Community Engagement Officer

**Community Engagement Officer**

As a Community Engagement Officer will play an important role in reaching out to marginalised groups and individuals. You will support the delivery of creative methods of engagement such as storytelling, focus groups, facilitating networks and hosting eventsboth online and face to face.

The role will involve championing the voices of those who go unheard, capturing people’s experiences, the opinions of families, carers and the public.

**Role Requirements**
- Knowledge and experience of community engagement principles and practices.
- A great connector - you are able to easily build relationships with people.
- Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector, community development, and research methods including interviews, surveys, and focus groups’ work.
- Experience of dealing with people, collecting and recording information, whilst showing respect for individuals and maintaining confidentiality where appropriate.
- Experience of working with diverse communities.
- Experience of organising and delivering public meetings, events and workshops.
- Commitment to high standards of behaviour in the public sphere through the seven principles of public life (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership).
- Excellent facilitation and collaboration skills.
- Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.
- You are comfortable with ambiguity and able to thrive in a fluid environment whilst recognising constraints which partner and stakeholder organisations work within.
- You have experience of successfully coordinating projects in challenging environments.
- You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- You are a clear communicator with good report writing and presentation skills, capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for a range of audiences.
- You can plan, prioritise and carry out your work in a flexible way and can meet competing deadlines. You are accustomed to working in teams and do this effectively.

**Role Responsibilities**
- Help to gather people’s views and experiences of health and social care services, at consultation meetings and workshops, events and conferences, reaching out to lesser heard voices at all possible opportunities.
- Help with interviews, surveys and focus group work, facilitating networks updating information collected on relevant databases.
- Identify and contact relevant networks, organisations, groups and Healthwatch Dudley volunteers to raise awareness of Healthwatch Dudley and contribute to discussions with a range of health and social care organisations, liaising with Dudley CVS colleaguesto build on existing relationships.
- Support community engagement activity in relation to Healthwatch Dudley and wider Dudley CVS commissions.
- Provide cover to maintain the Healthwatch Dudley service during its hours of operation where necessary.

**Company**

Our client is a friendly, versatile and creative charity. They help people and organisations that want to make a positive difference in communities across Dudley borough.

The team is crammed full of enthusiastic people with a dazzling diversity of skills and knowledge.

**Why should you apply?**
- The chance to join a fantastic company.
- To become part of a hardworking, dedicated team.
- To showcase your current knowledge and skill set in the field.
- To be a proactive member of the company.

They actively encourage BAME and disabled applicants and value the positive impact that difference has on our teams.

They are committed to equality and diversity within the workforce.