Research and Insight Lead

Location: UK-based (with domestic and international travel)

Job Type: Full-time

Reporting to a Strategic Director, working closely with teams across 411.

About 411

411 is a political digital agency working with progressive clients across the UK and around the globe. We grew out of the team behind the Labour Party's 2024 general election victory, and have since expanded both locally and internationally - delivering strategy, content, and campaigns that help progressive movements understand their audiences, sharpen their messaging, and win. We are unapologetically centre-left.

Role Overview

As the Research and Insight Lead, you will own 411's social intelligence function - leading the strategy, methodology and delivery of social listening research that directly shapes our clients' campaigns. You'll oversee a team of analysts, ensuring we consistently produce insights that are rigorous, actionable, and politically sharp. A significant part of the role involves monitoring and countering disinformation - particularly the spread of far-right narratives online - providing clients with strategic advice and the intelligence they need to respond effectively. You'll work closely with client teams across 411 to make sure insight drives strategy, not the other way around.

Specific Responsibilities

• Social Listening Strategy: Develop and lead comprehensive social listening strategies that drive results for our clients. This includes analysis of the social media landscape, prominent narratives and key audiences, production of insights and reports that will shape our clients’ campaigns and strategy.

• Team Leadership: Lead and mentor a team of social listening analysts, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration. Line manage and train up more junior members of staff on social listening best practice..

• Ensuring high level of delivery: Oversee a team of analysts, ensuring insights delivered to clients are of the highest standards of quality and effectiveness.

• Social Listening Methodology: Work with other colleagues to develop sophisticated and effective methods to analyse social media data, making sure our insights are accurate, relevant and delivered on time.

• Countering disinformation: Leading the countering disinformation stream at 411, providing strategic advice and insights, training and mitigation processes to clients.

• Client Management: Collaborate closely with clients to understand their goals and provide regular updates on campaign performance. Offer strategic advice and recommendations to help clients achieve their objectives through digital advertising.

• Collaborating with partners: Build and maintain relationships with platform partners, data vendors, and peer organisations to expand 411's research capabilities and keep us ahead of the curve on new tools and methodologies.

• Industry Trends: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in social listening, ensuring that 411 remains at the cutting edge of the industry. Identify new opportunities for growth and innovation.

• Travel: Travel as required to meet with clients, attend industry events, and manage projects both domestically and internationally.

Experience

• At least 3 years experience in social listening, political research, policy analysis, or a closely related field - we're interested in people who understand how narratives form and move, whatever their specific background.

• ⁠⁠Experience managing a small to mid-sized team (with direct line management responsibilities a plus)

• ⁠⁠Experience working in a political or third sector/NGO space is desirable

Skills:

• Ability to translate complex research into clear, strategic recommendations for non-technical audiences

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong presentation skills.

• Confidence using AI tools (such as Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini) to accelerate research, synthesise large volumes of data, and surface insights at scale.

• Proficiency in Brandwatch, Meltwater or any other social listening tool is advantageous.

• Ability to prioritise and manage workload in a fast-paced environment.

• Knowledge of another language (e.g., German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or Swedish) is helpful but not essential.

Benefits:

• Salary:  £56,925 to £67,275 per annum (dependent on experience) 

• Flexible Working: Option to work remotely, with offices in Leeds and London available for in-person collaboration.

• Generous Pension Scheme: 7% employer contribution.

• Generous Parental Leave Policy

• Health Assured: Access to EAP, therapy sessions, and wellbeing resources.

• Cycle to Work Scheme

Application process

Email careers@fouroneone.co.uk with your CV and answering the below questions:

1. What do you think the biggest challenge facing progressive politics (max 150 words)

2. Describe a research or analysis project you led - this could be social listening, policy research, polling analysis, or similar. What were you trying to understand, what did you find, and how did it influence strategy or decision-making?

3. [Optional] Do you have any previous work you’ve completed that you’d like to share?

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. If you feel comfortable, please share any disabilities you have and any adjustments you need. Applicants who disclose any disabilities and who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an invitation to the next stage of the application process.

Please send this to careers@fouroneone.co.uk

Closing date: Tuesday 23rd June