Engagement Coordinator

Job Purpose

Job Title: Engagement Coordinator (Restoring the Soar) Temporary March 2025 - June 2026

Advertised Salary: £29,000

Working Hours: 37 Hours, Monday - Friday, some evenings and weekends are required for this role.

Location: The Old Mill, 9 Soar Lane, LE3 5DE/Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust office. 3 days per week expected to work from location or office base.

Canal & River Trust is recruiting an Engagement Co-ordinator with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to work on the Restoring the Soar partnership project together with Leicester City Council and Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

The key purpose of the Restoring the Soar – Engagement Coordinator post is to work closely with the Restoring the Soar partners, local communities and stakeholders and run ‘test & trial’ pilot activities to inform the creation of the wider delivery bid. The role serves as a catalyst and facilitator, empowering local individuals and organisations to lead community development and place-making efforts, fostering inclusion, capacity, and resilience through active listening.

This role will specifically work with communities and stakeholders adjacent to the Grand Union Canal and the River Soar between Frog Island and Watermead Country Park in Leicester with focus on waterway users including boaters, non-powered craft users, towpath users (dog walkers, cyclists, active travel) and the local communities that live and work within 1km of the canal and river.

The ideal candidate for this role will be an expert in building relationships across Leicester’s diverse communities and experienced in inclusive community engagement and communication techniques, with a passion for designing new approaches.

Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

Work experience:

• Experience of working within a community setting
• Experience of delivering community and volunteering projects with a heritage, environment, health & wellbeing and/or arts focus.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships and collaborate with partner organisations, communities and key stakeholders to deliver mutual benefits and co-designed projects and programmes
• Experience of sourcing and coordinating social action/volunteer projects
• Experience of project management, delivery, reporting and evaluation
• Comprehensive working knowledge of issues relating to working with young people or vulnerable people including safeguarding
• Experience of working within the Third Sector/Voluntary organisations is desirable

Skills:

• Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of people, including minority or marginalised or underrepresented communities
• Excellent project management skills including budget management and control
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• High levels of energy and commitment
• Ability and willingness to work evenings / weekends as required
• Ability to work well under pressure, be motivated and self-managed.

DBS

As this role is on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 Exception Order applicants must state the details of any cautions or convictions whether spent or unspent on the self-disclosure section of the application form.

This job involves regulated activity with children and adults at risk as defined by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Therefore, a Criminal Record check will be undertaken by the successful candidate prior to employment. A criminal record is not necessarily a bar to employment with us. HR will advise and decisions made on a case by case basis.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What We Offer

In addition to your base salary of circa £29,000, you will also benefit from a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits.

• 25 days paid holiday, plus paid Bank Holidays, increasing to 27 days plus Bank Holidays after 3 years
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available if a need to work outside of home – flexibility.
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity – hobbies; aspirations etc.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues – health; financial; lifestyle; well-being; domestic & neighbourly matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including – store discounts; boating holiday discounts; holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave, volunteering for local community project work.

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us