Reports to: Director of Research and Insights
About us
The Independent is an online news publisher that was established in 1986 as a national newspaper independent of party-political affiliations or proprietorial influence. In 2016, The Independent became a fully digital publisher, moving away from print in pursuit of sustainability, and to safeguard its values and journalism for the future.
The Independent has always thrived through innovation and change. It was the first British newspaper to add a Saturday magazine; the first to give photography the same prestige as news copy; the first to challenge the Westminster lobby system of closed briefings; the first broadsheet to move to the more compact 'tabloid' format; the first to launch a concise quality compact paper; and the first – and only – major newspaper to pull off a successful transformation to fully digital publishing.
Through The Independent, Independent TV, eCommerce, indy100, subscriptions and other 'reader revenues', The Independent plans to continue the work of many decades, bringing much-needed independent journalism to over 100 million unique global visitors a month, make its voice ever louder and more insistent the world over. We have an international editorial team with our main offices in London and New York.
In 2024 The Independent's portfolio of brands increased through a new licencing partnership with BuzzFeed Inc. to operate the BuzzFeed brands in the UK - BuzzFeed UK, Tasty, Seasoned and HuffPost UK. The additional brands echo the existing business ethos and allow for increased audiences and a further strategic diversification of revenue streams.
Job purpose:
As part of the Research & Insights team, you'll support insight generation for both the UK and US markets. Working closely with the Research & Insights Manager and commercial team members, you'll help turn complex data into clear, strategic narratives that inform business decisions across departments. Your work will help to deepen our understanding of what motivates and engages our audiences.
You'll work with stakeholders across the commercial team, supporting both regular reporting and ad hoc insight needs.
While this is a 10-month contract, there is the potential for this to turn into a long-term role.
About you:
You're naturally curious about people… their behaviours, interests, and what drives their decisions. You ask thoughtful questions, thrive on uncovering insights, and have a growing passion for using data to tell compelling stories. Whether it's observing trends or designing a survey, you're motivated by a desire to understand what makes audiences tick.
You might be a great fit if you:
Have a strong interest in audience behaviour, media consumption, and digital trends
Are keen to learn how to translate data into insights and insights into strategy
Are a naturally curious and analytical thinker with a sharp eye for detail
Are highly organised, capable of managing several projects at once
Take initiative and are eager to contribute meaningfully early in your career
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. As a growing and global brand, we must have a workforce that's more representative of our readers, viewers, clients and partners, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone.
We are committed to hiring and developing a diverse workforce regardless of background, and we support our people to thrive in their careers here.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to let us know.
The Data and Marketing team:
The Data & Marketing department is the intelligence powerhouse of the business, representing the customer. Our goal is to inspire, engage and grow a loyal readership by harnessing data-driven insights and innovative marketing to deliver personalised, impactful content experiences that builds lasting trust, diverse revenue streams, and a thriving future for quality journalism. The department consists of four teams: Data Science & Engineering, Data Intelligence & Monetisation, Research & Insight and Customer Marketing.
You will be joining the Research & Insights team whose purpose is to better understand our brands, key verticals and audiences - identifying opportunities for optimisation and business growth. They do this by utilising best in class research and data storytelling techniques to deliver rich, meaningful insight to our commercial teams and the wider business.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities – what is delivered
Your responsibilities will include:
Using third-party audience tools (e.g., TGI, YouGov, comScore) to profile and segment users
Assist with custom primary research projects from start to finish, including research design, writing surveys, analysing results and writing reports and design engaging presentations
Responding to ad hoc data and insights requests, particularly from commercial/sales teams to support client briefs
Supporting monthly reports on reach and engagement for C-Suite and senior stakeholders
Helping design and analyse surveys for campaign effectiveness and user understanding
Maintaining and updating standard reporting templates and documents
Skills
We're looking for someone who has a foundation in research or data and a desire to grow within a media and insights-focused environment. You don't need to know everything yet – but you should be excited to learn, contribute, and develop your skills.
Essential skills and experience include:
Strong proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets
Experience creating and designing clear, visually compelling slides or presentations
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong attention to detail and an analytical mindset
Comfortable identifying trends and drawing conclusions from data
Some exposure to research tools or platforms such as TGI/Kantar, YouGov, comScore, or IPSOS (a plus, not a must)
Demonstrate enthusiasm for consumer insight research
Proactive and organised, with the ability to manage time and tasks effectively
Non essential but good to have
Ability to design campaign and ad effectiveness surveys and translate results into clear, actionable insights for post-campaign analysis
Our values – you will deliver across all our values
Inclusive: We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. Working as a team, we put transparency and effective communication at the heart of everything we do.
Innovative: From the very beginning, The Independent has been breaking the mould. We take risks and are always looking to try new ideas in pursuit of excellence.
Independent: Nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own minds and aren't afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences.