Research Officer (Border People FLOW)

Centre for Cross Border Cooperation • Full-time • Armagh, Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom • £31,200 / year • 4d ago

Introduction

The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation (CCBC), established in 1999, is an independent think tank with charitable status, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland. The Centre’s work is framed by the commitment to cross-border cooperation that is integral to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

Since 2007, the Centre’s flagship Border People project provides support to citizens and workers who cross the border regularly. Through the provision of information, the project aims to remove obstacles to cross-border mobility by empowering citizens so they can fully embrace opportunities on either side of the border. In close collaboration with the mainstream advice services, the project also supports advisors as they assist workers with a variety of complex cross-border challenges.

Recently the Centre was awarded €1.3m in PEACEPLUS funding to greatly enhance the project. Border People FLOW is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB*).

Beginning in February 2026, the project will support cross-border workers and employers to improve their ability to access opportunities and skills from both jurisdictions. The initiative will:

· Enhance workers’ access to cross-border information and support.

· Strengthen the cross-border capacity of advice services and support organisations.

· Drive policy and systems change to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving employment landscape.

The Border People FLOW team includes Social Policy Officers based in North Connacht & Ulster Citizens Information Service and in Community Advice Newry, Mourne and Down.

Border People FLOW requires four new team members, funded on a fixed-term basis, from Quarter 1 2026 to Quarter 1 2029. The four new posts will be based in CCBC, Armagh:

1. Engagement Officer – to coordinate a network of cross-border advice workers, enhance their capacity, and foster collaboration between the jurisdictions.

2. Digital Officer – to enhance the provision of information on the Border People website, Facebook group, and an advice sector online platform.

3. Finance and Administration Officer – to manage the financial aspects of the project, to assist with the hosting of events and meetings, and assist with CCBC financial tasks.

4. Research Officer – to gather evidence on cross-border challenges encountered by workers and employers, and to coordinate two research reports that analyse the situation on the island of Ireland, and in other EU border regions.

Benefits packages:

· Full-time, three-year fixed-term contracts (Quarter 1 2026 – Quarter 1 2029).

· Each position offers a competitive salary, see individual specifications.

· Participation in an excellent Retirement Benefits Plan.

· Hybrid working arrangements: two days in the Armagh office (Tuesday and Wednesday) per week.

· Excellent holiday entitlement, with 12 public holidays (on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Bank Holiday, 12 and 13 July, plus an additional three Republic of Ireland public holidays); 5 days at Christmas; 5 days at Easter; plus 23 other days.

Applications:

· The closing date for applications is Monday 2^nd February 2026 at 9am.

· CVs must be no longer than 3 pages, information contained on additional pages will not be considered.

· Ensure your CV clearly sets out how you meet the criteria and the skills you can bring to the Centre.

· Immediate starts and secondments may be considered.

· Shortlisted candidates will be invited for first round (online) interviews which are provisionally scheduled to take place on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th February 2026.

· The CCBC reserves the right to enhance the criteria to facilitate the shortlisting process.

· Please send your CV and cover letter, clearly indicating which post you are applying for, by email to borderpeople@crossborder.ie

*About SEUPB

The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

The PEACEPLUS Programme has been designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, and has a total value of €1.14 billion, to be delivered over the next four years.

PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive

For further information please see www.borderpeople.infoor email borderpeople@crossborder.ie

Border People FLOW - Research Officer

Salary: £31,200 p.a., with annual increments

The Role:

Within the context of the All-Island Labour Market, the Research Officer will assist in the project’s overall goal to improve the evidence base on current cross-border challenges, opportunities, and identify potential solutions.

By capturing the experience of workers and employers through project activities, analysing external national databases held by the Citizens Information Board (CIB) and Advice NI, and by considering comparable experiences found in other EU border regions, the project will provide policymakers with evidence to support the development of policies that enable the all-island labour market to flourish.

Responsibilities:

Working closely with the project team, the Research Officer is responsible for:

· Capturing evidence of obstacles to mobility identified by project activities, e.g. public usage of the website, and emerging trends, public response to information shared via the public Facebook discussion forum and social media channels, and challenges raised by advice sector workers shared during practitioner group meetings and the online collaboration platform (SLACK).

· Working closely with the Social Policy Officers, preparing policy papers and case studies arising from Border People activities, and the recent All-island Labour Market Study.

· Liaising with project partners, Advice NI and CIB, and commissioned researchers regarding the (cross-border) analysis of data held in the national databases.

· Working with the Project Manager to commission research on challenges and solutions found in other EU border regions.

Essential Criteria:

Education:

· Honours Degree or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant discipline AND 2 years’ demonstrable relevant experience.

· 5 years’ demonstrable relevant experience where a relevant qualification is not held.

Competencies:

· Experience of gathering and analysing data.

· Experience of writing policy briefings, case studies, and reports.

· Experience of using MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams).

Disposition and motivation:

· Excellent interpersonal skills.

· Readiness to work cooperatively and supportively, and to strict deadlines, as part of a small, dynamic team.

· Willingness to work flexibly to meet the requirements of the post.

Special factors:

· Willingness and ability to travel to meetings and events in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

· Access to a car or other suitable form of transport (if it is necessary to meet the essential requirements of the post).

Desirable Criteria:

· 2:1 Honours Degree or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant discipline.

· Experience of coordinating research commissioned to external teams.

· Knowledge of cross-border challenges encountered by workers and employers.

· Experience of organising in-person and online meetings and workshops.

· Experience of organising report launches and policy events.

· Experience of working with externally-funded projects.

· Experience of the community and voluntary sector.

· Experience of working on cross-border projects.

· Strong commitment to and understanding of the value of cross-border and all-island co-operation, and a strong belief in the value of such cooperation as a key part of the movement towards peace and reconciliation in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

NOTE: The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation (CCBC) has been awarded €1.3m funding for the Border People FLOW - Fostering Labour Openness and Workforce mobility project.

The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

The PEACEPLUS Programme has been designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, and has a total value of €1.14bn, to be delivered over the next four years.

PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.

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