Spider Web Recruitment

Senior Policy Researcher

Central London WC2B 6LE

Key information

Pay
£40,000 to £50,000 a year
Hours
Full-time
Contract
Permanent
Workplace arrangement
On-site
Posted date
27 Oct 2026
Closing date
26 Nov 2026

About this role

Senior Policy Researcher- Spider is advertising on behalf of the

Pensions Policy Institute (PPI), who are seeking an experienced researcher to join their newly integrated research team in

Central London. This is a

permanent, full-time role, with flexible working arrangements considered.

Fantastic company benefits include

-

Salary

£40,000-£50,000 per annum, depending on experience

-

Holiday

25 days plus Christmas closure, carers' leave and volunteering leave

-

Benefits

Group pension with an initial 8% employer contribution and additional matching contributions, income protection, life assurance, professional development, membership fees and Employee Assistance Programme

About the role

As

Senior Policy Researcher, you'll independently lead significant research projects from inception to publication, producing rigorous, impartial analysis that informs pensions and retirement policy.

Key responsibilities include

  • Leading research projects, managing delivery, quality and deadlines
  • Developing research methodologies and identifying emerging policy issues
  • Building relationships with stakeholders, sponsors and research partners
  • Contributing to research proposals, funding opportunities and project specifications
  • Presenting findings and representing PPI externally

Hybrid working

The contractual office is on the

Strand, London, with attendance averaging approximately

one day per week for meetings and events.

About you

You'll be an

experienced policy researcher with strong analytical skills, independent judgement and a proven ability to manage substantial research projects with minimal supervision.

You'll demonstrate excellent stakeholder engagement, communication and project management skills, alongside the ability to produce high-quality, evidence-based research.

You'll be proactive, accountable and confident identifying solutions, developing research opportunities and contributing to policy discussions. An interest in developing expertise in

pensions and retirement policy is important.

About PPI

The

Pensions Policy Institute is the UK's leading independent authority on pensions and retirement policy. Its impartial research informs government, industry and consumer groups, influencing decisions affecting millions of people in retirement.

How to apply

If you have the relevant skills and experience for the

Senior Policy Researcher position and would like to be considered, please apply through Spider by submitting an up-to-date CV

with a covering letter of no more than two A4 pages as the first page of your CV, explaining how you meet the role requirements, your motivation for applying and your notice period.

Please contact Spider for the full job specification. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews taking place during October and the possibility of earlier interviews for applicants who meet the essential criteria. As part of the recruitment process, you will also be asked to provide two samples of written work and complete an assessment and exercise. We look forward to hearing from you.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Spider is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates. Please advise us of any reasonable adjustments required during recruitment. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder for correspondence.

Additional keywords

Senior Policy Researcher, Policy Research, Pensions Research, Retirement Policy, Research Manager, Public Policy, Evidence-Based Research, Stakeholder Engagement, Research Projects, London Research Jobs.

This vacancy is advertised and managed on our behalf by Spider. Your details will be processed for this vacancy, and you may be contacted by email, text or telephone. Full Privacy Policy details will be provided by email upon application.