Senior Researcher
Fixed Term, Full Time
£42,165 to £49,606 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style:
Closing Date: 3rd July 2024
Please note that this is a fixed term contract / secondment opportunity for a period of 6 months.
This Senior Researcher role will lead on complex research projects, with a focus on the quantitative research workstreams including the annual Essex Resident Survey. The role is critical to enabling senior leaders to take decisions on services or strategic direction that are evidence-based.
The post holder will have expert technical ability in a number of social research methodologies, championing an ‘evidence first’ culture both within and outside of the organisation. They will proactively liaise with senior colleagues to ensure business questions are identified and answered.
They will be expected to matrix-lead teams of analysts, researchers, data developers, performance officers and other colleagues from across Policy Unit to deliver high quality primary and secondary research to the organisation. They will use a range of techniques, but with a focus on quantitative research methods. This role will require working with a range of local, partner and open source data, and directly with primary quantitative data, for the development of services to agreed service standards.
Accountabilities
1. Working collaboratively with senior colleagues to understand their business requirements and identify opportunities for using both primary and secondary research to solve business problems, such as understanding the needs, experiences and behaviours of Essex residents in order to manage demand.
2. Responsible for leading multi-disciplinary ‘delivery’ teams of colleagues across Policy Unit, working collaboratively to deliver complex pieces of research that enable evidence-based business decisions to be taken.
3. Responsible for providing Senior Leaders and stakeholders with the information and business intelligence required for effective leadership, governance, commissioning and decision making.
4. Responsible for using intellectual curiosity to proactively explores areas and provide useful, timely research that enables the organisation to focus on demand management and prevention, as well as ‘whole systems’ integration.
5. Responsible for producing high quality research that draws on a range of both primary and secondary data sources to deliver compelling and actionable findings and recommendations for improving outcomes for local people and/or organisational effectiveness.
6. Responsible for using innovative approaches to challenging assumptions and delivering compelling research findings.
7. Responsible for providing expert advice and guidance to internal stakeholders on the procurement of external research services and calling off the Insight and Innovation framework.
8. Responsible for providing support and guidance to enable colleagues outside of Strategy and Insight to carry out simple engagement and consultation activities through the development of ‘self-serve’ capabilities.
9. Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
10. Educated to degree level or equivalent by experience with evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
11. Significant experience in successfully delivering high quality, complex research and recommendations that impact on strategic decision making - within local government or a public sector setting is desirable.
12. Extensive experience of carrying out research that has made tangible improvements, as well as identifying opportunities for research to help solve business problems and inform future strategic direction.
13. Knowledge of governance requirements around quantitative and qualitative research methodology, including excellent working knowledge of the Data Protection Act.
14. Ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders to influence thinking and secure collaboration, including citizens with specific accessibility and communication needs.
15. Excellent verbal and written communication with the ability to present complex data and to speak and present the Council’s position at external and public meetings.
16. Experience of leading teams within a matrix management approach, outside of traditional line management arrangements, is preferred.
17. Ability to manage the routine delivery of research tasks to high standards and on time.