Job description and person specification Please note this statement is for information only and does not form part of a contract. The responsibilities articulated are not exhaustive and we are committed to working practices that are flexible, collaborative and inclusive. Job title Research Involvement Officer Location London or Chesterfield with travel across the UK Contract type Full time Contract length Permanent Date March 2019 Context We are Versus Arthritis. We are fundraisers, programme managers, volunteers, administrators, editors and accountants all doing everything we can to push back against arthritis. Together, we ll continue to develop breakthrough treatments, campaign relentlessly for arthritis to be seen as a priority and support each other whenever we need it. Together, we re making real progress. But there s still a long way to go, and we won t stop until no-one has to tolerate living with the pain, fatigue and isolation of arthritis. It is a hugely exciting time for Involvement at Versus Arthritis. As a newly merged charity, we are bringing together Arthritis Research UK s reputation for pioneering, innovative ways to involve patients across the research cycle and Arthritis Care s expertise in working in partnership with people with lived experience of arthritis at scale, largely through a growing network of branches and peer-support groups. Our ambition through our involvement and volunteering plan is to join up this expertise across the charity to provide a seamless experience for those who wish to become involved with Versus Arthritis and to make a big impact by working together. The charity s new purpose and strategic focus puts people with arthritis at the centre of activity across the Research Directorate. The Research Liaison and Evaluation team oversees the involvement of people with arthritis in research at Versus Arthritis. We have achieved a lot by involving people with arthritis in a wide range of activities across the research cycle from helping to scope research questions, to awarding grants and disseminating results, working in partnership with the charity and our research communities and partners. Our ambition is that every person with arthritis has the opportunity to participate in, engage with or shape research that could affect them.
Main purpose of the role The role of Research Involvement Officer will work closely with the Research Involvement Manager to ensure the effective involvement of people with arthritis across our research portfolio and develop this to reflect Versus Arthritis ambitions to align involvement across the charity. With a long term ambition of involving people with arthritis in all phases on the research cycle this role will play a key role in the continued recruitment, training and stewardship of this group of people with arthritis. Working with teams across the Research directorate the role will support the development of new approaches, as well as refining existing ways, in which we involve people with arthritis in research. This will include activity across the research funding cycle, but in particular the review of funding applications received by the charity. In order to achieve this, the post holder will grow our network of people with arthritis, ensuring they have the motivation, information and skills to meaningfully inform all our research activities. The postholder will also work extensively throughout Versus Arthritis to align our activities with wider charity endeavors around involvement and consistency of experience of our volunteers. Management and key relationships Roles managed None Reports to Key Relationships Research Involvement Manager Research Involvement Manager (RIM): Reporting directly and working with on the involvement of people with arthritis in research at the charity. Head of Research Liaison & Evaluation: Working with on the involvement of people with arthritis in research and key pieces of evaluation work. Head of Involvement and wider Involvement and Volunteering team: Ensuring all involvement is approached in joined up way across Versus Arthritis, giving everyone who gets involved a consistently positive experience Wider Research Liaison & Evaluation team: including working to support the research community with the knowledge and skills for effective PPI and ensuring the accurate monitoring and evaluation of PPI Wider Research Directorate: Key contacts for strategic involvement of people with arthritis in research and evaluation activity. Research Managers: Regular interactions across the team and through regular meetings on the planning and implementation of patient involvement in research, information relation to portfolio evaluation, as well as to maintain updates on portfolio developments and news emerging from research activities. Digital and communications team: Working closely with these teams to develop a suite of digital tools to engage our community of people with arthritis and communicate about our work Research community and award holders: Maintaining a good working knowledge of our portfolio through interactions with our award holders, attending conferences and Research events
Main Responsibilities and Duties 1 Working with the RIM to develop and deliver inductions, information and ongoing capacity building for patient insight partners to ensure they are empowered and have the necessary skills to participate in effective involvement in research. 2 Project managing the delivery of engagement activities and materials for patient insight partners to maintain a cohesive community, keep them informed and motivated to get involved. This will require organising events and responsibility for producing inspiring communications with the PIP network. 3 Developing resources including training to empower researchers and external partners to involve people with arthritis in the planning, design, management, delivery, and dissemination of research 4 Work with the RIM to incorporate patient insight partners into the evaluation of the charity s research portfolio. This will require scoping activities of other organisations and developing new approaches to bring the perspective of people with arthritis into the evaluation of research outputs. 5 Work collaboratively with staff across the research directorate, coaching them to identify, develop and deliver well thought out involvement activities that ensure everyone who gets involved has a consistently positive experience. 6 Work with the RIM and wider team to equip staff across the organisation to understand the importance and impact of involving people with Arthritis in research. This will involve producing internal communications and more specifically capacity building staff in the research directorate to understand best practice principles of involvement. 7 Co-ordinate the development of a network of people who can be involved in research activity. This will require liaising with colleagues across the organisation, coordination of various online channels and production of appropriate resources. Criminal Record Check Requirement This role does not require a Criminal Record check.
Person specification Knowledge, skills and experience: key requirements Knowledge, skills and experience: key requirements Evaluation Stage 1 To be trained to an undergraduate degree level App 2 Knowledge or experience of patient and public involvement or user involvement ideally within a research context. App, Int & Test 3 Experienced facilitator who can confidently guide groups and manage challenging behavior to achieve the agreed aims of a meeting 4 Good information technology skills, including effective database/ internet search techniques and significant experience of using Microsoft Office packages. App Competencies: key requirements 5 Excellent communication skills both written and oral. Ability to communicate highly complex information succinctly for a range of audiences 6 Strong influencer, able to work collaboratively across a wide range of teams and individuals at all levels within the charity using diplomacy, tact and tenacity 7 Efficient and well organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work flexibly with sometime changing deadlines. Int 8 Problem solver who approaches challenges with enthusiasm and creativity Int 9 Self-sufficient, capable of target setting and monitoring. Int 10 Actively seeking information from internal or external sources as required, able to swiftly and effectively communicate updates to others. 11 A clear passion and commitment for involving beneficiaries in decisionmaking processes. Int
Desirable requirements Requirement Evaluation Stage 1 Experience in a research environment. App 2 Experience of developing and/or delivering training App 3 Experience of working with volunteers App Basic knowledge of musculoskeletal disorders. App