Partnerships OfficerFixed Term, Full Time£26,786 to £31,512 per annumLocation: ChelmsfordWorking Style: Anywhere workerClosing Date: Tuesday 28th of October 2025 at 11.59pmPlease note that this is a Fixed Term Contract / Secondment opportunity for a period of 24 months.  This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Chelmsford, 2 – 4 days per month to meet individual, team and business need, with the remaining time allowing for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation’s needs.  Interview dates: Wednesday 12th, Thursday 13th, and / or Friday 14th of November 2025.  The Role  Are you passionate about the power of research to drive real-world change? This is a unique and exciting opportunity to be at the heart of an ambitious and growing partnership between local authorities and universities across Greater Essex. We’re looking for someone who can help us transform how we generate, share, and apply high-quality research to tackle inequalities and improve outcomes for our communities. In this role, you’ll play a pivotal part in shaping a more collaborative, inclusive, and impactful research culture. You’ll work across a dynamic network of partners to: Drive innovation in how research is commissioned, conducted, and used in practice. Support the development of our Greater Essex Research Community of Practice — a vibrant space for learning, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. Champion inclusive research and public involvement, helping to embed mechanisms that ensure research is shaped by the voices and experiences of local people. This is more than a job — it’s a chance to influence how evidence is used to make better decisions, reduce inequalities, and create lasting change across the region. To read more about our the Greater Essex Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), please visit: https://www.hdrcgreateressex.org/health-determinants-research-collaboration-greater-essex The Opportunity  The HDRC (Health Determinants Research Collaboration) Partnerships Officer will work with teams both across the council and with our partners to support a range of exciting initiatives that enhance the quality of research and enable evidence-based decision-making.  It will focus on ensuring that projects run smoothly and that they support the delivery of programmes aligned to the Greater Essex HDRC priority ambitions. The role will support and strengthen the organisation in delivering change, supporting the work of the HDRC team with delivery of capability development and engagement activity, and strengthening our capability to operate effectively.  Accountabilities  To support the delivery of HDRC initiatives in a range of cross cutting areas and in liaison with internal teams and partner organisations To co-ordinate HDRC projects and programmes, engaging with project leads to problem solve and overcome any barriers to delivery, this may include supporting leads with planning, monitoring, reporting, and engagement activity. To build effective, collaborative relationships with key internal and external partners. To undertake desk top research, develop and deliver reports, briefings and products aligned to the role. To contribute ideas and solutions for continuous service improvement ensuring high customer satisfaction. To support in the organisation of key events, seminars and briefings that advance the work of the team, promoting the work of the HDRC, including sourcing and booking venues, processing invoices, and managing budgets for events, and working with stakeholders to produce content for the events. To take a lead on updating and maintaining our key databases in particular our Public Involvement and Community of Practice databases. Assist with other projects such as updating, sourcing, and producing content for the HDRC website/newsletter and other key communication documents and forward plans for the wider team, pulling together and updating a regular partnership forward look programme. Provide project and logistical support for key strategic partnership groups. This includes arranging meetings, producing, and distributing agendas, coordinating papers, and ensuring action items are captured, logged, and delivered. To maintain a good working knowledge of the council’s functions and processes and keep up to date with changes. Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.  The Experience You Will Bring Essential: Project & Event Management – Recent experience managing or providing support to projects, events, or community-based initiatives. You will have experience of leading on some projects as well as providing a supporting role. Partnership Working Experience / Stakeholder Engagement Experience – Recent local government experience in a role that involves partnership working across multiple public sector organisations, engaging with senior leaders, and working closely with a range of professionals to support collaborative working. Systems – Recent experience of creating, managing, and improving MS Excel based systems for managing communities, tracking engagement, monitoring activity, and producing reports. Ideally this will include managing small budgets. Communication and Influencing skills – Recent work experience demonstrating a range of excellent written and verbal communication skills.  Desirable: IT skills – You will have recent experience of using Microsoft Teams and other MS Office applications – you will have a flair for PowerPoint and Excel with experience of creating high quality reports and templates. Any previous experience of maintaining websites and automating reporting (e.g. using formulas, pivot tables etc) would also be highly advantageous. Managing multiple tasks and deadlines – Proven ability to manage your own varied workload with autonomy, while maintaining oversight of wider programme tasks, activities, and forward plans involving colleagues. Political Awareness – Experience working in a political environment. Skilled in navigating differing perspectives and adopting a cross-organisational approach. Research & Equality Focus – Previous experience in research, insight or public sector policy and a commitment to addressing inequality.  Why Essex? As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone’s Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you. In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site. 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 would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email daniel.warner@essex.gov.uk Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page. Downloads Pay and Reward | Our Ways of Working  | About Us  | Organisation Behaviours