Job summary
Do you have experience of working in
active partnerships with members of the public to shape research?
Are you skilled in working with
voluntary and community sector organisations to identify research topics and
questions of importance to communities and service users?
This role within the Health
Determinants Research Collaboration North Yorkshire offers a unique
opportunity to apply your expertise in public involvement and community
engagement in a research context. You will lead the HDRC North Yorkshires
Public Involvement and Community Engagement in Research activity, acting as a
key connector between local communities, people and voluntary sector
organisations, and the HDRC North Yorkshire team.
You will be:
- Able to demonstrate knowledge and
experience of research involvement, engagement, and co-production methods.
- Experienced at working with a diverse
range of people in an empowering, accessible, and person-centred manner.
- Possess strong communication and
negotiation skills to manage the differing expectations and needs of a wide
range of stakeholders.
- Experienced in the design, delivery,
analysis, and evaluation of research involvement activities.
- Experienced in partnership working
within public sector or community/voluntary sector.
- Able to operate with a high degree of
autonomy to effectively manage a range of projects.
- Able to work effectively in teams and
independently to meet deadlines.
- Able to demonstrate relevant job
experience for this role.
Main duties of the job
What is the job role?
Public Involvement is integral to the
delivery of HDRC North Yorkshire. The Research Involvement Officer will play a
central role in strengthening this activity, acting as an effective bridge
between the HDRC, researchers, statutory and voluntary sector partners, and
local communities. The role is public facing and requires regular engagement
with residents, people with lived/living experience, and partner organisations.
The postholder will support our
20 member Public Advisory Group to bring public voice into the work of HDRC
North Yorkshire and help ensure that outputs from the HDRC are impactful for
our communities. They will manage the
delivery of two public involvement funds: Involving People in Research Funding and the VCSE Engagement Fund.
The postholder will work closely with
the University of Hull Public Involvement Officer and will hold an honorary
contract with the University of Hull. This arrangement will support
collaboration and provide access to academic networks, researchers and library
services.
The role will also involve close
working with HDRC Senior Researchers to ensure that public and community
perspectives inform research activity. This includes contributing to the
development of research materials such as participant information sheets,
interview guides and questionnaires, as well as supporting the sharing of
research findings and the application of research evidence in practice.
About us
Why work for us?
As England's largest county, North
Yorkshire's natural beauty is captured in its stunning coastlines, scenic rural
villages and market towns, as well as two spectacular national parks. North
Yorkshire really is a beautiful place to live and work, rich in heritage and
culture.
HDRC North Yorkshire is a
collaboration with the Universities of Hull and York to develop the research culture
of the Council and build Council-University partnerships to conduct and use
research that improves health and wellbeing and reduces inequalities. For more
information on the programme visit https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/?query=NIHR158758
HDRC North Yorkshire is part of a
wider £50 million investment from the NIHR for a series of local government
partnerships across the country to improve local authorities capacity and
capability to conduct high-quality research to tackle health inequalities. The
investment will embed a culture of evidence-based decision-making within local
government and will help to stimulate economic growth, particularly in some of
the most deprived areas, and contribute to the Governments plans to take
actions for the longer-term health and wealth of the country.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Context
This is an exciting new role within our newly
established National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Determinants
Research CollaborationNorth Yorkshire.
The HDRC North Yorkshire is a collaboration
with the Universities of Hull and York that will develop the research culture
of North Yorkshire Council and build Council-University partnerships to conduct
and use research on the health and wellbeing issues that matter to communities,
and which reduce inequalities (see NIHR Award 158758 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR158758)
Public Involvement is central to the delivery
of HDRC North Yorkshire, and the Research Involvement Officer role will be
pivotal to this, acting as a link between the HDRC and our communities. They
will set up a range of mechanisms to ensure that our residents have a
meaningful voice in the work of the HDRC and help ensure that outputs from the
HDRC are impactful for our communities.
The HDRC has four work packages, each co-led
by Council staff and University academics:development of research infrastructure &
governance, development of research capacity & capability, dissemination
& impact, and learning & evaluation. In addition, the HDRC NY has three
cross-cutting themes: Public Involvement & Community Engagement; Health
Economics; Behavioural Science.
This role operates within the HDRC and
will work closely with NYCs Health and Adult Services Involvement and
Governance team. The role is public facing, including regular liaison with
residents, people with lived experience and statutory and third sector
partners. They will work closely with the University of Hull Public Involvement
Officer and will build meaningful and effective partnerships with our diverse
communities.
