Research Analyst

Reports to: Head of Research

Duration: Fixed Term with potential to become permanent.

Start Date: ASAP summer 2026

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £28,000 - £35,000 per year

About Substance

Substance is a social research and technology company working to understand the social impact of sport and physical activity, youth development and outdoor recreation. We work with many types of organisations including major charities in youth and sport, local and central government and national and international sports bodies. Our core team is made up of experienced social researchers, technologists and programme managers, each with their own specialisms. We share an ambition to make organisations that do good have a greater impact. Substance is based in Manchester but, with flexible working policies, has staff employed all over the UK.

Who we work with:

• National government departments, such as the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Home Office, Department for Education and Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.
• Regional and local government bodies such as the Greater London Authority and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
• National strategic organisations such as the Environment Agency, Big Issue Invest Premier League Charitable Fund, Big Lottery Fund.
• National charities, such as BBC Children in Need, Wellcome Trust, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, MIND, Groundwork and MyBnk.
• National and international sports bodies including UEFA, national football associations, Sport England, UK Sport, sports clubs and sport for development organisations.
• Local and regional delivery organisations including a range of football club community organisations and other sport for development, health and social organisations and charities.

Role Purpose

The Research Analyst will help acquire, lead and deliver research projects in close collaboration with our growing research team. We are looking for someone with excellent quantitative and/or qualitative research skills to improve our data gathering and analysis. The successful candidate will have some knowledge of the youth, sport or outdoor recreation sectors and will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with clients, leading some project work. They will undertake research design and deliver research analysis and outputs. They will also be involved in identifying new opportunities and preparing bids. There are excellent opportunities for professional development and progression, and we are looking for someone who can help the team develop.

Specifically this role will involve supporting the following two projects:

• Sea Angling Diary.
• GM Moving Place Based and system change evaluation and other Place Based evaluations.

Key Competencies

Essential:

• Postgraduate degree in social science or with similar experience and skills.
• Experience of employment in research setting within a consultancy, university, or other organisation.
• Excellent research skills and experience, including:

• Quantitative research design, data gathering and analysis.
• Innovative qualitative research, case study and analysis.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of/experience in the relevant sectors we work in, with detailed knowledge of at least one of the following:

• Youth development.
• Youth inclusion and sport/activity.
• Sport and physical activity.
• Sport for development.
• Outdoor recreation (angling participation).
• Complex System Change and or Place Based Working.

Key Responsibilities

The Research Analyst will be responsible for:

• Quantitative data collection:

• Designing and setting up quantitative research tools, including online and face to face surveys and recruiting respondents.
• Managing recruitment campaigns, managing and tracking responses.
• Identification of data sets, accessing data and organising and manipulating it for analysis.
• Organising and preparing primary data to enable analysis.

• Designing and delivering analysis of primary and secondary datasets.
• Managing, collating and cleaning data for analysis.
• Undertaking descriptive analysis of datasets and survey results.
• Identifying and conducting appropriate analytical approaches and using appropriate software.

• Undertaking literature good practice reviews and other documentary research.
• Developing interview and focus group schedules, questions and recruitment.
• Collaborating with colleagues in research to arrange interviews, case studies, focus groups and other work.
• Undertaking interviews, focus groups, workshops, case study research.
• Developing and deploying digital/online qualitative data collection techniques.

• Designing approaches for qualitative analysis and using appropriate software.
• Preparing qualitative data for analysis.
• Undertaking qualitative research analysis.
• Working to identify and develop innovative approaches.

• Providing initial write-ups from quantitative and qualitative data to support further analysis and reporting.
• Preparing research summaries to inform analysis and reporting.
• Drafting client-facing reports including presentation of data, commentary, analysis, data tables, infographics and mapping.
• Addressing quality issues and comments and implementing content changes.

• Undertaking client facing consultancy work including delivering Theory of Change and Outcomes Framework workshops.

• Managing specific elements of research projects and some individual projects.
• Consulting with clients.
• Consulting with technical team colleagues.
• Supporting the Head of Research and research team colleagues.
• Helping to manage other members of the research team.

• Contributing to the preparation of tenders and proposals.
• Identifying and developing business development opportunities.
• Contributing to internal business and staff development.

• The post will require flexible working both in terms of some hours of working, some travel and weekend/evening working.
• The post will also require working to a workplan and a personal development plan agreed with Head of Research.

Role Benefits

The successful candidate will be entitled to the following benefits:

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days).
• Flexible remote working with Manchester office access.
• Professional development support.
• Perkbox employee benefits platform.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Salary sacrifice schemes (e.g., cycle to work).
• Eye care vouchers.
• Death in Service benefit.
• Free health service (after 3 years).
• Regular company social events.