Senior Research Manager (Education) in London

Now is an exciting time to join us as we embrace new ways of working under a 4 day working week, supporting our team to help them build a work life balance that really works for them. We’re an award-winning social research agency, that helps organisations, businesses and individuals to make better informed decisions. We deliver best-in‑class social research on topics that really matter, helping shape public policy and informing programmes and initiatives that make a difference to people’s lives.

About the opportunity: This is a great opportunity for a Senior Research Manager (SRM) with established quantitative experience to join our Education team. The Education sector accounts for over a third of project work at IFF and delivers research and evaluation to inform policy and practice across the UK. We work with government bodies, notably the Department for Education, sector organisations and employers to provide evidence‑based insights through large‑scale surveys, qualitative studies, and complex evaluations. Our projects span early years, schools, apprenticeships, further and higher education, as well as a wide range of work on managed and irregular migration for the Home Office.

As an SRM you’ll be leading from the front on research for government clients, managing large‑scale surveys and complex projects with a quantitative focus as well as maintaining a mixed methods approach on other projects. We’re looking for someone already operating at (or very close to) this level, who’s ready to take on senior responsibility with the support and space to keep developing. You’ll be trusted to run multiple projects, manage clients and lead teams, while working closely with Associate Directors to continue building your confidence and expertise on more complex work.

You’ll line manage and develop Research Executives and Senior Research Executives, oversee timelines and budgets and take the lead on outputs and client relationships, becoming a go-to person clients trust. You’ll also get involved in new business, working with senior colleagues on pitches and helping grow our work. And because we focus on developing all our people, you’ll have opportunities to shape that too, working with our L&D Director to design and deliver training across the team.

Responsibilities:

• Sign off specifications & data outputs
• Analyse quantitative (and some qualitative) data to produce clear, publishable insights
• Deliver engaging, high‑quality presentations to clients
• Lead multiple projects, ensuring delivery to time, budget & quality
• Apply advanced data techniques (e.g. weighting, complex sampling)
• Manage, support and develop project teams
• Review outputs and provide clear, constructive feedback
• Act as a key client contact
• Work collaboratively to get the best out of project teams
• Spot development needs and support team growth

About you:

This role is ideal for someone already working at, or very close to, Senior Research Manager level in an agency environment or similar, someone who enjoys the pace and variety and is looking for a place where they can really grow into the role. You’ll bring excellent quantitative experience, including working on large‑scale surveys, ideally for government or other high‑profile clients. This role has a clear quantitative focus, so you’ll be confident in your technical ability and comfortable leading complex quant work.

At the same time, this isn’t a purely quantitative role, much of our work is mixed methods, so you’ll be open to and interested in continuing to apply and develop your qualitative skills alongside your quant expertise. You’ll be confident running projects, managing competing priorities and delivering high‑quality outputs, while also being keen to keep learning, refining your skills and building your confidence in a supportive environment.

You’ll be comfortable leading teams and building relationships with clients, with a calm, pragmatic approach when things get busy (as they often do in agency life). You’ll know how to take ownership, when to ask for support and how to support and develop others. We’d be keen to see someone who has experienced, technical skills in SPSS, R or similar and either the foundation in or desire to build your evaluation experience. If you have experience in Official Statistics, data quality assurance, advanced data or managing large scale CATI studies then that too would be really valuable.

Most importantly, you’ll enjoy working in a collaborative, ideas‑driven environment. This is an opportunity to join a business that values input from all its staff and as a SRM you’ll apply your skills and build on the success of IFF.

A friendly and supportive work environment, true to our value of “being human first”. Genuine flexibility, with hybrid working and the ability to flex when you work around our core hours of 11-3. Learning culture, with ongoing investment in your personal development. Competitive remuneration, including 5% pension contributions. 28 days’ annual leave.