Head of Research & Editorial
About the role
Lead a research and editorial function to set the research agenda, publish flagship reports, and manage data-driven storytelling and policy engagement for FirstWork.
Responsibilities
- Set the research agenda
- Write and publish flagship reports and white papers
- Own editorial standards across everything Firstwork publishes
- Build data stories with our data and engineering teams
- Lead policy engagement on European labour and employment regulation
- Produce the CEO's long-form writing and speaking material
- Build partnerships with academics, institutions and industry bodies
- Manage a Content Producer who turns the research into video, graphics, podcasts and report design
Qualifications
- Seven or more years in research, journalism, think tanks, policy, or a strategy function producing original published work
- A portfolio with at least one piece that changed how someone thought about a subject
- Quantitative comfort. Ability to interrogate a dataset and recognise when it won't support the claim you want to make
- Real interest in labour markets, migration, regulation or the economics of work
- The spine to hold a line on accuracy under commercial pressure
- Editorial judgement including ability to commission, edit and improve others' work
- Experience with AI across the research process with emphasis on verification
Skills

About FirstWork
Rippling for seasonal workers
Firstwork is a next-generation HR platform designed specifically for companies with dynamic workforce needs. Our mission is to streamline and automate key HR processes to help businesses operate more efficiently and effectively. What We Do (for now): (1) Smart Onboarding 📋: Our platform simplifies the onboarding process by automating the collection and verification of credentials, such as right-to-work documents, insurance forms and driver’s licenses. This reduces administrative burden and accelerates the time-to-productivity for new hires. (2) AI-Assisted Activation 🤖: Leveraging AI, we enhance communication and messaging for new hires, ensuring they receive timely and relevant information. This helps in better engagement and faster integration into their roles. (3) Perpetual Compliance ✅: Our system uses AI and OCR technology to continuously monitor and ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements. This includes tracking expirations of critical documents, updating records, and generating compliance reports, thus reducing the risk of penalties and legal issues.
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