Your new company Hays are working with the Northern Ireland Assembly to recruit for a Research Officer - within the area of Culture, Heritage, and Sport. Your new role As a Research Officer, you will work with data, information and research in allocated subject areas, to produce non-partisan, objective and evidence-based briefings (oral and written) and information; supporting the business of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Research and Information Service (RaISe) has Research Officers working in specific subject areas, currently organised across five research teams: *Communities, Infrastructure and Environment Health, Rights and Justice Statistics, Mapping and Education EU Affairs, Devolution and Parliamentary Governance Finance and Economics Together, supported by the Library within RaISe, the Research Teams provide services which include: In-depth, analytical briefings (written and oral) regarding public policy, legislation and public finance Bill papers and Review of Costs, addressing Executive and non-Executive legislative proposals Information and briefings to support Committees in their scrutiny, policy development and consultation roles Information and briefings to assist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to develop proposals for private member's legislation Research to help MLAs respond to matters of concern to their constituents Statistical services and advice spanning the collection, analysis and use of data Mapping services and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based analyses Workshops and seminars, including the Public Finance and Economic Scrutiny Workshop Series, and the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) which is delivered in partnership with local universities The main duties and responsibilities are to: Develop and deliver analytical reports, briefings and information, including cross-jurisdictional comparisons, to support the business of the Northern Ireland Assembly - its Members, Committees, the Assembly Commission, senior management and wider colleagues. Deliver oral briefings to Members, Committees and wider colleagues, including in public and private session, and respond to Members' questions; Engage with individual MLAs, Assembly Committees, Officials and wider stakeholders in order to understand, scope and fulfil their research and information needs and facilitate Assembly business; Retrieve research, information and data from a wide range of sources, distilling and reporting on public policy, legislative, public finance and wider matters relevant to your allocated subject area(s); Effectively communicate by producing written, visual and online outputs, and delivering oral presentations, in a timely, relevant, robust, non-partisan, concise and accessible manner. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of research, public policy, legislation, public finance and wider matters relevant to your allocated subject area(s); Proactively develop links and engage with research bodies/communities, government officials, other parliamentary library and research services, and wider relevant stakeholders; Engage collegiately in knowledge exchange and skills transfer, including through continuous development, quality assurance and peer review processes; delivering and facilitating events, seminars and workshops; and supporting colleagues and interns; Work proactively and collaboratively at all times, while assuming personal responsibility for, and delivering on, agreed objectives, goals and standards in a manner that gives full effect to the Corporate Strategy and Values of the Assembly Commission; Contribute positively to the continuous development of RaISe and the Assembly Commission, improving service delivery, ways of working and outputs; Comply with the Assembly's Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures; and Carry out any other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you. What you'll need to succeed An honours degree (of minimum 2:1 classification) or a degree of an equivalent or higher standard, which has substantive relevance to the subject area* of the post applied for; AND/OR which includes modules of study in socio-economic research, or in the analysis of legislation or public policy or public finance Applicants MUST demonstrate the relevance of their qualification(s), for example by direct reference to the completion of specific and relevant modules of study. *the subject area of the post is as set out in above in the 'Research Posts' section. AND At least three years of work experience with substantive delivery spanning both a) and b) below in the subject area* of the specific post applied for Development and delivery of objective, evidence-based, analyses, including cross-jurisdictional comparisons, drawing on a wide range of sources, to analyse public policy and/or legislation and/or public finance AND writing and presenting objective, evidence-based reports /briefings and wider outputs to inform decision making and lay understanding relating to the development of public policy and/or legislation and/or public finance; Applicants MUST demonstrate the relevance of their experience to the subject area* of the specific post applied for.*This post sits within the communities, infrastructure and environment team. This post is for a culture, heritage and sport specialist, covering areas such as the arts sector, libraries, sport, heritage and cultural rights, as well as regional and minority languages.Research carried out as part of student academic study does not qualify as work experience. What you'll get in return £28.11 per hour Belfast Estimated start date 13th April 12 months Closing date: Monday, 16 February 2026 @12 noon What you need to do now If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career. Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be Skills: Research Officer Northern Ireland Assembly Belfast Culture Heritage & Sport Benefits: £28.11 per hour