At a Glance
- Tasks: Support high-quality research publications for a global financial services client.
- Company: Join Williams Lea, a leader in innovative business processes.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and gym discounts.
- Why this job: Make an impact in a fast-paced environment with global collaboration.
- Qualifications: Strong organisational skills and attention to detail required.
- Other info: Great career development opportunities in a diverse workplace.
The predicted salary is between 46000 - 64400 £ per year.
Salary: £46,000 per annum
Location: London EC1A
Contract: Six-month fixed-term, full time
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:30pm (1-hour unpaid lunch)
Work Model: Fully onsite
About the Role
As a Research Associate Publisher II, you will play a critical role in the delivery of high-quality, time-sensitive research publications for a global financial services client. Operating within a Williams Lea team of nine across London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and India, this role is central to ensuring research publications are produced, quality-controlled, and distributed accurately, compliantly, and on time. The position is heavily delivery-focused, with approximately 70% of time dedicated to business-as-usual (BAU) publishing activities and 30% to change, UAT, and technology initiatives. Pre-deal publishing is a core and business-critical component of the role and occurs frequently, requiring precision, speed, and sound judgement. Once trained, the successful candidate will be trusted to make day-to-day operational decisions independently, escalating issues appropriately while maintaining ownership of outcomes.
Key Relationships & Scope
- Daily collaboration with Research Analysts, Operations, Technology teams, and offshore partners
- Close partnership with the onshore publications team across EMEA and APAC
- Primary regional focus on EMEA, while contributing to global consistency of service
- Regular interaction with senior stakeholders to ensure service standards and expectations are met
Key Responsibilities
Operational Delivery
- Support Research Analysts in the authoring, formatting, and publishing of research reports across end-to-end workflows
- Manage and execute high-volume, time-critical pre-deal publishing, including preparation of client lists, entitlement checks, and coordinated distribution
- Monitor workflows, priorities, and handoffs across onshore and offshore teams to ensure deadlines, quality, and SLAs are consistently met
- Perform rigorous quality control, proofing, and compliance checks to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to publishing standards
- Make informed operational decisions daily to maintain service excellence, escalating where appropriate
Change, UAT & Continuous Improvement
- Actively participate in UAT cycles, technology releases, and workflow enhancements
- Identify opportunities to improve tools, processes, and service outcomes; provide structured feedback to stakeholders
- Take ownership of NextGen training materials and documentation, ensuring they remain accurate and up to date
Training & Onboarding
- Coordinate with Research Trainers to support onboarding of new joiners
- Assist with access requests, systems setup, and operational training
- Identify training needs and support the delivery of training sessions on publishing processes and tools
Client Focus & Service Excellence
- Deliver consistently high levels of customer service and proactive communication throughout the publication lifecycle
- Build trusted relationships with end users and client stakeholders
- Resolve client issues effectively, ensuring root causes are addressed and lessons learned are shared
- Actively encourage and incorporate client feedback to drive service improvements
General Responsibilities
- Build strong working relationships across the Williams Lea global network
- Share knowledge and best practices across the team
- Maintain a positive, professional, and solutions-oriented approach
- Champion Williams Lea values and culture, acting as a role model at all times
- Take ownership of personal development and continuous learning
Essential Skills & Experience
- Organisational & Project Management Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Attention to Detail: Exceptional accuracy and quality focus across all stages of publishing
- Communication & Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills with the confidence to work across global teams and escalate when required
- Training & Knowledge Sharing: Experience supporting or delivering training and onboarding activities
- Problem Solving & Judgement: Ability to assess issues, make decisions independently once trained, and seek support when needed
- Technical Skills: Advanced MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); working knowledge of SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat
Personal Competencies
- Proactive, self-managing, and resilient in a high-pressure environment
- Confident decision-maker with sound judgement
- Strong team player with a collaborative mindset
- Positive, ‘can-do’ attitude and professional presence
- Motivated to continuously improve skills, processes, and service quality
Rewards and Benefits
We believe in supporting our employees in both their professional and personal lives. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to:
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Salary sacrifice schemes, retail vouchers – including our TechScheme which can be used on a range of gadgets such as Smart TVs, laptops and computers or household appliances
- Life Assurance
- Private Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Health Assessments
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Discounted gym memberships
- Referral Scheme
You will also work for a global employer who is dedicated to offering each employee an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding career with future career development prospects!
Equality and Diversity
The Company values the differences that a diverse workforce brings to the organisation and will not discriminate because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (each of these being a “protected characteristic” in discrimination law). It will not discriminate because of any other irrelevant factor and will build a culture that values openness, fairness, and transparency.
If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like to make a reasonable adjustment to enable you to make an interview, please contact us at careersatWL@williamslea.com.
Research Associate Publisher II employer: Williams Lea
Contact Detail:
Williams Lea Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Associate Publisher II
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Williams Lea on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research the company, its values, and recent projects. This shows you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute to their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Get a friend to do mock interviews with you. Focus on articulating your experience and how it aligns with the role of Research Associate Publisher II.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a thank-you email expressing your appreciation for the opportunity. It keeps you fresh in their minds and shows your enthusiasm for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Associate Publisher II
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Research Associate Publisher II role. Highlight your relevant experience in publishing, project management, and any specific skills that match the job description. We want to see how you fit into our team!
Showcase Your Attention to Detail: Since this role requires exceptional accuracy, don’t forget to demonstrate your attention to detail in your application. Use clear examples from your past work where you’ve ensured quality and compliance in publishing or similar tasks. We love a meticulous candidate!
Communicate Clearly: Strong communication skills are key for this position. In your written application, be concise and articulate. Make sure your ideas flow logically and that you convey your enthusiasm for the role. We appreciate clarity and confidence!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets to the right people. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Williams Lea
✨Know Your Role Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Research Associate Publisher II. Familiarise yourself with the key tasks like managing high-volume publishing and quality control. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge and show that you're ready to hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Attention to Detail
Given the emphasis on accuracy in this role, be prepared to discuss examples from your past where your attention to detail made a difference. Whether it’s proofreading documents or managing complex projects, highlight how your meticulous nature has led to successful outcomes.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and judgement. Think of scenarios where you had to make quick decisions under pressure, especially in a publishing context. Practising these responses will help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaborative Spirit
This role involves working closely with various teams across different regions. Be ready to share experiences where you successfully collaborated with others, resolved conflicts, or built strong relationships. Showing that you can work well in a team will resonate well with the interviewers.