The Director of Research will lead a cutting-edge research agenda and programmes, delivering Common Wealth’s organisational strategy and positioning as well as working with the team to land impactful interventions. They will be responsible for delivering high quality and innovative research, demonstrable impact on policy, and thought leadership through the development and articulation of Common Wealth’s arguments and agenda to diverse and influential audiences. They will provide technical expertise and the development and stewardship of a robust external network of collaborators, policymakers and commentators. This is a senior leadership role, combining strategic direction of Common Wealth’s research with shared responsibility for leading the organisation as a whole.
The Director of Research will oversee research outputs, providing feedback and direction to ensure delivery, impact and outcomes. The role holder will join the Leadership Team (LT), currently comprised of the Director and Deputy Director. As a member of the LT, they will share responsibility for setting Common Wealth’s overall direction and strategy, supporting fundraising across all areas of our work (with a focus on research programmes) and engaging with the Advisory Board, Employee Board and Board of Directors. The role holder will also assume the line management of the research team. In consultation with the team and external partners, the Director of Research will shape the ideas and focus of the organisation based on an excellent understanding of research, policy, political context, and the importance of accessible outputs and mass political education and engagement.
As with all roles at Common Wealth, this position involves working collaboratively and flexibly within a medium-sized team, and you may be asked to contribute across projects or areas beyond your core responsibilities.
Please send your CV (no more than two pages) and a brief cover letter outlining how your skills and experience align with the position (no more than one page) to jobs@common-wealth.org by 10:00am GMT on Monday 9th November 2026.
Candidates must be available for online interviews on 17th & 19th November 2026.
As part of our recruitment policy, we anonymise all applications when undertaking shortlisting. We would be very grateful if you could please submit your CV and cover letter with any identifying characteristics removed (name, email address, DOB, etc.) as this will enable us to shortlist applications more efficiently.
We are particularly keen to receive applications from people in groups underrepresented in our sector.
Please note that we cannot sponsor visas, therefore we can only accept applications from candidates who already have right to work in the UK or are able to obtain this independently.
If you have any questions about the role, please feel free to contact us at jobs@common-wealth.org