The post holder will be required to
operate with a high degree of autonomy within their area of work. The role will
include regular and frequent travel across the county. At times, the
post-holder may be required to work in the evenings or at weekends to
facilitate involvement and engagement when convenient for residents.
The post
holder will need to have strong negotiation skills and be able to recognise and
manage the differing expectations and needs of a range of stakeholders. The ability to communicate effectively
with a diverse range of residents, including those with seldom heard voices,
empowering them to participate and express their views, is a key element of
this post.
Job Purpose
The purpose of the role is to
facilitate involvement and consultation with local communities to strengthen
research activity within the Council. They will coordinate the activities
of the Research Involvement Hub and ensure that this feeds into the wider HDRC
and complements the existing and emerging community involvement work within the
Council.
Operational
Management
- Work with a variety of groups, forums,
networks across the county
- Develop, coordinate and facilitate
engagement & involvement forums and networks relating to the HDRC and
research
- Provide support to group/forum members
- Liaise with other public engagement
groups across the county, such as independent user-led groups, and groups or
networks supported by colleagues or other agencies
- Identify gaps in public involvement
across the county (i.e., if certain population groups are not well-represented
in existing forums and networks) and work with colleagues/partners to implement
appropriate research involvement mechanisms
- Contribute to, and provide advice to
colleagues on the design, delivery, reporting and evaluation of inclusive and
robust involvement, engagement and co-production to support research
activities, including the identification of appropriate and accessible
methodologies
- Contribute to the development of new
involvement and engagement-related policies as required, and others as
allocated relating to research within the Council
- Contribute to projects to deliver agreed
Directorate equality and engagement objectives, and others as allocated
- Ensure that research involvement and
participation activities and methods are accessible and allow a diverse range
of people with lived experience/ customers to participate
- Champion public involvement and
participation, and the benefits of a strong public voice with colleagues,
partners and other stakeholders to support research activity within the Council
- Work effectively with relevant
commissioned services to make best use of skills and capacity in and across the
county and ensure research involvement outcomes are met
- Recruit and support the public to take
part in research co-production, co-design and other involvement opportunities
i.e., selection panels and co-design workshops.
- Have a good working knowledge of
impact of wider determinants of health, health inequalities and the benefit of
research to underpin Council practice that impacts on health outcomes
- Work as a team to support the work of
HDRC.
- Represent the HDRC at meetings, forums
etc. as required.
Resource
Management
- Be aware of the available HDRC
research involvement resources and support the Head of the HDRC to monitor and
manage involvement budgets effectively
- Liaise with local groups to agree and
monitor their individual grant allocations and project funding, within an
agreed funding envelope.
- Work with groups/partners to signpost
to alternative sources of funding/support where appropriate (for example by
working with Stronger Communities colleagues)
- Contribute to monitoring and
evaluation of research involvement as appropriate.
Strategic Management
- Contribute to the development of a
HDRC strategy for consultation and involvement to support the best practice in
research consultation, involvement, and co-production
- Understand strategic objectives and
priorities of the HDRC to be able to connect strategic objectives with local
issues, including identification of common themes
- Communicate the strategic objectives
of the HDRC to local forums and liaise with them to ensure that their work plan
links to and inform HDRC priorities.
Communications
- Contribute to the identification of
training needs and development and delivery of training for public representatives,
for example in chairing skills, recruitment and selection, and confident communication
- Provide information about and act as a
representative of the Council, so that HDRC Public Involvement groups develop a
better understanding of the Councils position and duties
- Communicate research involvement and
participation opportunities to public groups and networks, including national,
local and partner opportunities, and coordinate responses where appropriate
- Identify and collate issues raised by
public groups and networks, work with groups to establish evidence, identify
where themes are emerging, and report this to the relevant agency for action
- Liaise with partner agencies to
feedback on actions/progress to public groups
- Provide support and coordination for
groups and forums as required
- Provide information, and support
colleagues to provide information, in a range of formats to meet diverse needs
of residents
- Produce and present reports as and
when requested for relevant meetings and boards
- Support groups and forums to publicise
their activities and to grow the membership.
- Support involvement of underserved
communities to engage with researchers and research activities e.g., homeless
people, enabling their voices to be heard and to gain understanding and insight
of inequalities faced
Systems
and Information
- Ensure the results of research
involvement and participation activities are recorded and reported to the
relevant parties and monitor how the results have informed HDRC strategic
decision making
- Contribute to the development of
systems to achieve the above requirements
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Context
This is an exciting new role within our newly
established National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Determinants
Research CollaborationNorth Yorkshire.
