Impact Researcher

Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement. We collaborate with a network of over 100 community organisations and local partners to design and deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need. 

This role will be embedded within Active Essex.  Active Essex is the strategic partnership for physical activity and sport across Greater Essex, working with local authorities, health partners, voluntary sector organisations and communities to create the conditions for active lives. Through a place-based approach, Active Essex brings together insight, evidence and local collaboration to tackle inequalities and improve health and wellbeing outcomes. 

We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to join team as a Place Impact Researcher. This recruitment campaign covers an Impact Researcher position within Active Essex Foundation and deployed within Active Essex. All roles sit within the Insight & Evaluation function, ensuring that evidence directly informs delivery,investmentand decision-making. 

The Place Impact Researcher will be supporting South East Essex, as well as thematic Essex wide programmes and will be joining a small group of Place Impact Researchers covering other areas of the county.  

The Place Impact Researcher will gather,analyseand apply insight,researchand evaluation evidence to supportprogrammes,partnershipsand place-based activity. The postholder will work closely with delivery teams, communities,partnersand funders todemonstrateimpact and turn learning into action. The ideal candidate will bring strong relationship-building skills and experience of working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders. They should demonstrate a track record of delivering impactful projects or initiatives at local or county level, applying a systems approach to complex community issues, and using strengths-based methods to build resilience and capacity within local organisations. 

Place Impact Researchers are professionally aligned to the Insight & Evaluation Team formethodology, qualityassuranceand development, whilst receiving operational direction from their specialist area. This approach ensures strong local integration whilstmaintainingconsistent research standards.