Behavioural Insights Researcher and Development Worker

Job Introduction

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all. 

This role has a starting salary of £40,296 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week. Whilst this is a full-time position, we are also open to consider part-time applications. This is a 12-month fixed-term contract / secondment opportunity.

We are excited to be hiring an Behavioural Insights Researcher and Development Worker with a focus on Men’s Mental Health to join our fantastic Public Health Team. The team is based in Woodhatch with flexible working and a hybrid approach.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days’ holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

The Public Health team in Surrey is forward-looking with a strong focus on improving the health and wellbeing of our county's population and reducing health inequalities. SCC Health and Wellbeing Strategy sets out three priorities:

• Supporting people to lead healthy lives by preventing physical ill health and promoting physical well-being
• Supporting people's mental health and emotional well-being by preventing mental ill health and promoting emotional well-being
• Supporting people to reach their potential by addressing the wider determinants of health

You will be working towards these priorities with a particular focus on supporting the emotional wellbeing of people in Surrey. The role will require work across the system including close partnerships with the Communities Partnerships and Engagement Team at SCC. The role will report to the Public Health Lead for Communities and Workplace and will receive supervision from the Chartered Health Psychologist, Public Health Principal for Mental Health.

About the Role

The Behavioural Insights Researcher and Development Worker for Men’s Mental Health will be a varied role. You will have the flexibility to co-ordinate your own diary and your work will focus on the following objectives:

• Delivering a men’s mental health working group to pull together key partners to review the evidence base around men’s mental health and access to support and services. The key priority of this group would be to set up projects and review or further develop services to support men. The key outcome to improve access to help, support and where needed targeted services. 
• Identifying the understanding of men’s mental health across the system and with support of the Public Health Lead, you will identify or develop training to improve awareness of men’s mental health across the system including differences in presentation and the required response. 
• Working with domestic abuse workstreams across Surrey to include a strategic objective to support men. Additionally, to raise awareness of the link between relationship breakdown, male domestic abuse and parental alienation. 
• With support from the Public Health Lead you will coordinate the comms campaigns including the triangulation of insights to inform the content and tailor materials to deliver messages at the scale required. 
• Developing toolkits for frontline services so that they can ensure they meet the needs of men, for example, a checklist to make services more accessible to men who work in the construction industry.

This role offers hybrid and flexible working. You are not required in the office 5 days a week however, leadership, networking, and delivery of training may be required in community venues across Surrey. Training delivery may be required in the evenings, or over the weekend. Team meetings will be held in person at Woodhatch and you will have office space available 5 days a week should you want to work from an office, this includes in Reigate and many other buildings across Surrey.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence:

• Having a qualification or equivalent training and/or experience in one of the key areas of Public Health/ Psychology/Behavioural or Social Sciences. 
• Proven ability to independently manage projects through to completion including adapting in response to: insights gathered, local health needs assessments, changes in national and local policy and strategy, and local priorities for addressing health inequalities in the context of the wider public health landscape.
• Proven ability of good written and oral communication skills, listening and interpersonal skills (e.g. group facilitation/primary data collection).
• Experience of creating sustainable collaborative partnerships and maintain existing contacts, partnerships and relationships with a range of statutory and non-statutory organisations.

Application Questions 

To apply, alongside your CV, you will be asked to answer the following questions:

1. What are your motivations for applying?
2. Describe a time when you used your leadership skills to manage a project and how you adapted to any challenges you encountered.
3. Please tell us about, and provide examples of, how you have managed relationships with stakeholders and worked jointly with them to deliver on objectives.
4. Describe a time when you used your stakeholder management and negotiation skills to overcome a problem.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Tessa Axelrod at tessa.axelrod@surreycc.gov.uk.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on April 27th 2025 with interviews planned for May 6th 2025.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Our Values

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where: 

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application 
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form 

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.