Community Investment Officer

About the role
Role Summary
To support the development and delivery of community investment projects that deliver successful, measurable outcomes for TCH residents and communities, often working in conjunction with other TCH teams and external partners to achieve those outcomes.
The projects will focus on our key Community Investment Strategy themes; currently: tackling poverty and inequality; embedding well-being; customer co-creation and sharing power; community activities and programmes.
The role links with others across the organisation including our internal Customer Insight and Resident Engagement teams to understand our communities and supports our wider housing teams to deliver initiatives for the benefit of our residents.
The office base would depend on applicant. The successful applicant would need to travel between the different offices when required. Our main offices are Tunbridge Wells, Eats Kent and Epsom.
Salary: £35,505
Hours: 35
Contract: Permanent
Probation Period: 6 Months
Notice Period: 1 Month
Who are we?
Town and Country Housing are a housing association that covers Kent and Sussex, with our head office in Tunbridge Wells. We provide more than 10,000 homes in 15 local authority areas and became a subsidiary of the Peabody Group in 2019. We currently have over 300 employees based at various locations across Kent and promote hybrid working.
What will you be doing?
Role Specific Responsibilities
Support the development and delivery of existing and new projects, initiatives and services that meet the aims of the Community Investment Strategy.
Ensure these projects are outcome focused, that programmes/services are responsive to residents’ needs and reflect best practice and corporate priorities and meet regulatory expectations.
To co-ordinate Community Investment projects and activities working in conjunction with residents, the wider organisation, contractors, and community partners.
Support the effective monitoring and evaluation of community investment projects, ensuring that monitoring returns are received in agreed timescales and are accurate and outcome focused. Produce relevant performance reports and data as required.
To provide support for the effective brokerage, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of social value across TCH contracts.
Use customer data and insight to support our Community Investment work and to help build links with sections of the community who are not currently accessing our services.Attend networking and best practice groups as required. Maintain awareness of relevant government legislation and sector best practice and use this to inform your work on local activities and initiatives.
Support the Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) process, helping to develop and monitor project briefs, donation frameworks, and grant funding (when grant processes are open), that respond to social needs and include measurable milestones, outputs and outcomes, budget management, risk mitigation and procurement. Manage service level agreements and freelance contractors.
In conjunction with colleagues ensure that all areas of service delivery are effectively monitored and evaluated via the application of impact assessments, key performance indicators, social value outcomes and value for money reporting.
Contribute to the review and development of systems, processes, and services to support TCH’s customer experience and service improvement aspirations, including through learning from complaints and feedback, and implementing change.
Support our 3rd sector charity partners in ways that help them meet our residents’ needs, including supporting them to understand need and priorities based on data and resident insight.
In conjunction with your manager and the PR & Communications Team promote community investment and social value projects, and outcomes. To demonstrate to residents, colleagues, and other stakeholders how we make a positive contribution to the neighbourhoods in which we work, that we listen to residents’ views and act on them and how projects and initiatives demonstrate our approach to treating residents fairly and with respect.
General
To adhere to the equality, diversity and inclusion policy and actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
Recognise, respect, and promote the different roles and diversity of individuals.
To actively contribute towards the key performance indicators and professional standards.
Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.
To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.
To participate in training, attend other meetings, and staff events as required.
Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the Group.
Take responsibility for recognising and recording customer complaints, however made, and ensure that any complaints allocated to you are responded to within policy requirements
Maintain professional curiosity in all interactions with residents, be aware of and report and record any potential safeguarding issues promptly and appropriately.
Maintain awareness of budget requirements and value for money while delivering your role.
Consider and highlight any risk to the organisation or individuals whilst delivering your role.
Consider resident feedback (the resident voice) in all service delivery, using data and insight and actively engaging with residents to understand their needs, views and priorities and tailor services accordingly.
This role may involve visiting other offices and stock and you may be required to have your own car and full driving licence.
This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.
About You
Education & Qualifications
CIH level 4 qualification or above or willing to work towards (Desirable).
Degree of equivalent in a related subject (Desirable).
Key Skills & Competencies
Demonstrable experience of supporting innovative projects and supporting with project work. (Desirable)
Experience of using a range of local, regional, and national funding streams. (Desirable)
Demonstrable experience of partnership working.
Experience of customer engagement work and experience of measuring impact of residents on service delivery and improvements.
A good knowledge of the key issues around employment, skills, and training/digital inclusion/financial inclusion.
Experience of supporting with the development and management of programmes, across a wide geographical area and with multiple stakeholders. (Desirable)
Knowledge of the Social Value Act and how the organisation might utilise corporate social responsibility to its advantage. (Desirable)
Knowledge of community-orientated research methods, including evaluation/monitoring techniques. (Desirable)
Experience of commissioning services, managing freelance/external contractors, contracts, and service level agreements. (Desirable)
Experience of interpreting and acting upon government legislation and best practice. (Desirable)
Good IT skills.
Analytical skills, able to analyse information and data logically and reach sound conclusions.
Relationship management.
Behaviours
Resilient, positive, and proactive in all circumstances.
Good negotiation and influencing skills.
An effective communicator who uses a range of appropriate methods.
Ability to work positively with a range of external and internal audiences.
A positive, innovative, forward thinking and outcomes focused approach.
Results focused.
Commitment to great customer service.
Why Choose Us
* Contributory pension scheme 4% to 10% matched contributions
* Hybrid working
* Free onsite car parking
* Life assurance of 4x annual salary (Terms and Conditions apply)
* 30 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
* Two volunteer days per year
* Employee assistance programme (24/7 telephone advice, information portal & face to face counselling sessions)
* Corporate eye care scheme providing free eye tests and free VDU glasses or contribution towards VDU glasses
* Extensive annual Staff Wellbeing programme
* Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave provision
* Flexible annual benefits (for dental, healthcare, shopping vouchers, technology etc.)
* Annual flu vaccinations
* Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping, travel & days out
* Social events, including lunchtime walking, rounders, festive Fridays
* Travel loan
Applications
Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.
Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.
Key dates
Applications Close: Thursday 23rd May
Interview Date: Wednesday 5th June

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