Senior Engagement Officer
We provide the Research Ethics Service (RES), Confidentiality Advice function, assessments and assurances on behalf of the NHS, and learning, guidance and advice for the research community. Our ambition is to make the UK a great place to do research, where more money invested in research goes into carrying out relevant, good quality research.
Our purpose is to ensure that research involving NHS patients and members of the public is approved through a proportionate and robust system, that they are provided with the information they need to help them decide whether they wish to take part, and that their opportunity to do so is maximised by simplifying the processes by which high quality research is assessed.We have already delivered significant improvements by centralising and simplifying the approval of research in the NHS in England, and are undertaking a range of significant programmes to deliver further improvements.
Job overview
The Senior Engagement Officer helps the HRA talk to, listen to, and involve the right people at the right times to inform what the HRA does and how we do it to have the biggest impact.
You will help us identify, build, and maintain relationships with key stakeholders. You will both build relationships yourself and support staff across the HRA to do so.
You will have an overview of all the HRA’s external engagement, helping us to use this effectively to share information and gather intelligence to inform and improve what we do.
In this role you will have the opportunity to both lead on specific engagement, as well as supporting colleagues across the HRA to deliver engagement activities.
Main duties of the job
You will provide the secretariat for the HRA Community Committee. This is a new Committee made up of members of our research ethics committees, the confidentiality advisory group and members of the public who work with us through our public involvement network.This Committee will increase the role of the HRA community in the HRA’s governance, ensuring the views of our community inform what we do.
You will be an intelligence lead for one of our stakeholder audiences. In this role you will monitor developments and issues affecting this stakeholder audience, distilling and interpreting this information to show how this may affect the HRA.You will share this intelligence internally and use this to inform how we engage with them.
You will lead the delivery of an internal weekly update to support all HRA staff in their roles.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for you, not just us and the work we do.
We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that help us to deliver the best services.
We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community. This includes:- age
- disability
- ethnicity
- gender identity and expression
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
- other diverse characteristics
We have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.
When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement – if it works for you, we’ll do our best to make it work for us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This role sits within the Policy and Partnerships directorate which is made up of three teams: policy and engagement, communications and public involvement. We provide support and advice across the organisation on communicating with staff and external audiences, engaging with stakeholders and involving patients and the public in our work.To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached. In submitting your application with us, please note the following: We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.
We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement. Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted.
You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered. The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Experience of engaging with people about policy issues in any sector and a strong theoretical understanding of how to do this well. This should be equivalent to at least a post-graduate diploma level of training and experience, but we recognise and welcome that you may have taken very different routes to this.
Knowledge, Skills and Expertise
Essential criteria- Good analytical and judgement skills, with the ability to apply these to independently manage competing priorities on your time and to be flexible and adaptable when needed to make these happen.
- A good communicator, both in person and in writing, with the ability to convey complex information in a clear and accessible way to different audiences.
- Understanding of health and social care research policy.
- Understanding of the policy-making process, including the role of government and parliament.
Experience
Essential criteria- Able to manage engagement projects from beginning to end, including defining objectives, designing an appropriate approach to meet these, making this happen, reporting on progress, and using the outputs to inform change.
- Experience of engaging with people and organisations about health and social care research policy and/or issues in research.
- Experience of supporting committees or stakeholder groups, including liaising with members and writing minutes.
Interpersonal skills
Essential criteria- Able to apply insights to engage with people and organisations in a way that works for them so that you can build and maintain great relationships with stakeholders.
- Confident to engage with people who may have different and conflicting points of view and use diplomacy and sensitivity to find a way to move forward together.
- Proactively ask for and use feedback to inform your actions, even if it means you need to change your approach.
Other
Essential criteria- Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity
Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Essential criteria- Able to proactively find, interpret, and define information about issues and stakeholders that are important to the HRA’s work, analyse and identify what this means for the HRA, and share these insights with colleagues.
Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can be made upon request, for candidates with a disability. The HRA welcomes applicants who are interested in flexible working including job share, part time work, secondments or home-based working.
Please discuss any preferred flexibility at your interview.
The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a sufficient number of applications.
The HRA does not hold a sponsor licence in respect of skilled worker visas and so is unable to employ candidates requiring sponsorship.
In order to be considered for this position you must address the criteria outlined in the person specification in your supporting statement. You will be considered based on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered. All contact is made via our Trac recruitment system.Please check your account regularly.
After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
If you have a query relating to your application, please contact the recruitment team on [email protected] or 0300 330 9416.
The NHSBSA is responsible for the processing of your application; a privacy notice is available at the following link to advise you on how we will process your personal data.
HRA Recruitment Privacy Notice