Community and Engagement Officer

Job Description

We are recruiting for a Community Engagement officer for a South London Council.

Main Duties:
Community engagement
Play a supportive and proactive part in the organisation of resident engagement events, ensuring they are well managed and attended, delivered on time and within budget constraints

When necessary, support and provide advice to colleagues within the council for their engagement activity and be available to collaborate with them on the delivery of their own engagement plans and projects

Research and establish if required and facilitate when appropriate the development and delivery of community and public meetings, new engagement groups, forums and focus groups independently and alongside potential third sector organisations (face-to-face and online)

Support the community in being involved in engagement activity colleagues by sharing the tools necessary to effectively contribute to engagement activities and consultations

Support, develop and implement a range of involvement initiatives both based on a menu of different engagement options that seek to engage residents and communities on their terms and in ways that they feel comfortable to express their views

In a personalised and resident centered approach, continually review the ways that we involve hard-to-reach groups and provide suggestions for improvements utilising non-traditional forms of engagement

Foster great community relationships with the Boroughs organisations, the third sector, charities and internally across directorates and build a community register of engaged stakeholders

Facilitate and co-ordinate any corporate and borough wide surveying and benchmarking activity

Ensure community organisations, partners and the third sector are all able to participate in engagement activity, and be involved in the co-designing of activities when appropriate

Build and maintain effective community relationships with individuals, colleagues and bodies (internal and external). The list below is not exhaustive:

Community groups
Residents
Councillors and Members of Parliament
Senior officers of the Council
Officers from various departments: Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, Culture Services, Housing Services, Environment Services and Council Regulatory Services, Council Communications and Events
Third Sector Organisations
Statutory Services
Regulatory bodies
Commercial organisations
Artists, performers, freelancers
Faith groups
Children’s and young people’s organisations

Communications and events
Support the creation of engagement activity materials as necessary for communications to residents and relevant stakeholders, ensuring that the information is clear, provides the right level of detail and avoids the use of jargon

Develop improved communications for the engagement of residents across a variety of channels and seek new ways to hear the voices of under-represented groups

Support and develop engagement materials suitable for a variety of community and council stakeholders. This may include;
Newsletters
Leaflets and flyers
Online information
Social media activity