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Come work with us to help understand the world better

About Us

The Diffley Partnership is a high quality, vibrant and growing organisation, offering the full range of research and consultancy services, giving clients the robust research they need to make important decisions.

We bring research to life and make sure it can lead to genuine change. We also cut through complex and thorny issues to help understand where people stand on a wide range of issues, providing insightful analysis and crisp, thoughtful commentary.

Since the company was founded in 2017 by Mark Diffley, former Director of Ipsos MORI Scotland, we have completed over 100 research and consultancy projects for a range of public, private and third sector organisations in Scotland and beyond.

You will join our small team of skilled and experienced researchers and bring your track research of experience, expertise and delivery to help us succeed further.

The Role

We are seeking a Head of Research to lead the delivery of our projects, represent the company with our clients and help deliver our plans for the future.

You will head a small team of researchers in our growing team, reporting directly to the Director.

You will lead a variety of research and consultancy studies for diverse range of clients.

The role is interesting, wide ranging and rewarding, offering the right candidate the opportunity to develop their career in a supportive, friendly and professional environment.

No two days are ever the same; you will lead the delivery of a variety of projects of all research disciplines and different sizes. You will also be central to our external communications, writing papers and reports and helping our business to grow further.

Key Responsibilities include:

  • Lead the delivery of our studies for clients;
  • Lead a small team of researchers to grow and develop;
  • Lead communications with clients and others, including through written reports, presentations and speaking at events;
  • Undertake data and statistical analysis on a range of research studies, using statistical packages which include SPSS and MS Excel;
  • Undertake work on data visualisation and presenting data in clear, user-friendly and understandable formats.

About you

You will already have a reputation as a high quality, experienced researcher, operating at a senior level and with the skills and values that we see as important.

Specifically:

Personal qualities – you will:

  • Be curious and interested in understanding the world around us;
  • Be comfortable and experienced working in senior environments, including business leaders at Board/Director level, politicians and senior public servants;
  • Have expertise in liaising and communicating with clients from across public, private and third sectors;
  • Have strong interpersonal skills demonstrated through interaction with a variety of stakeholders at different levels;
  • Be an experienced communicator in verbal and written formats;
  • Have a tenacious and logical approach to information gathering and analysis;
  • Be constructive and flexible, able to adapt to the needs of a small team;
  • Be able to work to tight deadlines;
  • Be able to work effectively in a team, but likewise able to work on own initiative.

Technical qualities – you will:

  • Have significant experience in social or market research delivery, including in quantitative and qualitative disciplines;
  • Be highly analytical and numerate;
  • Have experience in the use of statistical and quantitative methods to analyse a wide variety of data sources;
  • Have practical experience of using SPSS or similar statistical software packages, and advanced user of MS Excel;
  • Have excellent problem-solving skills – ability to translate requirements into reports and analysis;
  • Have good organisational skills;
  • Strong reasoning and written communication skills, honed through experience of working with large amounts of data and compiling concise, accurate and well-informed reports.

Benefits

  • Freedom to pursue your interests and mould the role as your own;
  • Competitive salary;
  • Flexible working arrangements;
  • A range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, health care and pension.

Closing date

Applications for this post closed 11:59pm on Wednesday 18th November 2020