The HDRC North Yorkshire is a collaboration
with the Universities of Hull and York that will develop the research culture
of North Yorkshire Council and build Council-University partnerships to conduct
and use research on the health and wellbeing issues that matter to communities,
and which reduce inequalities (see NIHR Award 158758 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR158758)
Public Involvement is central to the delivery
of HDRC North Yorkshire, and the Research Involvement Officer role will be
pivotal to this, acting as a link between the HDRC and our communities. They
will set up a range of mechanisms to ensure that our residents have a
meaningful voice in the work of the HDRC and help ensure that outputs from the
HDRC are impactful for our communities.
The HDRC has four work packages, each co-led
by Council staff and University academics:development of research infrastructure &
governance, development of research capacity & capability, dissemination
& impact, and learning & evaluation. In addition, the HDRC NY has three
cross-cutting themes: Public Involvement & Community Engagement; Health
Economics; Behavioural Science.
This role operates within the HDRC and
will work closely with NYCs Health and Adult Services Involvement and
Governance team. The role is public facing, including regular liaison with
residents, people with lived experience and statutory and third sector
partners. They will work closely with the University of Hull Public Involvement
Officer and will build meaningful and effective partnerships with our diverse
communities.
The post holder will be required to
operate with a high degree of autonomy within their area of work. The role will
include regular and frequent travel across the county. At times, the
post-holder may be required to work in the evenings or at weekends to
facilitate involvement and engagement when convenient for residents.
The post
holder will need to have strong negotiation skills and be able to recognise and
manage the differing expectations and needs of a range of stakeholders. The ability to communicate effectively
with a diverse range of residents, including those with seldom heard voices,
empowering them to participate and express their views, is a key element of
this post.
Job Purpose
The purpose of the role is to
facilitate involvement and consultation with local communities to strengthen
research activity within the Council. They will coordinate the activities
of the Research Involvement Hub and ensure that this feeds into the wider HDRC
and complements the existing and emerging community involvement work within the
Council.
Operational
Management
- Work with a variety of groups, forums,
networks across the county
- Develop, coordinate and facilitate
engagement & involvement forums and networks relating to the HDRC and
research
- Provide support to group/forum members
- Liaise with other public engagement
groups across the county, such as independent user-led groups, and groups or
networks supported by colleagues or other agencies
- Identify gaps in public involvement
across the county (i.e., if certain population groups are not well-represented
in existing forums and networks) and work with colleagues/partners to implement
appropriate research involvement mechanisms
- Contribute to, and provide advice to
colleagues on the design, delivery, reporting and evaluation of inclusive and
robust involvement, engagement and co-production to support research
activities, including the identification of appropriate and accessible
methodologies
- Contribute to the development of new
involvement and engagement-related policies as required, and others as
allocated relating to research within the Council
- Contribute to projects to deliver agreed
Directorate equality and engagement objectives, and others as allocated
- Ensure that research involvement and
participation activities and methods are accessible and allow a diverse range
of people with lived experience/ customers to participate
- Champion public involvement and
participation, and the benefits of a strong public voice with colleagues,
partners and other stakeholders to support research activity within the Council
- Work effectively with relevant
commissioned services to make best use of skills and capacity in and across the
county and ensure research involvement outcomes are met
- Recruit and support the public to take
part in research co-production, co-design and other involvement opportunities
i.e., selection panels and co-design workshops.
- Have a good working knowledge of
impact of wider determinants of health, health inequalities and the benefit of
research to underpin Council practice that impacts on health outcomes
- Work as a team to support the work of
HDRC.
- Represent the HDRC at meetings, forums
etc. as required.
Resource
Management
- Be aware of the available HDRC
research involvement resources and support the Head of the HDRC to monitor and
manage involvement budgets effectively
- Liaise with local groups to agree and
monitor their individual grant allocations and project funding, within an
agreed funding envelope.
- Work with groups/partners to signpost
to alternative sources of funding/support where appropriate (for example by
working with Stronger Communities colleagues)
- Contribute to monitoring and
evaluation of research involvement as appropriate.
Strategic Management
- Contribute to the development of a
HDRC strategy for consultation and involvement to support the best practice in
research consultation, involvement, and co-production
- Understand strategic objectives and
priorities of the HDRC to be able to connect strategic objectives with local
issues, including identification of common themes
- Communicate the strategic objectives
of the HDRC to local forums and liaise with them to ensure that their work plan
links to and inform HDRC priorities.
