Overview of the role

Research projects to generate data and insight.

Details of standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in private, public and third sector organisations. These include media, finance, local government, central government and health. Market, Social and Opinion Research enables organisations to understand customers, develop new products, identify business growth opportunities, understand society, develop new policies and address significant social concerns such as smoking, addiction, poverty and inequality.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to work on research projects to generate data and insight. The Market Research Executive collects, analyses and interprets information collected from participants using digital and non-digital methods. They use qualitative techniques such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, and ethnography; quantitative techniques such as face to face/telephone/online surveys, statistical analysis; and analysis of numerical data; and secondary data analysis such as summarising, collating and synthesising existing research. The Market Research Executive role is key within the research function. They support the team from the beginning to end of the research project, across a range of research duties. This includes working closely with the research team to ensure project delivery in line with agreed resources and budgets. As part of this role it is essential to build and maintain relationships with internal and external clients and suppliers as appropriate.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with internal teams such as research, sales, marketing, IT, product development, finance, HR, legal and Operations. (Operations is the part of the research function that undertakes data collection, coding, data processing and data delivery to the research teams for analysis and reporting.) They also interact with external stakeholders, including members of the public, clients, service providers, agencies, the media, local and central government and research participants. They are expected to work independently on certain duties and as part of the wider office based research team on other duties including day to day responsibility for leading elements of a research project. The Market Research Executive is accountable to a line manager within the research team, with no staff management or budgetary responsibilities. The Market Research Executive role is predominantly office based, however there may be some off-site duties at various locations such as attendance at research group discussions, research interviews, client/agency meetings.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for under supervision, the investigation, design and set up of research projects, organisation, preparation and collection of data and summarising, evaluating and analysing of data and reporting of research findings undertaken with awareness and understanding of human resource, costs and budgetary restraints/opportunities. These activities will require capturing, comparing, checking and analysing primary research data; undertaking desk research/secondary research; checking, monitoring and screening participants; structuring and segmenting data for analysis and validating data for quality and accuracy. There will also be day to day responsibility for leading elements of research project delivery and specific research tasks in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders as appropriate. The areas of responsibility, resources they manage and reporting will vary across employers depending on factors such as size or type of organisation.

Typical job titles include:

Insight analyst Market research assistant Market research executive Research analyst

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Duty Investigate research project goals and understand customers and citizens needs to support the creation of research project design. Cost proposals which recommend suitable research methodologies and analysis which achieve business objectives.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8

S1 S6 S7

B2 B3 B4 B6

Duty 2 Support research teams in research life cycle including building and maintaining relationships with different research service providers, internal and external, such as fieldworkers/data processors, data analysts, translation and client/research agency.

K6 K8 K9

S1 S5 S8 S9

B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 3 Organise and prepare research materials and data collection documents such as key documents, notes, stimulus materials, questionnaires, discussion topic guides, interviewer briefing notes, incentives, once research proposals have been accepted.

K3 K4 K5 K8

S1 S2 S3 S5 S6 S9

B1 B2 B3 B4 B6

Duty 4 Collate, summarise and evaluate previous research reports, to assess commonalities and new areas of interest with adherence to appropriate legal and ethical requirements including the market research society code of conduct, which underpins self-regulation in market research.

K7 K8 K9

S2 S3 S4 S5 S7 S9

B1 B2 B3 B4 B6

Duty 5 Capture, check and prepare primary research data using digital and non-digital methods such as intercept interviews, data tables, voxpops, observational/ethnographic techniques and pilot surveys.

K3 K4 K5 K6 K8 K9

S2 S5 S7 S8 S9

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 6 Undertake desk research into secondary sources of data relevant to research objectives such as publications, online archives, cultural resources.

K7 K9

S2 S4 S6 S7 S9

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 7 Check, monitor and screen processes used to recruit and/or maintain databases of participants for use in future research projects.

K1 K2 K5 K8 K9

S1 S5 S7 S8

B1 B3 B4 B6

Duty 8 Structure, segment and analyse participant data from research projects into appropriate formats such as tables, verbatims and sentiment analysis in readiness for reporting to clients.

