Research Manager

As a Research & Insights Manager, you’ll help Nationwide understand how our brand and communications are performing, where we can have the greatest impact for customers and members, and how insight can shape future decisions. We’re looking for an experienced, curious and commercially minded researcher with strong qualitative and quantitative expertise, including sampling design and the judgement to choose the right approach for each business question.

Working within our Marketing Effectiveness, Analytics and Brand Performance team, you’ll own a strategically important continuous brand tracker and a wider portfolio of research. One of the tracker’s key metrics is reported to the Executive Committee and Board, so accuracy, methodological integrity and confidence in the data are critical. You’ll combine expert research delivery with strong governance, supplier and stakeholder management, and the line management of a junior colleague.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at either our Swindon or London office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here. 

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll own and continuously improve our high-profile continuous brand tracker, overseeing research design, sampling, questionnaire development, fieldwork, data quality, analysis and reporting to produce reliable, actionable insight. You’ll apply expert judgement to design and deliver qualitative and quantitative research, selecting the right methodology for each business question, while maintaining strong project governance, risk management, budgets and controls across concurrent priorities. 

You'll also build strong relationships across Nationwide, helping stakeholders turn research into action. Also lead agency and supplier relationships. You’ll also line manage and develop a junior colleague through clear objectives, day-to-day guidance and feedback.
 

About you

As a minimum you’ll have: 

• Strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including sampling design, questionnaire development and analysis

• The ability to design and deliver research that answers business and customer insight questions

• Proven project management skills, including governance, risk management, budget control and prioritisation of competing demands

• Effective stakeholder management skills and the ability to build productive relationships with agencies, suppliers and business partners

• Experience of working with continuous tracking research programmes

• The ability to analyse and interpret complex data, turning insight into clear recommendations and actions

• Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience presenting findings to senior stakeholders

• The ability to coach, develop or line manage colleagues

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 25 days holiday, pro rata

• Private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us. 

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Keeping your data and personal information confidential is important to us. To find out more about how we use and process your data, please read our Privacy policy. 

If you want to find out more about using AI in our recruitment process, please read more here. 

Disability Confident  

We’re not just guided by data, we’re driven by the real experiences of our people. We’re a Disability Confident Level 3 Leader, the highest level.  

That’s why we’re constantly evolving our policies and practices to make sure everyone feels genuinely supported, valued, and empowered to champion inclusion. Whatever your needs, we’re here to support you. If you need any additional support throughout your application journey, email our team at Recruitment Support.  

Apply safely with Nationwide 

Recruitment scams can look convincing, so take a moment to check the role is listed on our official careers site and read our guidance on Don’t be conned by a job scam.