Place-Based Insight & Impact Researcher

Essex County Council; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council (ECC) advertising the Place Impact Researcher vacancy on behalf of the Active Essex Foundation. The role supports evidence-informed delivery across Essex with responsibilities for qualitative and quantitative research, data collection, and impact evaluation.

The post is full-time (37.5 hours per week), fixed-term for 18 months to March 2028, with a flexible location: Anywhere worker; office attendance in Chelmsford about half the week and travel across the area as required.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in research, evaluation, analytics or a related discipline.
• Experience delivering research, evaluation or insight projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as a team
• Understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to build relationships across complex partnership environments.
• Experience within public health, physical activity, community development, local government or voluntary sector settings (desirable).
• Strong organisation and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and undertake qualitative and quantitative research.
• Gather and interpret local intelligence and evidence.
• Support programme and organisational evaluation activity.
• Develop data collection tools, frameworks and methodologies.
• Translate learning into practical recommendations and actionable insights.
• Lead on Essex wide thematic evaluation areas
• Produce evidence for funders and partners.
• Support future investment and programme development through robust impact evidence.
• Embed as a member of Active Essex place based teams
• Act as a trusted insight partner to delivery teams and stakeholders.
• Attend local partnership meetings and workshops.
• Support responses to emerging place-based priorities and challenges.
• Respond to place based insight and evaluation needs
• Analyse monitoring, survey and programme data.
• Produce reports, presentations and impact summaries.
• Support quarterly reporting across areas.
• Ensure evidence is communicated effectively to a range of audiences.
• Produce impact reports, evaluation summaries, learning reports and evidence products.
• Develop case studies and impact stories that demonstrate the difference programmes are making.

Skills

Qualitative methods

Quantitative methods

Report writing

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Partnership building

Education

Degree or equivalent in research/evaluation/analytics

Job description

Essex County Council (ECC) advertising the Place Impact Researcher vacancy on behalf of the Active Essex Foundation. The role supports evidence-informed delivery across Essex with responsibilities for qualitative and quantitative research, data collection, and impact evaluation.

The post is full-time (37.5 hours per week), fixed-term for 18 months to March 2028, with a flexible location: Anywhere worker; office attendance in Chelmsford about half the week and travel across the area as required.