Why join us
We believe in putting our people first – we work hard every day to make sure everyone can achieve a healthy and rewarding work-life balance. That is why we have a very flexible hours system.
We are seen as being customer focused, friendly and professional. We are honest and open and are known for providing high quality cost effective services.
About the role
We are looking for a Community Cohesion Officer to help oversee and deliver a programme of work focusing on fostering vibrant, engaged, and supportive communities across South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts.
You will work with the Programme Steering Group, Programme Manager, Community Co-ordinator and wider community wellbeing team to build links with community groups, other agencies and internal teams to foster partnership working between the councils and the community. Through these partnerships we will deliver a range of activities, events and initiatives to help integrate migrants and create a feeling of inclusion and cohesion for all residents. Due to the nature of the work, we expect the role to include regular in-person work and travel around the districts, including some evening and weekend work.
This position is ideal for someone with proven experience of delivering impactful work in dynamic environments, who enjoys working in person with diverse groups, and is passionate about creating inclusive and supportive spaces.
Essential criteria for the role (essential qualifications, experience and skills)
- Considerable and proven experience of both line management and developing/delivering inclusive community activities, events and initiatives along with the ability to regularly work in-person (including some evenings and weekends) and travel around the districts with a full UK driving license and access to a vehicle to use for work.
- Proven experience of enabling/delivering inclusive community activities/events and delivering community empowerment work that facilitates strong community partnerships and working with the voluntary sector, collaborative working and community project management and experience delivering Asset-Based Community Development, especially focusing on promoting inclusion and ideally experience of supporting (migrant) integration work.
- Experience of developing, monitoring and reporting on project performance metrics, impact and outcomes; working with project management tools; and adhering to corporate processes, such as procurement processes and governance/decision making processes.
- Excellent organisational, IT (at least intermediate level), administrative and communication skills (oral and written), including best practice principles when communicating with people whose first language is not English that use creative approaches to devise delivery of work and marketing/promotion to target audiences (especially to migrant groups) and a sound understanding of the barriers to community cohesion and integration, especially for migrants
- Qualified to Degree level/NVQ 4/5 level (in a relevant subject) or significant experience working in a relevant field (such as community partnerships and/or migrant integration).
Key responsibilities for the role
- Assist the Programme Manager in overseeing delivery of the Cohesion and Inclusion programme of work, including working with the Community Coordinator and project leads to ensure individual projects within the programme stay on track, and that impact and outcomes are effectively captured and presented to stakeholders and ensuring any corporate considerations are observed and adhered to, such as health and safety, risk management, equality and diversity and procurement
- Deliver their own and support colleagues delivering work focusing on integration and cohesion for the whole community with special focus on migrant residents, including delivering in-person presentations, undertaking research, helping build partnerships with external organisations, organising activities directly for residents and collaborating with/commissioning work from local community groups to achieve the programme goals.
- Recruit and manage the Community Coordinator and any volunteers helping to deliver relevant community cohesion and integration work
- Help organise, deliver and often attend in-house community activities and events, and facilitate collaborative activities that improve community cohesion, incorporating methods of measuring and presenting their effectiveness and impact.
- Work with the councils’ Communications team to promote the community cohesion and integration work, including ensuring our communications are accessible for residents whose do not have English as their first language
- Regularly assist the Programme Manager, steering board and project leads to effectively manage, deliver and monitor the impact of the work within the programme, including helping them manage relevant budgets and undertake/assist colleagues’ procurement and commissioning work (in line with the councils agreed policies) the programme and monitor performance and outcomes, including drafting necessary decision making, health and safety, financial and other corporate administrative paperwork connected to the programme.
A full list of the duties this role provides, as well as the benefits we offer, can be found within the job description.
Please note that we do not hold a sponsor licence and are unable to support visa applications. To be considered for this role, you must already have the legal right to work in the UK. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please refer to the UK Government’s guidance before applying.
Thank you for taking the time to read our advert, we look forward to receiving your application.
