Local Authority Research Practitioner

Job Introduction

Local Authority Research Practitioner - 28 hours per week

Greenwich is a great place to work. A London borough of culture and diversity, Greenwich hosts the O2 arena, the Royal Park, the Royal Observatory, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Naval College. It is also a place with significant social, economic and health inequalities; the council and its partners are determined to address these as our strategic priorities.  

The Public Health department is at the heart of the council’s business. It is a well-established team, with strong links across council departments, collaborative working with the NHS and excellent partnerships with the community and voluntary sectors. We are actively engaged in work across the London and the South-East London public health systems and the South East London ICS. 

 We now have an exciting 24-month, fixed term opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team to support the Council to improve outcomes through evidence in all policies and increasing research capacity and capabilities. The post is part funded by the Specialist Centre for Public Health, as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research.  This post will also work closely with the Councils Innovation and Research Company DG Cities. DG Cities 

We are committed to becoming a learning-driven, insight-led organisation, using robust research and evidence to shape both strategic and day-to-day decisions. In this role, you will be integral to embedding a deeper understanding of residents’ needs into how we plan, deliver and evaluate services, ensuring we are tackling the main drivers of poverty in the town. As a Local Authority Research Practitioner, you will lead and support high-quality research and analysis, helping to turn evidence into action that improves outcomes for our residents. You will work closely with senior officers, partner organisations and the community to shape services that are inclusive, effective and grounded in real-world insights. 

We are looking for a strategic thinker with exceptional analytical skills and the ability to communicate findings in a clear, compelling way. You will bring strong experience in research processes and practices, ideally with an understanding of public health, health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. You will be a good communicator with well-developed planning and problem-solving skills, highly organised and flexible. The role will suit someone with initiative who is keen to work proactively and in partnership to achieve evidence in all policies. This includes contributing to building a culture of local decision making informed by robust research, supporting the development of research capacity and capability, and supporting the development of research governance systems and processes.  

To succeed in this role, you will need: 

• Excellent research, analysis and data management skills – with the ability to interpret complex information, spot trends and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Strong interpersonal skills, enabling you to build effective relationships and collaborate across teams and organisations.
• Experience of designing and conducting research that is accessible to and inclusive of diverse communities.
• Knowledge and understanding of equality issues, relevant legislation, and how to embed inclusive practice into service delivery.
• An understanding of research and data governance principles, and how to strengthen them in a local authority setting.
• The ability to manage multiple projects, deliver to deadlines and maintain a high standard of work.

For an informal discussion please contact Aideen Silke  at Aideen.Silke@royalgreenwich.gov.uk 

Diversity Statement: Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Advert Close: All vacancies close at midnight unless otherwise stated. 

Early Advert Close: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any job advert earlier than the advertised closing date where there is reason to do so (for example high volume of applications).

Full Employment History: A full employment history is required for this role. Please provide a full employment history, together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment.

How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statements addresses each point on the Person Specification for the role. Candidates will be short-listed for interview on the extent to which they meet the specific points within the Person Specification. The Person Specification is supplied with the job advert. When completing your application, please use the supporting statements section to tell us how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification. We need to have this information in order to consider your application.

Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Please use this 'Salary Calculator to help you calculate a pro rata salary.

Our Staff Values: Our Staff Values are important to us. Candidates will be continuously assessed against our staff values throughout the recruitment process. Where candidates demonstrate views and behaviours that do not meet the standards of our staff values, we reserve the right to reject their application/ registration.