We are recruting for an Insights & Engagement Adviser

About the Centre for Collective Intelligence (CCI)

The Centre for Collective Intelligence (CCI) pioneers innovative approaches to large-scale public engagement, combining deliberative democracy, advanced research methodologies, and cutting-edge digital technologies to tackle society’s most pressing challenges. Currently incubated within Nesta, CCI is evolving into an independent organisation, scaling our work globally to deepen democratic participation.

As an Insights & Engagement Adviser, you will play a vital role in the design and delivery of our public deliberation and engagement programmes. You will support the management and execution of client projects, contributing to high-quality research design, stakeholder engagement, and the delivery of insightful and impactful outcomes. You will work closely with the Insights & Engagement Lead and collaborate across teams to deliver projects that are innovative, inclusive, and rigorous.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Budget Management

• Provide day-to-day management and coordination of projects, including timelines, resource tracking, and logistical planning.
• Ensure timely invoicing and management of payments related to the project
• Responsible for monthly budget tracking and forecasting
• Effectively plan and manage all project tasks, using CCI’s hybrid agile methodology and using Asana Kanban boards
• Proactively identify any potential issues and ensure these are raised with the Insights & Engagement Lead or other senior project team members at an early stage
• Liaise with Nesta’s finance and legal teams to ensure timely contracting, expenses management and payment

Public Engagement Research Design

• Support the design and delivery of large scale deliberative public engagement processes, using a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Conduct primary and secondary research, plus user-testing to inform project design and materials.
• Develop engaging and inclusive stimulus materials and session plans for a range of different deliberative and participatory research methods; from citizens panels to deliberative workshops or assemblies.
• Help design and deliver qualitative research activities (e.g., facilitation, interviews, facilitation guides) and quantitative research tasks (e.g., polling and survey design).
• Work collaboratively with the product and design teams to integrate digital tools and technologies into engagement processes.
• Work closely with our creative associates and partners to manage the production of animations, films or other materials - ensuring they receive a clear brief and that sign-off processes are well-managed.

Data analysis, reporting and communications

• Undertake qualitative data analysis using both manual thematic coding and AI/other digital tools.
• Undertake quantitative data analysis, using statistical analysis and performing power calculations where needed.
• Synthesise research findings to produce compelling reports, presentations, and visual outputs for clients and stakeholders.
• Help translate research insights into actionable recommendations for clients.
• Contribute to communication, dissemination and marketing activities, including drafting blog posts, case studies, articles, and presenting at events to disseminate project outcomes.

Participant management and support

• Recruit deliberative engagement research participants; helping to develop participant sampling frameworks, manage external recruitment agencies or work with local voluntary sector organisations and/or deliver outreach campaigns to recruit and attract the desired target audiences.
• Provide support and management of participants, ensuring that participants are effectively onboarded, that access and support needs are understood and met, and that participants receive honorariums/remuneration in a timely fashion, and reminders prior to events. Follow CCI’s safeguarding protocols.
• Coordinate and manage logistics such as venue hire, catering and travel/accommodation for participant engagement activities both in-person and online engagements, ensuring positive and accessible experiences.

Coordination of associates, agencies and equipment

• Coordinate and manage Nesta’s roster of freelance associate facilitators allocated to each project; ensuring they receive appropriate briefing, have all necessary equipment and access to post-session debriefs
• Manage and maintain Nesta’s digital equipment - ensuring it gets to the right place in time for scheduled sessions, and is returned promptly afterwards and is adequately cleaned and maintained

Client liaison and reporting

• Help design and facilitate client workshops throughout the project, including kick-off and wrap-up workshops
• Ensure client needs are translated into clear and approved project briefs for the wider project team to work with
• Be the first point of contact for small and medium sized client projects
• Support client relationship management by preparing materials, attending meetings and documenting key decisions, maintaining risk registers and ensuring project milestones are met.
• Deliver interim and final reports to clients, including presenting findings to clients and wider stakeholders

Business development

• Support with bid writing and proposal development
• Proactively identify opportunities to extend work with existing clients, or to shape work with new potential clients

Team Collaboration

• Participate actively in team learning sessions and cross-disciplinary collaborations.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture aligned with CCI’s mission and values.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Experience supporting the delivery of public engagement or research projects, particularly involving qualitative methods (e.g., workshops, interviews, focus groups).
• Experience with quantitative research methods, including survey design and analysis.
• Strong organisational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines, maintaining systems to help them run effectively.
• Ability to facilitate group discussions and workshops.
• Excellent communication skills—both written and verbal—with the ability to produce clear, accessible materials.
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, working effectively with clients, partners, and team members.
• Experience of working to very tight deadlines, delivering high quality outputs on multiple projects and tasks.
• Ability to manage budgets and finance.
• Good attention to detail and high standards of accuracy; a good completer finisher
• Evidence of organising events
• Experience of using project management tools and CRM software such as Asana and Salesforce.
• Enthusiasm for innovation in public engagement and a commitment to inclusion and diversity in research.

Desirable

• Experience working in a consultancy, agency, or similar fast-paced client-facing environment.
• Understanding of deliberative and participatory research methods.
• Knowledge of current trends in deliberative democracy, collective intelligence, or digital public participation.

What we offer

Salary: circa £37,400 plus array of benefits, including private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more

Location: This role is based in Blackfriars, London, hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of two days in the office

Term: Permanent

Hours: This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and cover letter before 08:00am on the 8th of December 2025.

Interviews will take place w/c 15th of December 2025.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.