Community Navigator

Full time, part time and job share opportunities will be considered.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a Community Navigator to join our Customer Experience Team. To be successful, you will share our values, commitment, and motivation to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in testing, assessing and iterating financial inclusion initiatives in a place-based way, while helping to collectively shape longer term poverty reduction policy in Mid Suffolk.

About the role

The Customer Experience team is a dynamic service dedicated to ensuring Council services are of high quality and accessible to all residents. As part of this team, and working closely with the Poverty Reduction and Digital Inclusion Lead, this role will be crucial in advancing the organisation's commitments to social justice, reducing inequalities, and supporting residents with the cost of living.

This role will work collaboratively to trial innovative approaches to improving the financial resilience of our communities, using new tools to gain fresh insight into residents in financial need.

You will work closely with the Poverty Reduction Lead to bring together a range of internal and external stakeholders to identify areas of need and support to design and deliver collaborative, place-based interventions in our communities.

You will play a pivotal part in upskilling our front line services and community groups to make financial inclusion and digital inclusion support more accessible, through direct delivery of light touch training and resources.

About you

You will ideally have a background in community development, or a similar role, and the ability to identify opportunities between different services and organisations to strengthen support for residents. You will have experience of designing and delivering engaging training to a range of audiences, as well as excellent facilitation skills and the ability to convey complex information in an accessible way.

This is a dynamic role that requires a motivated individual, who is able to take initiative and work collaboratively to find creative solutions. Relationship building is a key function of this role. You will be confident working with a range of different stakeholders to foster strong partnerships with different organisations and community groups, using negotiating and influencing skills to galvanise around an issue and design initiatives with consensus.

A thorough knowledge of welfare rights and the benefits system would also be advantageous, as well as an understanding of the drivers and challenges of digital exclusion, although training will be provided. You will be adaptable, and able to work flexibly to be responsive to the needs of our communities.

About us

Working together across our Councils and with our partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, we provide excellent services to our 190,000 residents across Babergh and Mid Suffolk. We are proud of the role we play in creating the environment, economy, and communities for our districts. We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work. With picturesque market towns, 60 conservation areas and with two National Landscapes within our districts, it is little wonder that we are consistently within the top 50 places to live in the UK.

Benefits

• Great opportunities for learning and development.
• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 26 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support Programme.
• Employee Assist Programme.
• Health Care Options.

For more information, please visit our Employee Benefits page (suffolkjobsdirect.org).

Our ways of working

Work is what we do, not where we go! We are committed to working in a more Hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business needs permitting). This has worked well for us and is something we will be continuing with.

We are committed to supporting equality and diversity, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils provide opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible service for our residents.

For more information

Please read the Job and Person Profile (JDPS) before applying for this job opportunity. If you wish to discuss the hybrid working approach for this role, or for an informal discussion, please contact Elysa Dale, Poverty Reduction & Digital Inclusion Lead, by either calling 01449 724 944 or emailing elysa.dale@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk.

Closing date: 5pm, Monday 28 April 2025

When applying, please ensure:

• that you complete the application form as fully as possible with your employment and educational history as shortlisting will be based upon the application form and supporting statement only.
• your statement indicates how you meet each of the criteria in the Person Profile' section of the Job Description/Person Specification (JDPS).

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.