JOB DESCRIPTION - INSIGHT AND RESEARCH OFFICER (INTERN)
Background
Engaging Communities Staffordshire (ECS) is an innovative not for profit Community Interest Company, established to
ensure health and social care organisations work better together on how they listen, engage and involve the public. It
has been set up with the support of both the County Council and NHS organisations across Staffordshire, and holds the
contract to deliver Healthwatch Staffordshire. We have a longer term vision that ECS should be a market leader for
evidence, insight and community engagement across all public services and beyond Staffordshire.
The provision of a professional and high quality Research and Insight Service is one of the core services provided by ECS.
A key aim of the service is to collate together Staffordshire patient/service user feedback and experience across the
health and social care sector to allow a holistic, cross-organisation, analysis of views and opinions to be undertaken. In
addition, we are extending this service to cover the wider public sector both in Staffordshire and beyond.
This service has been designed and developed over the past two years, with several analytical reports now published.
Current and potential products for the service include:

Surveys, Focus Groups, In Depth Interviews, Data Triangulation Analysis

Consultation & Evaluation exercises
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Policy & Strategy Analysis, Thematic Services Reviews,

Social Value and Social Return on Investment
We are now seeking to strengthen this team with the appointment of a graduate researcher with a strong academic
record in qualitative and quantitative analysis. All members of the team also have a responsibility to support ECS’
business development, including identifying and winning new work.
Salary
£15,104 (initially as a 12 Week fixed term contract, with the potential to extend depending on performance)
Role Purpose
To act as a research officer within the organisation, ensuring that high quality, added value evidence and insight is
delivered to our clients, and that our data capture systems are robust and innovative.
Key Accountabilities
 Assist and support in delivering a wide range of research/insight projects, utilising a variety of research
methodologies, techniques and tools.
 To demonstrate high levels of skills in analysing complex qualitative and quantitative data and research.
 Confident in completing primary fieldwork including interviews, surveys and focus groups
 Confident in writing reports
 To support the strategic process for gaining new business, including identifying commercial opportunities, and
co-ordinating and overseeing financial aspects of bids and service developments
 To liaise with other insight professionals across the public sector in Staffordshire to seek partnership
opportunities and to avoid duplication.
Person Specification
Essential
 Educated to degree level with a relevant degree or equivalent relevant experience
(Psychology, Sociology, Humanities, English, Politics, Economics)
 Experience of research with a good working knowledge of a range of insight tools and techniques, including
qualitative and quantitative.
 Knowledge of open source and online datasets and information sources relevant to public sector delivery.
 Excellent written skills, including the ability to produce well-presented and researched reports.
 Ability to analyse and interpret complex data and information.
 Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including listening skills.
 Ability to manage and prioritise own workload.
 Demonstrable skills of working effectively as a team player.
 Experience and competence in conducting primary research, including surveys, focus groups and one to one
interviews.
Desirable
 Postgraduate qualification.
 Experience of working with vulnerable groups and individuals
 Experience of research and insight work in the health and social care sector, or other social research sector.
 Experience of working on projects related to public sector delivery.
 Market Research Society accreditation, or other relevant professional accreditation/membership.