Community Development Officer

SALARY RANGE: £29,269 - £35,124 per annum

PURPOSE OF THE POST:

To contribute to effective delivery of the Community Development Strategy ensuring the provision of excellent customer focused community development initiatives. To be a proactive and positive member of the Community Development Team working cohesively to deliver the Community Development Strategy and attainment of community development goals to assist in the Association’s objective to build thriving, inclusive, sustainable communities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

·     Ensure effective implementation and delivery of the Association’s Community Development Strategy.

·     Develop links/partnerships with external statutory, voluntary/community and political representatives to assist Choice in the development of sustainable, inclusive communities.

·     Deliver innovative approaches to tenant and community participation in consultation with key stakeholders to increase engagement levels and representation from hard to reach groups.

·     Ensure effective liaison with Area Housing Teams to identify key issues within our housing estates and develop appropriate responses to assist in the resolution of housing management issues eg ASB, Environment etc.

·     Manage and oversee the day-to-day operations of Choice tenant hubs by coordinating, scheduling and handling reservations for events, meetings and activities whilst providing excellent customer service to users.

·     To be responsible for providing and maintaining the inventory of all stock, fixtures and fittings across all tenant hubs.

·     To implement best practice initiatives to support continuous improvement.

·     Implement initiatives that improve access to learning, employability skills to build individual and community capacity.

·     Ensure project monitoring and evaluation is undertaken in compliance with funder/organisational requirements and timely completion of all internal and external reporting requirements

·     Identify and secure relevant funding to support growth of Community Development/Good Relations initiatives

·     To aide tenant/resident groups to become constituted in line with the aims and objects of the group.

·     Ensure tenants / residents groups are supported to identify and apply for external funding to enhance tenant participation and involvement.

·     Contribute to the attainment of relevant recognised quality marks/accreditation relevant to Tenant Participation/Community Development.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• To assist in the preparation of reports for the SMT, Board of Management and the Tenant & Client Services Committee and attendance at Board/Committee meetings when required

• Produce oral and written reports on engagement level, activity delivery and the development of new programmes / projects.
• Assist in the evaluation of the Community Development impacts.
• Conduct agreed periodic reviews of outcomes and develop an action plan for service improvement with timely and accurate monitoring and reporting.
• Undertake relevant training and development considered necessary to ensure continued best practice.

FINANCIAL CONTROLS:

·     To ensure adherence with procurement procedures and financial controls in accordance with funder/organisational requirements.

·     To manage and monitor budget lines ensuring expenditure is authorized within delegated limits taking remedial action, where necessary, to ensure that budgetary targets are achieved.

·       Assist tenant groups source and manage additional community development project funding, to include the delivery of accurate and timely funding reports when required.

ANY OTHER DUTIES:

·     To represent Choice at relevant meetings as required

·     To ensure compliance with Health and Safety and attend Health & Safety Committee meetings as required.

·     To ensure compliance with Data Protection legislation, managing the processing of data to comply with policies and best practice.

·     To represent the organisation at meetings with external bodies (Statutory and Voluntary).

·     To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post.

GENERAL:

·     Staff are required to be flexible in their work and to co-operate with their colleagues for the efficient, effective and economic operation of the Association.

·     Staff may be required to undertake a secondment or placement elsewhere, and the Association reserves the right to make such an arrangement where it believes this will benefit the Association.

Essential

• Education and Training

·       A minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent and 2 years relevant experience of

community development in a statutory/voluntary setting OR 4 years relevant experience of community development in a statutory/voluntary setting

Experience

·       Experience of managing monitoring & budgets in accordance with policies, procedures and external funding requirements.

Experience of searching for and completing grant applications for community development groups & practices.

·       Experience managing community projects and facilitating community based workshops, events and meetings

·       Working with social housing tenants.

Knowledge

·       Knowledge of housing and social housing providers.

·       Knowledge of statutory bodies and services provided

·       Knowledge and experience of community development process and understanding of current community development policies.

·       Complete proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Skills

·       Excellent written communication and interpersonal skills.

·       Ability to use own initiative and plan and organise work.

·       Have a flexible attitude to work.

·       Ability to work effectively as part of a team and on own initiative.

Other

·       Able to travel to meet the operational requirements of the post without reliance on public transport

·       Be available for evening or weekend work as required.