Essex County Council
HDRC Public Contributor
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About The Role
HDRC Public Contributor
Fixed Term, Full Time
Volunteer Opportunity (Expenses Covered)
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 13th September 2026
Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.
This is a volunteer role. The successful applicant will work with officers from Essex County Council, they will NOT be employed by the council.
The Role
This is a voluntary role, supporting the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Greater Essex, by supporting and championing public participation, collaboration and involvement in research.
To read more about the HDRC, please visit:
https://www.hdrcgreateressex.org/health-determinants-research-collaboration-greater-essex
The Opportunity
The Greater Essex Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) is a five-year partnership between Essex County Council, Southend and Thurrock Councils, University of Essex and Anglia Ruskin University. It is part of a network of nationally recognised centres of ‘research excellence’ based in and led by local authorities that have been funded by the NIHR to build research capacity and capability between local government and the academic sector.
The focus of the HDRC’s research is on exploring ‘what works’ in influencing the wider determinants of health – enabling local authorities to use this evidence to inform decisions.
Although the HDRC Delivery team is hosted by ECC, it works to a programme set by a multi-partner Leadership Board. This Board brings together senior representatives from the three partner councils and senior university officials, as well as Essex’s district councils, ICB and the voluntary sector. This board exists to guide the HDRC’s programmes, to champion its work and to ensure that it is linked in with wider initiatives being delivered across local public services – helping it to identify and exploit opportunities.
This role will be a vital member of this Leadership Board. The Public Contributor will sit alongside senior officials, playing a direct and equal role in decisions on the HDRC’s strategic direction, its research programme, its communications activity and its work to build capability. The role holder may play a wider role too, sponsoring and advising on projects to support and enable public involvement and participation.
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In return you will be offered reward and recognition payments in respect of your time, and any expenses, in line with NIHR guidance. You will also be offered relevant training and the support necessary to enable your full participation on the Board.
To read more about why public involvement in important to research, please visit:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/public-involvement
Accountabilities
- Reading board papers, preparing and participating fully in HDRC Leadership Board meetings
- Providing advice and guidance to the HDRC as a “critical friend” - actively engaging in dialogue and challenging decisions and discussions from a public perspective
- Capturing perspectives from other public contributors involved with research in Greater Essex through the Community Involvement Network
- Representing the HDRC at different events and meetings
- Contributing to discussions with the HDRC’s funding body (the NIHR) to support their assessment of the HDRC’s progress.
The Experience You Will Bring
This role does not require any particular or specific lived experiences. Rather, we are looking for someone to provide their perspective as a member of the general public. The following skills, knowledge and experience will support the role holder to do this:
- Prior knowledge, experience of, or demonstrable interest in, research relating to local public services, and/or the wider determinants of health.
- Experience of the way committees and formal meetings are run
- Ability to engage with individuals at all levels of seniority and build effective working relationships
- Awareness of the importance of confidentiality and/or experience of working with confidential materials
- Ability to engage in constructive and reasoned debate, being able to explain views and conclusions that demonstrate a clear and succinct manner of thinking
- Ability to understand and analyse complex information
- Effective communication and collaboration, with the ability to contribute to small and large scale discussions
Why support the HDRC in Greater Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK
Right now, a child born in one part of Greater Essex can expect to die up to 22 years earlier than a child born in another. This difference in life expectancy reflects these communities’ access to the building blocks of good health.
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From safe and warm homes to stable jobs and access to nutritious food and green spaces, the world around us shapes our health and wellbeing. But these building blocks of good health are not equally available to everyone in Greater Essex, and people are living shorter lives, in poorer health, as a result.
The Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Greater Essex helps local authorities better carry out and use research and evidence to shape policies and services and improve people’s access to the building blocks of good health.
The role will be hosted in Essex County Council.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email ami.fosker@essex.gov.uk
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