Head of Research and Insight 

Salary: £75,000 – £90,000 + excellent benefits, including 27 days holiday, 2:1 pension (up to 12% employer contribution), plus many more

Location: London- Hybrid  

The role-holder will be expected to join at least monthly sessions in our London office, with flexibility on working from home at other times

Turn evidence into action. Help shape a fairer financial system for people in vulnerable circumstances.

Imagine leading the research and insight capability that helps an organisation understand what is working, identify what needs to change and influence the financial services system to better serve people in vulnerable circumstances. As our new Head of Research & Insight, you will bring together research, evidence, monitoring, evaluation, performance and impact reporting in one high-impact leadership role. 

This is a critical opportunity to ensure that Fair4All Finance’s strategy, investments, programmes, policy positions and market engagement are shaped by high-quality evidence, robust analysis and lived experience. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, develop a coherent approach to insight and impact, and build an evidence base that strengthens both organisational decision-making and external influence. 

Sitting on the Operational Leadership Team, you will have the scope to shape an important organisational capability, oversee major research and evaluation activity, and turn complex qualitative and quantitative evidence into clear recommendations. This role reports into our Director of Strategy and Performance.   Your work will help us understand consumer needs and market developments, evidence the impact of our actions and make a stronger case for fair and accessible financial services.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an inclusive and intellectually curious leader with significant experience of leading a research, insight, evaluation, impact or evidence function. You will combine strong methodological knowledge with the judgement to balance rigour and pragmatism, ensuring evidence is credible, proportionate and useful. 

You will be an outstanding analyst and communicator who can translate complexity into clear insight and action, influence senior stakeholders through constructive challenge, and develop a collaborative, high-performing multidisciplinary team. You will also bring a strong understanding of financial inclusion, consumer vulnerability, financial services, social impact or a closely related context.

Key Responsibilities will include

·       Leading Fair4All Finance’s research, insight, evidence, monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting capability, aligned to our mission, strategic priorities, theory of change and impact ambitions.  

·       Overseeing the development of tools, processes, reporting cycles and evidence products that support effective monitoring, evaluation, performance reporting and organisational learning including where appropriate the utilisation of AI in analytics and research

·       Ensuring high-quality evidence, consumer insight, lived experience and equality, diversity and inclusion inform strategy, investment activity, programme design, delivery and decision-making.

·       Providing strategic oversight of performance, monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting so that investments, programmes and projects are assessed consistently and reported clearly through the appropriate governance structures.

·       Overseeing major research, insight and evaluation commissions, alongside the continued development and use of key evidence products including our customer segmentation model.

·       Synthesising research, evaluation, market insight and performance information into clear strategic recommendations that support organisational learning, prioritisation and external influence.

·       Leading and developing a multidisciplinary Research & Insight team, building specialist capability and an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture.

What you will bring

·       Significant experience of leading a research, insight, evaluation, impact or evidence function, with strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

·       Experience of designing and overseeing mixed-methods research and applying evidence to strategy, policy, programme design or organisational decision-making.

·       Strong experience of monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement, including organisational performance and impact reporting for executive teams, committees or boards.

·       Outstanding analytical and communication skills, with the ability to turn complex evidence into clear insight, recommendations and compelling narratives for different audiences.

·       A strong track record of building trusted senior relationships, influencing decisions through evidence and constructive challenge, and managing external research or evaluation partners.

·       Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams, together with a strong understanding of financial inclusion, consumer vulnerability, financial services, social impact or a closely related context.

You can find more information like essential and desirable criteria on the full job description.  

Fair4All Finance is a Disability Confident Committed scheme member. 

Fair4All Finance is a Disability Confident Committed member. We’re committed to an inclusive workplace and will offer an initial interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. You’ll be able to indicate this in your application.  

If you do require any support or reasonable adjustments during the process, please contact us at jobs@fair4allfinance.org.uk. 

Our Benefits include:

Financial Security:

•  Pension (2:1 up to 12% employer contribution), group life assurance, critical illness, and income protection, family leave

Wellbeing:

•  27 days holiday plus bank holidays, flexible working, health cash plan, health & wellbeing resource hub (including an Employee Assistance Programme)

Personal & Professional Development:

•         Individual Training budget

•         Book Club – mission aligned, up to 4 per year

•         Reset and Reflection days - individual, team and organisation wide

Fair4All Finance is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We value different perspectives, experiences, and expertise, encouraging everyone to grow and contribute fully. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including age, gender identity, disability, marital status, race, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and socioeconomic status.

We ensure fair and equitable treatment for all team members and applicants and actively recruit from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to making reasonable adjustments to support candidates and promote flexible working for a healthy work-life balance.

To apply, submit your application via Applied by 5pm, on Wednesday 28th October.

For informal enquiries, or if you have any technical issue with your application, please contact us at jobs@fair4allfinance.org.uk.

Please note that your application will be reviewed through a blind, unbiased process, so be sure to provide clear, specific examples in your responses to our ‘sift’ questions.

Due to the nature of our work successful applicants may be required to undergo pre-employment checks, which include employment reference and criminal record checks. All checks will be role appropriate and your recruiter will confirm which checks are required. We manage our Right to Work checks via TrustID.

All applicants must have an existing Right to Work in the UK and not require sponsorship at any point now, or in the future.