will work across the full project lifecycle on a variety of qualitative and quantitative studies, serving clients in both the public sector and commercial markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Research Design & Planning: Draft comprehensive research proposals, define sampling frameworks, and develop robust methodologies for bespoke quantitative and qualitative studies.
• Data Collection Management: Oversee end-to-end data gathering, including programming electronic survey databases, configuring Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) systems, and coordinating on-the-ground field teams to ensure high-quality data capture.
• Data Processing & Analytics: Clean and validate raw data sets, performing keystroke quality checks and resolving technical queries. Utilize statistical software to run cross-tabulations, variance analysis, and significance testing.
• Qualitative Analysis: Manage the transcription of verbatim proceedings from focus groups or expert panels, extracting key themes and coding qualitative data for narrative reporting.
• Reporting & Consulting: Translate complex statistical findings into clear, visually engaging reports, dashboards, and presentations. Provide evidence-based recommendations and competitive benchmarking to stakeholders.
• Project Administration: Assist with agency operations, including drafting comparative vendor quotations, tracking project budgets, and ensuring compliance with all client procurement requirements.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Sociology, Public Administration, or a related quantitative field. (A Master’s degree is highly advantageous).
• Experience: 2–4 years of applied experience in a market research, academic research, or consultancy environment.

Technical Proficiency

• Advanced practical experience with statistical analysis software, specifically SPSS (or similar tools like R/STATA).
• Demonstrated ability to program surveys and build databases using CSPro, alongside specialized CATI software platforms.

Methodological Expertise

• Strong grasp of mixed-methods research, capable of handling both large-scale numerical datasets and qualitative interview analysis.

Core Competencies

• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills with a meticulous approach to data accuracy.
• Strong project management abilities, capable of handling multiple research phases and field teams simultaneously under strict deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write rigorous proposals and present findings clearly to non-technical audiences.
• A proactive, problem-solving mindset with commercial awareness of consultancy operations.