Communications and engagement manager

We have an exciting opportunity to join the us as Maternity Cover for a Communications and Engagement Manager for the Putting Downs Routes Project championing equity, diversity & inclusion in the countryside. We would welcome applications for the full role or for part- time elements of the role as described in the job description and personal specification.

We are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and we aspire to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

The North Downs Way National Trail Partnership is involved in an exciting project that seeks to make the countryside more inclusive & welcoming to all people. We want to both encourage new audiences to the trail and upgrade parts of the trail so that they are more accessible to a wider range of people. This will include working with Project Partners, Black Girls Hike and Wild with Wheels, to develop new audiences, deliver enhancements on and around the trail, and support the recruitment and training of North Downs Way Ambassadors to make the trail more accessible to groups who currently do not use the North Downs Way.

To be successful the post holder(s) will have excellent communication, marketing and community engagement skills and have a clear passion for making the countryside a more accessible place for more people. You may have worked in the outdoors, countryside or heritage sectors and have a track record of successfully engaging with partners and communities. You will be able to demonstrate how you have delivered projects on time and to budget and are able to report and evidence your work for project funding purposes. You will be able to drive our equity, diversity & inclusion objectives.

You will benefit from the terms and conditions of the Council but operate independently and in support of the North Downs Way National Trail; building wide ranging relationships and collaborations.

You will work either remotely or in the office in Brabourne, Ashford, with a small and friendly professional team supported by a much wider partnership of people and organisations. We welcome flexible working to suit employee needs and job requirements. Our office is based in Brabourne, TN25 5LL. All home to office mileage will be deducted from mileage claims.

The post holder will be required to attend and organise regular events throughout the North Downs Way National Trail in Kent and Surrey and must be able to demonstrate that they can attend events and visit communities within this geography.

This post is considered to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

We are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across our service. If you identify as a person of colour and/or are disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.

We will consider people applying for the full role or one of the part time roles as outlined below. There is some crossover between the part time roles and applicants will be required to cover some activity across both part time roles.

Please indicate in your supporting statement if you are applying for the full role or one of the part-time roles:

1 1.0 / FTE full role

2 0.5 FTE Communications & Marketing elements

3 0.5 FTE Community Engagement elements

Please note: We aim to interview week commencing 27th January 2025 with a likely start date of late February/ early March to allow for a handover period with the current post holder. Ideally, we would like the post to begin on the 3rd March 2025.