We are looking for a Participation and Community Engagement Lead who is an empathetic people person, able to listen, build trust, skilfully communicate, and connect from the heart with people from different backgrounds.

This position is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Position: Participation and Community Engagement Lead

Location: Home-based with flexible working, plus UK travel

Contract and hours: 110 days @£300 a day over 18 months (estimated at 3-4 days a week in the first 3 months, 1-2 days a week thereafter – to be agreed and finalised at the start of the contract)

Close Date: 9th of August OR until a suitable candidate is identified, whichever comes first.

Apply via: Guardian Jobs

The Role

Working closely with the Programme Development Manager and the team, the Participation and Community Engagement Lead will be the face of the Mighty Heart community work supporting and connecting people across the four nations of the UK, nurturing community at its best through the Mighty Heart journey and advising the team on how to respond effectively to community needs.  The role will require substantial travel in the first six months.

Responsibilities include:

  • Connect and build trusted relationships with key change agents and community representatives within and across six cities (Newham in London, Luton, Bradford, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff)
  • Listen, learn, and integrate the needs of the community into the Mighty Heart course and program design to support sustainability.
  • Foster and build a community-led Mighty Heart community.
  • Provide observational analysis and advice to the team to ensure that the program is delivered to maximum effect.
  • Manage expectations of all stakeholders, ensuring the values of the Mighty Heart are at the core of the work.
  • Facilitate stakeholder meetings (in person and online) to ensure that all participants feel seen and heard and have space to channel their ideas and suggestions.
  • Recruit together with the team and oversee 12 Community Connectors based in the six cities.
  • Support the Programme Development Manager with programme delivery tasks as required

About You

The Participation and Community Engagement Lead is a superb listener and a natural facilitator able to connect and create trusted networks with people from diverse backgrounds.

You will be:

  • Comfortable with conflict and holding courageous conversations.
  • Can transform conflict to bring people together across divides.
  • Confident travelling regularly and meeting people in person.
  • Happy taking initiative and working independently as well as working virtually from home.
  • Present to hold space for people’s concerns, needs and emotions.

The Participation and Community Engagement Lead will be self-motivated and your personal values align with the organisation’s values, namely: vision – the future belongs to those that can see it; balance – balancing the left and right brain thinking; effectiveness – doing the inner work through reflective practises; power and presence through courageous conversations; remaining light and resourceful in facilitating and catalysing change; and a dedication to ‘walking the talk’ of conflict transformation by modelling innovative new ways to integrate it throughout organisational approaches.

You will have:

  • Experience and skills in facilitation and community engagement/mobilisation.
  • Experience in social cohesion/peacebuilding/conflict transformation work.
  • Similar experience working in/across more than one of the four nations of the UK (desirable).
  • Proven experience with conflict transformation and problem-solving.
  • Experience working with emerging leaders and youth (desirable).
  • Technical competence – MS Office Suite proficient (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), Google Suites, and Zoom.

You will be asked to submit your CV and a cover letter outlining how you meet the requirements of the role.

About the Organisation

The charity was founded by three times peace prize nominee Dr Scilla Elworthy and is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) whose mission is to generate a groundswell of people from all sectors who believe that a world without destructive conflict is possible and necessary.

You may also have experience in areas such as Participation Engagement lead, Community Engagement lead, Participation and Community Engagement lead, Programme Development Manager, Child and Youth Program Manager, Youth Development Worker, Youth Worker, Child and Youth Development, Youth Support Worker, Mental Health Youth Manager, Educational Youth Worker, Support Manager Children and Young People, Youth Support Manager, Residential Youth Worker, Child Care Worker, Youth Worker, Holiday Club, After School Club, Youth Club.