Research Associate

Role: Research Associate

Salary: £36,050

Hours: 0.4fte (14 hours per week)

Duration: Fixed Term for 18 months

Location: Oxford Road, University of Manchester

English National Opera is in the process of setting up a new main base in Greater Manchester by 2029. As part of the first wave of projects and partnerships delivered in the city-region between now and 2027, ENO is working with University of Manchester on ‘Tuning into Opera’.  To support with the delivery of this project, we are appointing a Research Associate to work across ENO and University of Manchester, carrying out research and consultation into ENO’s move to the city-region and its engagement with local audiences and communities. The successful candidate will be primarily based in The University of Manchester’s Creative Manchester (CM) Research Platform.

The key purpose of the role is to research, design and co-curate a series of workshop-style conversations with different community groups in Greater Manchester, exploring what it means to have an opera company based in their city-region.  The themes and insights explored in these conversations will be shared publicly through a series of ‘Tuning into Opera’ events, held three times per year. The first public event will take place at Manchester International Festival in July 2025.

The postholder will invite people with a range of lived experience and perspectives, including artists, local communities, academics and the wider sector, to take part in these conversations, and examine how opera can and must continue to grow to meet the audiences of the future.

The postholder will author a report with final project findings and recommendations. They will also input to future plans for initiating co-produced research and an associated ethical framework.

The successful applicant will have excellent engagement skills, with the ability to communicate with people from a wide range of backgrounds. They will have a postgraduate qualification in a related discipline, or equivalent experience, with experience of qualitative research methods working with diverse communities, and a proven record of applied and academic research related to opera/music or the performing arts sectors.

Please see the recruitment pack for more details.

Further information can be found at:

English National Opera

Creative Manchester

To Apply

Please send a CV and cover letter detailing your interest and suitability for the role to workwithus@eno.org or via the guardian website by 5pm Monday 17th February 2025. Interviews will be held on Tuesday 4th March, Oxford Road, University of Manchester.

Please also submit our anonymous Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form.

English National Opera is an Equal Opportunities employer, and we strive to create an inclusive working environment that reflects the diverse communities we serve. As we work to address underrepresentation in our workforce, English National Opera particularly encourages potential candidates from underrepresented groups and communities to apply, including those from global majority backgrounds and/or with protected characteristics, including race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and religion and belief. We will provide appropriate support for candidates with access requirements if they identify as disabled. This includes during the application process and through candidate assessment stages.