The River Allen Landscape Recovery team are looking for a skilled Community Engagement Officer to work as an extension of the project team. Reporting into the Project Manager, the successful candidate will lead the delivery of three key activities before the end of the Project Development Phase (PDP):
1. Representing the project during PDP by taking a leading role in comms and marketing, volunteer management, and planning outreach events
2. Planning and executing community engagement activities throughout the remainder of the PDP, in line with best practice principles outlined in the Nattergal report on Stakeholder Engagement Best Practice for Landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects
3. Producing two PDP deliverables – the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and the Site Access Plan – each outlining plans for the 20-year Project Implementation Phase (PIP), using information gathered in Part 2.
Aims and Objectives
The successful candidate will:
1. Raise the profile and visibility of the River Allen Landscape Recovery project with local residents and other community stakeholders, communicating clearly and positively about the project’s aims
2. Ensure that all key stakeholder groups are identified and consulted on their views, ideas, and concerns regarding restoration of the River Allen and its floodplain
3. Ensure that the development of plans for the implementation phase reflect the priorities of local people and deliver tangible, meaningful community benefits
4. Deliver two key Deliverables for the PDP, ensuring that they deliver on the above aims and objectives, and are closely integrated with the other four Deliverables.
The Community Engagement Officer will be encouraged to take a proactive and creative approach to developing the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Site Access Plan. They will also be expected to develop and validate ideas put forward by the River Allen CIC Directors, Steering Group, land managers, and project team.
Responsibilities and Main Tasks
Part 1: Communications, visibility and volunteer management
· Representing the project: Act as the key point of contact for queries about the project, and act as an ambassador for the River Allen in your day-to-day work and interactions with stakeholders.
· Digital communications: Deliver regular social media and blog posts, including a quarterly blog and newsletter, in collaboration with the project team. Contribute to other ad hoc tasks, such as updating the project website and working with volunteers to develop a short promotional video.
· Celebratory events: Design, organize and execute a series of events during PDP to raise the profile of the River Allen Landscape Recovery project within the local community. We encourage the successful candidate to draw on existing local expertise and capacity, and to use this as an opportunity to build relationships with local partners who may work with us during the PIP.
· Stakeholder launch event – Work with the project team to organize a ‘launch event’ for stakeholder groups, business partners, and high-profile supporters (e.g. MPs, celebrities).
· Volunteer management – develop a handbook with standardised procedures for onboarding and managing volunteers; respond to ad hoc volunteering queries; advertise new volunteer positions and manage the recruitment and onboarding of new volunteers; manage and coordinate all volunteers during PDP, ensuring adherence to Health and Safety procedures; and set up a system for tracking hours of volunteer input during PDP.
Part 2: Information gathering
· Stakeholder mapping: Identify and map all relevant stakeholders and key interest groups, and produce a stakeholder map with analysis of each stakeholder group’s level of influence and interest in the project.
· Digital community consultation: Design, advertise and execute an online stakeholder consultation; collate and analyse results to feed into the stakeholder map and project implementation plans.
· In-person community consultation: Plan, organize and execute a series of community engagement drop-in events to gather inputs from community stakeholders about concerns and aspirations.
· Focus groups: informed by the community consultation, hold a series of focus groups with key stakeholder groups to gather further input on specific highlighted issues.
· Monitoring and Evaluation: work with the project Ecology Officer to plan and execute baseline data collection on socioeconomic indicators, including advising on suitable methodologies, and assisting with data analysis and interpretation.
Part 3: Develop plans for the Project Implementation Phase
· All of the information gathered through the Part 2 activities will be summarized in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Site Access Plan, and used to identify priority actions for the PIP.
· Research and Consultation: Carry out further feasibility studies and consultation with relevant stakeholders to develop detailed plans for PIP with clear actions, timelines, and costs.
· Write the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, including a plan for engagement with different stakeholder groups throughout the PIP, and a timetabled programme of work with clear actions and costs.
· Write the Site Access Plan, including an assessment of the quality and condition of existing access in the project area, identification of opportunities for new and/or improved access including to heritage sites, and detailed costed plans for improved access in PIP.
· Further details of the required content for these Deliverables is available in Defra’s Landscape Recovery Handbook, which will be shared with the successful candidate after they are recruited.
Person Specification
Technical Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
· Demonstrable experience of working effectively with rural communities, including a range of audiences and perspectives.
· Experience of planning and delivering all aspects of community consultation and engagement events (including promotion, risk assessment, organising a team, ordering equipment, booking venues etc)
· Knowledge of different techniques, resources, tools and activities to engage audiences with nature and heritage projects.
· Experience and knowledge of managing and working with volunteers, including health & safety, risk assessments, and safeguarding procedures.
· Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite. Experience of using SharePoint is desirable.
· Based within reasonable distance of the River Allen and able to travel frequently to the project area. Due to the rural nature of the project area, access to a vehicle and a full UK driving license is essential.
Desirable:
· Knowledge of the project area and key population centres (Wimborne Minster, Witchampton, Wimborne St Giles) and existing connections with stakeholders in east Dorset
· Understanding of chalk stream ecology and the principles of river restoration
· Experience of producing engaging social media and promotional content, including blogs and newsletters
· Experience and knowledge of techniques for monitoring socioeconomic impacts from nature restoration projects, e.g. changes in visitor numbers and demographics, attitudes, level of engagement with nature
· Valid DBS certificate and experience of working with young people and children
Personal Attributes
Essential:
· Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills – a real ‘people person’ with an ability to listen and communicate with authority, clarity and empathy.
· Innovative and creative, with a positive attitude to work focused on solutions and making things happen.
· Self-motivated, a good organiser and skilled at delivering within agreed timescales, with the ability to work independently and manage workload effectively.
· Positive and collaborative – an excellent team player.
· Passionate about nature restoration and strong advocate for the importance of engaging with nature
· Confident and engaging public speaker.
Timeframe
This is a fixed-term role which is anticipated to run from March 2025 to 15th April 2026. There is the possibility of extension beyond April 2026, subject to funding availability.
A final draft of the PDP Deliverables, including the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Site Access Plan, must be submitted to Defra by end of December 2025 (exact deadline TBC). From January to March 2026, the Community Engagement Officer will be expected to integrate feedback and comments from Defra’s assurance team on the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Site Access Plan. The PDP project will conclude by 15th April 2026.
The nature and responsibilities of any Community Engagement Officer role during PIP will be defined as part of the activities included within the PDP.
Eligibility
The RALR project team are open to working flexibly and will enter into a suitable arrangement with the right candidate. We are open to proposals from the following:
· Charities (secondment for existing staff) – The funding may be used as a grant to procure pro rata staff time via a secondment from an existing charitable organisation. This could be one member of staff, or multiple individuals who together bring the necessary skills and expertise.
· Independent consultants – The funding may also be used for entering into a contract with a consultancy firm or independent freelance consultant.
How to Apply
Please complete the application form (attached) with the required information and email it to jonathan@riverallenlr.com.
· Applications will open on 24th January 2025.
· Deadline for Applications: Friday 21st February 2025.
· Interviews: Expected to take place during the week commencing 24th February 2025.
· Anticipated Date for Communicating Decision: Friday 7th March 2025.
· Expected Start Date: ASAP