Research Officer

We are delighted to share this new and exciting opportunity for a Research Officer to join our dynamic organisation.

As the voice of the UK’s co-operative movement, we empower and support co-operative enterprise with specialised knowledge and expertise, to grow the co-operative economy and create a fairer society. From football clubs and farms to convenience stores and pubs, there are more than 7,000 co-operatives in the UK, each owned and controlled by their members and based on a set of shared principles and values. By promoting shared wealth through member ownership, we are committed to enable anyone in the UK to form, or join, thriving and sustainable co-ops.

As Research Officer you will support the development and implementation of Co-operatives UK’s strategies through research, surveys, and feedback. In conjunction with the Leadership Team, you will set the strategic research priorities for Co-operatives UK.

As an organisation we are led by our unwavering values of solidarity, self-responsibility, equity, and honesty, therefore if you share these core values, we would be delighted to receive your application.

Core responsibilities

We invite all interested parties to learn more about the role and our organisation within the recruitment pack, which can be downloaded from the recruitment documents section.

• Align research efforts with Co-operatives UK’s goals and priorities to support policy and strategy formulation
• Plan and conduct market research to understand public perceptions of co-operatives; Undertake survey and questionnaire-based research with co-operatives to identify trends, opportunities and challenges within the co-operative sector
• Maintain awareness of ongoing initiatives across Co-operatives UK and actively collaborate with other departments to identify emerging research needs
• Conduct analysis of members’ purchasing behaviour, assess the business impact of various membership types to enhance member engagement and evaluate the effectiveness of Co-operatives UK’s programs and initiatives
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to gather and utilise data effectively, ensuring maximising the use of existing data
• Manage research projects, including the design, execution, and analysis of surveys and feedback mechanisms
• Work with partners and other research and academic organisations to commission research projects
• Maintain data sources, analyse business data to identify key trends, and translate research findings to provide evidence-based recommendations
• Prepare reports and insights that demonstrate the value and impact of co-operatives, including their social, economic, and local impacts
• Develop comprehensive reporting mechanisms to communicate business analysis insights effectively to the Leadership Team
• Stay updated on relevant research trends and methodologies to continually enhance the research function

Essential skills:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Experience of commissioning, designing and delivering quantitative and qualitative research projects
• Project management skills including experience in managing data analysis projects
• Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and communicate them effectively to various stakeholders
• A proactive approach to identifying and addressing research needs
• Strong organisational and analytical skills with proficiency in database management and manipulation
• Good understanding of research processes and methodologies, data analysis techniques, and data protection regulations
• Proficiency in using data analysis tools and statistical software
• Ability to work with attention to detail, accuracy, and within specified deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to interact with diverse stakeholders, and convey information clearly and effectively

Further information, including a recruitment pack, can be found here.