Freelance Head Researcher in London

Studio Overview

We are Sports Interactive 🎮 The studio behind: ⚽ Football Manager. Founded in 1994, Sports Interactive became a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA Europe in 2006. Based at the Here East technology hub in Stratford, East London, the SI team continues to expand as we bring our titles to an ever-growing audience across an increasing variety of platforms.

To support our growth, we welcome the opportunity to connect with passionate people with the drive to match our ambitions and initiative to realise your individual potential.

Position Overview

Sports Interactive is looking to engage enthusiastic freelance/consultant Head Researchers to support our women’s football research on a self-employed basis. Working with the Head of Women’s Football Research, Head Researchers will provide in-depth knowledge and research expertise for specific leagues or footballing nations. The Head Researcher role will play a key part in developing and supporting the women’s football database and associated research network. This is a paid freelance/consultancy opportunity, designed to be carried out on a flexible, self-employed basis as an additional source of income during your spare time. We are looking for passionate women’s football experts from across the globe. Applications are welcomed from all regions and league levels, with a particular focus on strengthening our coverage in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Payment will be agreed in advance and linked to the agreed scope, outputs and quality standards for the services provided. The time commitment may vary depending on the league, region and agreed scope of work. This is a freelance/consultancy engagement and does not create an employment relationship with Sports Interactive or SEGA. Freelancers are responsible for managing their own tax, insurance and statutory obligations in line with local requirements. Freelancers must be able to provide services lawfully from their country of residence and comply with any local legal, tax and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect, collate, and enter specific accurate footballing data in a timely manner
• Create, maintain and coordinate a network and community of voluntary researchers, to support accurate data provision and coverage of specific clubs within designated leagues or nations.
• Provide detailed competition rules for all the competitions required so they can be coded as realistically as possible
• Quality check data provided by others to help improve the accuracy of the Football Manager database

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

• A huge passion for football, in particular women’s football
• Extensive knowledge of your designated league and women’s football in that nation
• Strong communication and organisational skills
• Attention to detail
• Excellent English verbal and written skills
• Ability to build and foster working relationships and networks.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Football Manager
• Football scouting experience or qualifications
• Football analyst experience or qualifications
• Experience working on databases.

Benefits of Working at Sports Interactive:

• Private Healthcare and Dental Plans.
• A range of Gym Membership options through our Benefits partners.
• Travel Insurance for yourself and your family.
• Subsidised mental health, therapy, and coaching sessions are available.
• Access to our on-site physical and massage therapist services.
• Free access to games released under the SEGA Europe umbrella.
• Contributory Pension Scheme (up to 7% of annual salary).
• Regular events in collaboration with our partnered football clubs.
• Free onsite evening bar in our London HQ.
• A well-stocked breakfast bar with cereals, fruits, teas, and coffees.
• Multiple clubs and societies to join e.g., book club and art workshops.
• Your club’s shirt personalised upon passing probation.
• Trophies & gift cards for length of service milestones.
• Cupcakes delivered on your birthday.

What is it like to work here?

We approach everything with passion, whether that is making our mark on the football industries or doing our bit for the world around us. We want to share that outlook with everyone who shows up to work here each day.

For us, talent wins games, but teamwork wins titles. All our roles require a level of Studio attendance to help us collaborate effectively and stay connected as a team. Collaboration is the key to constantly topping our best. Everyone's contribution counts, no matter which part of the business you are in. We encourage and support our people in driving your own growth and realising your full potential. But, more than anything else, we are a team. A team with a down-to-earth dynamic, that has a lot of fun doing what we do.

And whether that’s technical tweaks or fine-tuning our creative process, everything is geared at producing the best game possible for our players. To do that, we need to be tenacious and ambitious and not be afraid of switching things up. It is these principles that have enabled us to produce a game that has defined year after year, and that will continue to push us for many more to come.

We’re also a London Living Wage employer and boast one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the industry. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from any relevant candidate irrespective of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief.

SI is proudly a Disability Confident Committed employer, and we are dedicated to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. Our studio has disabled access and facilities but please ensure you advise us if you require any other reasonable adjustments to be made to support you during the recruitment process.

Our Values:

• Keep collaborating: Teamwork wins titles - Here, ideas belong to everyone, whatever department you’re part of. Collaboration lets us score more as a team than we could individually.
• Be flexible: We think fast and adapt faster. The football and entertainment worlds never stand still, so we keep progressing and switching things up to stay ahead.
• Stay Tenacious: We don’t overlook the details. Everything we do is about producing the best game possible, in other words, never settle.
• Show Ambition: Let your drive lead the way - Your individual outlook can give everyone the edge. Make the studio’s purpose personal and let your drive lead the way.
• Bring the Passion: Have fun doing your thing - Don’t be fooled, what we do is not a game. Making our players’ passion come to life is our passion.
• Consider the Bigger Picture: Keep things in perspective - We want our impact to be a positive one. From built-in work/life balance to initiatives covering the most important topics of today, we have what matters in focus.