Introduction

Analyst - Education, Skills and Communications
Full time / permanent
London or Brighton, UK
Salary: £32k-£36k (depending on experience) plus bonus scheme, pension and other benefits

Technopolis Ltd is looking for an Analyst to join our Education, Skills and Communications team in the UK.

Our work explores how public policy can improve people's opportunities and experiences. How can education and skills systems create better opportunities for people? What works in tackling inequality and improving social mobility? How should public policy respond to technological, economic and social change? How can culture, communications and public services better meet the needs of different communities?

Our work spans education, employment, skills, culture, communications and wider social policy. We undertake research, evaluation and policy studies that help governments, public bodies and other organisations understand complex challenges, assess what works and make better-informed decisions.

Increasingly, our projects cut across traditional policy boundaries. We might examine how artificial intelligence is changing the skills people need, how universities contribute to society and the economy, how cultural programmes reach different communities, or how policies and interventions can improve people's opportunities and experiences.

We are looking for someone who enjoys exploring these kinds of questions, working with evidence and developing clear, well-reasoned conclusions.

You do not need to be a specialist in education, skills or communications. We welcome applicants with a broad interest in social policy, public services and the relationship between policy and people's lives. What matters most is your intellectual curiosity, analytical ability, communication skills and willingness to learn.

You will join a multidisciplinary team working on research and evaluation projects for clients in the UK and internationally, collaborating with colleagues across Technopolis Group's wider areas of expertise.

About this job

As an Analyst, you will work alongside colleagues at different levels of seniority and contribute to projects from initial research through to analysis and reporting.
Your work is likely to include:

• Undertaking desk research and literature and evidence reviews
• Helping to design research approaches and data-collection tools
• Conducting interviews, surveys, case studies and other qualitative research
• Analysing qualitative and quantitative evidence
• Bringing together evidence from different sources, identifying patterns and testing what the evidence tells us
• Helping teams answer policy and evaluation questions by turning evidence into clear findings and practical conclusions
• Contributing to reports, presentations and other outputs for clients
• Supporting the organisation and delivery of stakeholder engagement, workshops and other research activities
• Working with colleagues across different policy areas and international Technopolis teams
• Contributing to proposals and the development of new areas of work as your experience grows

The precise balance will vary between projects. We do not expect an entry-level Analyst to arrive already expert in every method. We are looking for someone with strong foundations and the capacity and appetite to learn.

Our work includes areas such as:

• Schools, further and higher education
• Skills, employment and transitions into work
• Careers, employability and lifelong learning
• Research, knowledge exchange and universities' wider roles in society
• Culture, heritage and the creative industries
• Media, communications and public engagement
• International education and partnerships
• Equality, inclusion, social mobility and access to opportunity
• The implications of AI, digital technologies and wider economic and social change for people, institutions and public policy

Many of these issues increasingly intersect. AI, for example, is changing education, work, communications and access to information and services. We are interested not simply in the technology itself, but in the wider questions it raises: who benefits, who may be left behind, how institutions should adapt, what skills people will need and what evidence policymakers need to make good decisions.

We therefore welcome applicants whose interests extend beyond a conventional definition of education policy.

Your profile

We are looking for an entry-level Analyst, either completing or recently graduated from a relevant postgraduate degree, or with up to two years of relevant professional experience.
Relevant experience could have been gained in research or consultancy, government or the public sector, a university, think tank, charity or another organisation concerned with public or social policy.

We are more interested in your analytical ability, curiosity and potential than in whether you have followed a particular career path.

You should have:

• A postgraduate degree, normally at Master's level, in a relevant subject, or equivalent relevant research experience
• A strong interest in public policy and in one or more areas relevant to education, skills, communications or wider social policy
• An understanding of qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
• The ability to analyse evidence critically and draw sensible conclusions from it
• Excellent written English and the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly
• Confidence communicating with colleagues and external stakeholders
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage competing tasks and deadlines
• Intellectual curiosity, an interest in how society and public policy are changing, and a willingness to learn about unfamiliar subjects and new research approaches
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively to multidisciplinary teams

We would particularly welcome
We do not expect candidates to bring all of the following, but experience in one or more would be useful:

• Qualitative research, including interviewing, focus groups or qualitative analysis
• Survey design or analysis
• Quantitative analysis and statistical software
• Evaluation or other applied social-research methods
• Policy research or analysis
• Data visualisation or communicating evidence to non-specialist audiences
• Research involving education, skills, employment, communications, culture or another area of social policy
• Working with government, public bodies, universities, charities or other research users
• Knowledge of UK and/or European public policy
• An interest in the implications of AI and emerging technologies for society and public policy, and/or experience of using AI tools thoughtfully and responsibly in research, analysis or communication

Your responsibilities

Our offer

Technopolis Group is an international research and consulting organisation specialising in policy research, evaluation and strategic advice. Our clients are predominantly public and third-sector organisations, including government departments and agencies, the European Commission and international organisations.

We use a wide range of social-research and evaluation approaches, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to help clients understand whether policies and programmes work, why they work, for whom and under what circumstances.

Technopolis is a staff-owned consultancy. We work collaboratively across disciplines, policy areas and countries and aim to provide an environment in which colleagues can develop both their methodological expertise and their understanding of public policy.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and performance-related bonus
• 25 days' annual leave
• Private healthcare and pension
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Varied projects addressing important public-policy questions
• Opportunities to work directly with policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders
• Opportunities to work with colleagues and clients in the UK and internationally
• Training and career development covering research methods, policy expertise, project management and business development
• Opportunities for greater responsibility as your experience develops
• The opportunity for staff to become shareholders as they progress to more senior levels

Equality, diversity and inclusion
Technopolis is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal opportunities throughout recruitment and employment. We value different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and welcome applications from candidates who can bring new perspectives to our work.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Interested? Apply directly

Please submit your CV and a covering letter explaining:

• Why you are interested in the role and in the work of the Education, Skills and Communications team
• The public-policy questions or areas that particularly interest you
• How your research, analytical and communication skills meet the requirements of the role
• What you think you would bring to Technopolis

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to take part in our selection process.

Application deadline: 23 December 2026