National Occupational Standards
The LARIA/Skills for Local Government National Occupational Standards (NOS) can be included in job descriptions and training programmes so you can tell exactly how you, and members of your team, are performing. More details can be found on the Skills for Local Government website. For each competency there is greater detail available of the exact desired skill sets.
Please note that the LARIA Charter was developed as part of the D6 competency and is a separate document available here and applies only to Full Members of LARIA. The NOS sets out the skills needed and the LARIA Charter sets out the expected behaviours. The key purpose of the researcher officer role, as identified by the NOS, is enhancing knowledge in relation to a given subject to inform policy, service development and service delivery. To do this the following competencies are desirable.
A. Gather information relevant to the subject
A.1: Define the research question and understand what you need to know
A.2: Specify the work and decide the research method
A.3: Implement the work
A.4: Collect the data
B. Analyse the information to the agreed specification
B1: Interpret the information gathered using the appropriate technique
B2: Judge the quality of the information
B3: Draw conclusions and offer recommendations if applicable
C. Present information as required by the final audience
C1: Collate the information as required in the plan and specification
C2: Dissemination and presentation of the information
C3: Help others to use the information
D. Self management
D1: Understand and work within one’s own knowledge, skills, competence and experience
D2: Review and prioritise own work and work load
D3: Communicate effectively with others
D4: Work effectively with others in teams and other joint work
D5: Act ethically and with integrity in compliance with relevant statutory and organisation requirements
D6: Work in adherence to professional standards and codes of conduct
D7: Put forward creative solutions
E. An awareness of specialities and understanding of core practising concepts
E1: Statistics
E2: Qualitative research
E3: Quantitative research
E4: Monitoring and evaluation including social return on investment
E5: IT skills and technology including statistical software/geo-demographic classification and database design
E6: Projections and horizon scanning
E7: Modelling
E8: Economics
E9: Social research
E10: Market research
E12: Knowledge and awareness of existing data such as ONS, NeSS, NOMIS
E13: Participatory action research
E14: Performance management
E15: Outcome and impact assessments
E16: Health/public health – epidemiological/clinical