K1 K3 K4 K6 K9 K10 K11

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S7

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 9 Validate data collected previously using accepted research data quality methods to ensure accuracy, representativeness and suitability using statistical and/or social science validation checks.

K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K8 K9 K10 K11

S2 S3 S4 S5 S7 S8

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 10 Prepare research reports and consider the best way to present research outputs (graphs, charts) eg; Powerpoint presentations and Word reports for reporting to the client (internal or external as appropriate), that detail the findings of the research activity undertaken and give recommendations for future client actions.

K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K9 K10 K11

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S7 S10

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6


KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The role research plays in the business process, such as the target market, consumers (behaviour or attitudes), competitors or the industry as a whole. Back to Duty

K2: How research is used to address business, customer and policy questions, such as information related to products, services or advertising etc. Back to Duty

K3: The principles of Quantitative research and the underlying theories such as sampling, representativeness, statistical theory, data collection and analysis. Back to Duty

K4: The principles of Qualitative research and underlying theories of the social sciences e.g. representativeness, sampling theory analysis methods. Back to Duty

K5: The research methodologies including face to face (f2f), telephone, online, and postal. Back to Duty

K6: Approaches to primary research and the different sources of primary research data. Back to Duty

K7: Approaches to secondary research and how information is sourced and utilised from previously conducted studies. Back to Duty

K8: The principles of research project management such as time management, scheduling, resourcing, costs and budgeting. Back to Duty

K9: Relevant regulatory and legislative requirements such as data protection, GDPR, confidentiality, informed consent and safeguarding, ethics and The Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Back to Duty

K10: Technologies such as digital sources, systems and software, that can help deliver market research, delivery and evaluation. Back to Duty

K11: Technology and software used to provide appropriate representation of data and manipulate them into appropriate formats (tables, graphs and portfolios) for publication. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Liaise with and manage, clients, stakeholders, internal teams and external suppliers to deliver required outcomes. Back to Duty

S2: Undertake data collection, data analysis, data presentation and data storage including analysis and validation of the outputs from primary or secondary research data sources. Back to Duty

S3: Interpret, prepare and communicate research findings such as presentations, reports, and workshops. Back to Duty

S4: Make evidence-based recommendations from research results. Back to Duty

S5: Use communications skills and techniques such as negotiation, collaboration, problem solving, and decision making. Back to Duty

S6: Interpret research objectives and translate into research design and implementation. Back to Duty

S7: Use digital and IT software packages relevant to the role. Back to Duty

S8: Use research/survey software to gather audience insight and/or evaluation such as SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solutions). Back to Duty

S9: Select and use appropriate research design techniques. Back to Duty

S10: Evaluate data and research findings to derive insights to support improvements to future research projects. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Works without bias. Back to Duty

B2: Seeks learning opportunities and continuous professional development. Back to Duty

B3: Works collaboratively. Back to Duty

B4: Works ethically recognising participants needs and data privacy. Back to Duty

B5: Works flexibly and adapts to circumstances. Back to Duty

B6: Takes responsibility, shows initiative and is organised. Back to Duty


Qualifications

English and Maths

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

  • The Market Research Society for Member Grade


Additional details

Occupational Level:

4

Duration (months):

18

Review

Status: Approved for delivery (available for starts)
Level: 4
Reference: ST0883
Version: 1.0
Date updated: 03/06/2021
Approved for delivery: 27 May 2021
Route: Sales, marketing and procurement
Typical duration to gateway: 18 months (this does not include EPA period)
Maximum funding: £8000
LARS Code: 632
EQA Provider: Ofqual
Employers involved in creating the standard: Ipsos MORI, Maritz, Shift-Learning, Firefish Grp, Cello Health Plc, Disney, Transport for West Midlands, BGL Group, Compare the Market (BGL Group), ampersand Research, Channel 4, House of Commons, Hackney Council, Market Research Society, Populus

Version log

Version Change detail Earliest start date Latest start date
1.0 Approved for delivery 27/05/2021 Not set

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