Principal Research and Insight Specialist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Principal Research and Insight Specialist: Islington HDRC

Service area: Public Health Evidence Islington (Islington Health Determinants Research Collaboration)

Grade: PO6

Reports to: Anne Buffardi, Head of Research

Your team: Evidence Islington (Islington HDRC)

Fixed term: four years

Manages/Supervises: TBC, could include Public Health Researcher & Insight Analyst and Embedded Researchers

Our mission

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out CARE, which is what we think public service is all about.

Watch our video to hear more about our mission and how you can help us achieve it from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz.

The Islington Health Determinants Research Collaboration is a new element of research infrastructure funding from the NIHRs Public Health Programme, based in local government. The purpose is to enable local authorities to become more research-active, undertake new research and use existing evidence to inform our decision making, and undertake evaluation activities. There is a central focus on health inequalities and actions to tackle issues faced by disadvantaged groups and areas.

Key responsibilities

1. To be responsible for leading on applied research and evaluation, working closely with the HDRC Head of Research and colleagues in other council departments.

2. To lead HDRC advisory support to other council departments (e.g. housing, environment, Adult Social Care, democratic services), providing specialist advice and support to colleagues and collaborators who are thinking about undertaking research and evaluation.

3. To work with other leads across the council to co-ordinate planning and action on cross-cutting work.

4. Manage projects where the gathering of insights from local residents in relation to their health and wellbeing is a key element.

5. Undertake surveys, evaluation or research to support the development of local health and wellbeing services.

6. Identify gaps in the evidence base of information on health and wellbeing in Islington.

7. Where gaps have been identified, to lead on the design, planning, and conduct of studies to obtain resident, and organisational (e.g. voluntary sector) views to inform policies which aim to reduce inequalities and improve health and wellbeing.

8. Develop and maintain systems for collating and compiling primary and secondary quantitative and qualitative data from routine and ad-hoc sources, from national, regional and local levels, which describe the health and wellbeing needs of Islingtons population.

9. Develop and implement innovative methodologies to carry out, analyse and interpret evidence and to advise colleagues in the use of a variety of methodologies.

10. Work closely with other colleagues to ensure that service design, commissioning and evaluation are informed by the available evidence-base in relation to the needs of the population.

11. Present data in a manner which assists diverse audiences to understand key messages and formulate recommendations on the basis of their analysis.

12. Lead and contribute to writing major grant applications for submission to external funders

Leadership

To drive positive cultural change, embodying and promoting the values and behaviours of the council and empowering colleagues to reach their full potential. Ensure that research and evaluation conducted through HDRC provides relevant information for council decision-making and practice.

Resources and Financial Management

Ensure effective Financial Management, cost controls and income maximisation in an ever-changing environment, fluctuating demands and priorities. Ensure resources are well managed and effectively deployed to the best possible effects assuring value for money in all activities.

Compliance

Ensure legal, regulatory and policy compliance under GDPR, Health and Safety and in area of your specialism identifying opportunities and risks and escalating where appropriate.

Work style

Predominantly Office-Based

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• E6 - Advanced knowledge and skills of diverse qualitative research methods, and their strengths and limitations
• E7 - Good understanding of quantitative methods and ability to analyse, interpret and present quantitative data
• E8 - Understanding of Local Authority and UK policies and structures that affect wider determinants of health
• E9 - Understanding of health inequalities, wider Public Health agenda and knowledge of working with diverse communities and in areas of deprivation.
• E10 - Good time management and prioritisation skills, demonstrated by the ability to use own initiative to manage a number of projects simultaneously, ensuring planning, organising and prioritising workload to meet project deadlines and budgets
• E11 - Ability to manage staff in accordance with corporate policies, demonstrated by an understanding of human resources policies and management strategies
• E12 - The ability to work with a range of partners, using evidence and negotiation skills to agree and develop evidence-based and locally appropriate innovative ways of working
• E13 - Ability to build meaningful relationships with residents and people using services, to enable engagement and co-production the development of local strategies and approaches for improving health and wellbeing outcomes
• E14 - High standard of communication skills, demonstrated by the ability to present complex oral and written information, in a variety of formats to a variety of audiences, to include a high standard of report-writing skills, demonstrated by the ability to write and contribute to reports of varying length and complexity, in a format where the implications of the report are fully understood, and inform strategic decision-making.
• E15 - Sound computing skills including word-processing, spreadsheets, database, standard statistical, analytical (e.g. Stata, Nvivo) and presentational packages
• E16 - Ability to work flexibly and in a changing environment
• E17 - Ability to work independently as well as in a team
• E18 - Accuracy, attention to detail and methodical approach where appropriate

Desirable

• D1 - Research experience in wider determinants of health domains (e.g. housing, environment) and/or social care

Qualifications

Essential

• E1 - Postgraduate qualification in a discipline relevant to applied research on wider determinants of health (e.g. epidemiology, health services research, psychology, sociology, statistics, economics, urban planning, environmental science, etc) OR equivalent relevant experience

Experience

Essential

• E2 - Significant experience of conducting outcome evaluations including undertaking surveys, literature reviews, critical appraisal of primary and secondary data from a range of sources
• E3 - Proven experience of using project management skills and knowledge of research and evaluation methods to develop, implement and assess policies, programmes and strategies to improve health and wellbeing and/or address health inequalities
• E4 - Significant experience of supporting cross-department/multi-agency collaboration and supporting work at a strategic level across multi-professional and multi-agency partnerships to improve health and wellbeing and/or address health inequalities
• E5 - Experience of developing successful research grant funding applications

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

London Borough of Islington

Address

London Borough Of Islington

222 Upper Street

London

N1 1XR

Employer's website

http://izzijobs.islington.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)