Research Involvement Officer - HDRC in Northallerton

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 Yorkshire's 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:

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.

Job responsibilities include:

• 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 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.
• Contribute to the development of new involvement and engagement-related policies as required.
• 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.
• Recruit and support the public to take part in research co-production, co-design and other involvement opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or relevant professional qualification or equivalent level of knowledge and experience relating to the role.

Experience:

• 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.
• Understanding of importance of empowering community members/groups to make decisions.
• 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.
• Experience of managing a range of projects and portfolios, often with competing deadlines.

Occupational Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Effective influencing and negotiating skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at a range of levels.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries when working with people who access support.
• Ability to present information clearly and succinctly.

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.