Audience Research Manager

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: Chief Customer Officer Group
LOCATION: Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London or Salford – Hybrid
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £45,000 - £65,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Audience Research Manager – Nations News is a key member of the BBC’s newly restructured Nations Audiences team, designed to deliver deeper insight, greater collaboration, and more strategic impact across the Nations division. The team purpose is to be the voice of audiences across the UK, supporting teams working across all platforms and genres for audiences in the local regions of England and nations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
This role is to ensure BBC News reflects the lives and behaviours of audiences across the UK, supporting the division to understand the most effective ways of engaging different audience groups and sharing best practice.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
Joining the BBC as Audience Research Manager – Nations News offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of regional journalism across the UK. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about using data and insight to make a real difference in public service media.
You’ll be supporting editorial decision-making, identifying opportunities to reflect and resonate with communities across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the English regions. Your insights will support the BBC’s mission to serve all audiences, especially underserved and younger groups, ensuring regional and nation’s news remains relevant, inclusive, and trusted.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Lead Audience Research Projects - Design, manage, and deliver qualitative and quantitative research initiatives that explore audience behaviours, needs, and perceptions across the UK’s nations and regions.
• Analyse and Interpret Performance Data - Use digital analytics and industry data sources to identify trends, assess content performance, and uncover opportunities for editorial and strategic growth.
• Present and Embed Insights - Translate complex data into clear, compelling narratives and visualisations. Deliver presentations and reports that influence editorial decisions and embed audience insight into News strategy.
• Collaborate Across Disciplines - Work closely with colleagues across multiple editorial and strategic areas to ensure audience insights are integrated into content planning, development, and evaluation.
• Champion Audience-Centric Thinking - Act as the voice of the audience within the Nations News division, ensuring content reflects the lived experiences, concerns, and interests of diverse UK communities. Through your work, you’ll help foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making, ensuring that audience insight becomes a core driver of innovation, relevance, and editorial excellence across BBC Nations News.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Proven audience research expertise with impactful qualitative and quantitative studies.
• Strong data analysis skills using digital tools (e.g., ATI, PIANO, IPSOS IRIS, TechEdge).
• Analytical curiosity and ability to turn complex data into acitonable insight.
• Engaging presenter skilled in delivering compelling, influential narratives.
• Experienced strategic partner with a track record of embedding audience insight and driving change.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:

• Awareness of different audience behaviours and nuances across nations and regions.
• Proven ability to manage concurrent projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Insight into how audiences interact with content and platforms, particularly in digital environments.

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Disclaimer

This is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

For any general queries, please contact: [email protected]

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.