Researcher - Essex County Council

ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL

Researcher

Up to £35,350 per annum

12-18 Month Fixed-Term Contract, Full-time

Location: Chelmsford

Ref: 26963

About us

At Essex County Council, what we do impacts the lives of over 1.4 million residents.  We work hard to meet our residents’ needs – from protecting vulnerable children, to helping older residents remain independent; from improving quality of life through better public health, to unlocking economic opportunities across our towns and cities.  We need to take decisions based on meaningful insight and high quality research.  This is where you come in.

About you

As a researcher, you’re the link between our insight and strategy. You’ll provide our senior leaders with insight into the needs of residents and communities, and evidence on ‘what works’ in meeting those needs.  Your work will inform strategic thinking and the decisions we take on how we use-taxpayers money. It’s about making sure we’re always rooted in the real experiences of our residents and service users and delivering meaningful projects that help us stay that way.

You will interpret a wide range of rich qualitative and quantitative data;, commission primary research and engage directly with citizens. As you build strong relationships across our business functions, you’ll get to grips with their requirements and develop the research projects that help them realise their goals.

You’ll also provide expert advice across the board to make sure our research and analysis always meets our high ethical and methodological standards. We’ll look to you to develop new approaches and ways of working, bringing to life an ‘evidence first’ culture throughout the council.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

We’re looking for people with experience in primary and secondary research, evaluation and quantitative methods.. You may have relevant qualifications or be qualified by experience – either way, you’ll use a variety of research tools and methods to understand people’s views and experiences. But we also need people who can put this across in a way that’s compelling and easy to understand - using evidence to tell the story for senior decision-makers and stakeholders. 

In return, you can look forward an excellent rewards package, as well as flexible working and long-term career opportunities.

Contact and apply

We are recruiting for three researcher roles.  One will be aligned to our Public Health Intelligence programme, supporting the continued development of our health needs assessments and our understanding of effective interventions.  The second will be aligned to support our corporate research programme – engaging with issues that affect teams right across the council.  The third will be focused on the real-time evaluation of a new project to support families experiencing financial pressures across Essex.

Where applicants wish to be considered for specific roles, please indicate this clearly within your supporting statement.

For more information or an informal conversation please contact Alastair Gordon, Head of Profession Research and Citizen Insight, via Alastair.Gordon@essex.gov.uk or 03330136125.

To apply please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement via the apply button or contact kevin.seymour@essex.gov.uk

To apply please click the button.

Closing date: 4 March 2020.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview week commencing 23 March 2020.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.

If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please contact the Resourcing Team on 0333 013 5888.