Communications
- Contribute to the identification of
training needs and development and delivery of training for public representatives,
for example in chairing skills, recruitment and selection, and confident communication
- Provide information about and act as a
representative of the Council, so that HDRC Public Involvement groups develop a
better understanding of the Councils position and duties
- Communicate research involvement and
participation opportunities to public groups and networks, including national,
local and partner opportunities, and coordinate responses where appropriate
- Identify and collate issues raised by
public groups and networks, work with groups to establish evidence, identify
where themes are emerging, and report this to the relevant agency for action
- Liaise with partner agencies to
feedback on actions/progress to public groups
- Provide support and coordination for
groups and forums as required
- Provide information, and support
colleagues to provide information, in a range of formats to meet diverse needs
of residents
- Produce and present reports as and
when requested for relevant meetings and boards
- Support groups and forums to publicise
their activities and to grow the membership.
- Support involvement of underserved
communities to engage with researchers and research activities e.g., homeless
people, enabling their voices to be heard and to gain understanding and insight
of inequalities faced
Systems
and Information
- Ensure the results of research
involvement and participation activities are recorded and reported to the
relevant parties and monitor how the results have informed HDRC strategic
decision making
- Contribute to the development of
systems to achieve the above requirements
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or relevant professional qualification or equivalent level of knowledge and experience relating to the role e.g. research/health/social work/public involvement
Experience
Essential
- Good knowledge of involvement, engagement and co-production methodologies
- Knowledge of equality and human rights legislation and policy
- Knowledge of statutory frameworks e.g. Care Act 2014, Health and Social Care Act 2022
- Knowledge of public sector and how it operates, in particular local authorities and health sector
- Knowledge of community/voluntary sector and how it operates
- Awareness of research methodologies and the research eco-system both locally and nationally
- Knowledge and understanding of the wider determinants of health
- Knowledge of the impact of research on addressing health inequalities
- Understanding of importance of empowering community members/groups to make decisions and take pieces of work forward to achieve their agreed objectives
- Understanding of importance of developing relationships of trust within framework of strong professional boundaries
- Significant experience of working with a diverse range of people in an empowering, accessible and person-centred manner
- Experience of working with and developing community groups
- Significant experience of facilitation and group work
- Experience of design, delivery, analysis and evaluation of involvement activities
- Experience of partnership working within public sector or community/voluntary sector
- Experience of managing a range of projects and portfolios, often with competing deadlines
- Experience of working with a high degree of autonomy
Desirable
- Knowledge of key stakeholders and operating context across the Council and county
- Experience of design and delivery of formal consultations
- Experience of community development
- Experience of policy development and conducting research
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent skills in inclusion and facilitation
- Effective influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with people at a range of levels including those who need support to communicate and participate in research activity
- Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries when working with people who access support
- Ability to work effectively with colleagues and partners to achieve shared objectives
- Ability to present information clearly and succinctly, including in the form of formal reports and facilitating learning
- Good IT skills, including the production of materials to support research involvement activities in a range of formats suitable for a wide range of audiences
- Ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English
- Conflict resolution skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or relevant professional qualification or equivalent level of knowledge and experience relating to the role e.g. research/health/social work/public involvement
Experience
Essential
- Good knowledge of involvement, engagement and co-production methodologies
- Knowledge of equality and human rights legislation and policy
- Knowledge of statutory frameworks e.g. Care Act 2014, Health and Social Care Act 2022
- Knowledge of public sector and how it operates, in particular local authorities and health sector
- Knowledge of community/voluntary sector and how it operates
- Awareness of research methodologies and the research eco-system both locally and nationally
- Knowledge and understanding of the wider determinants of health
- Knowledge of the impact of research on addressing health inequalities
- Understanding of importance of empowering community members/groups to make decisions and take pieces of work forward to achieve their agreed objectives
- Understanding of importance of developing relationships of trust within framework of strong professional boundaries
- Significant experience of working with a diverse range of people in an empowering, accessible and person-centred manner
- Experience of working with and developing community groups
- Significant experience of facilitation and group work
- Experience of design, delivery, analysis and evaluation of involvement activities
- Experience of partnership working within public sector or community/voluntary sector
- Experience of managing a range of projects and portfolios, often with competing deadlines
- Experience of working with a high degree of autonomy
Desirable
- Knowledge of key stakeholders and operating context across the Council and county
- Experience of design and delivery of formal consultations
- Experience of community development
- Experience of policy development and conducting research
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent skills in inclusion and facilitation
- Effective influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with people at a range of levels including those who need support to communicate and participate in research activity
- Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries when working with people who access support
- Ability to work effectively with colleagues and partners to achieve shared objectives
- Ability to present information clearly and succinctly, including in the form of formal reports and facilitating learning
- Good IT skills, including the production of materials to support research involvement activities in a range of formats suitable for a wide range of audiences
- Ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English
- Conflict resolution skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
