Social Investment Specialist

Sovereign is a leading Housing Association, committed to providing quality, affordable homes and services within sustainable, successful communities. We're led by our values and driven by a strong sense of social purpose, placing our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We have an exciting new opportunity to join the Communities Team as **Social Investment Specialist **on a permanent basis. You'll be based from our Bristol or Basingstoke office, though with offices in Christchurch, Exeter and Newbury, we can be flexible on your base location. In the longer term, there may be some travel required between our offices and sites so you should have access to transport and be happy to travel. The role will combine both home and office working to ensure a positive work/life balance.

**The Role**

The Social Investment Specialist will design and pilot systems and processes as we expand and develop our approach to develop Social Investment. The Specialist will support and work with the Community Investment Management team be responsible for maintaining high data quality in our Community Investment** **data sources.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Working with the Head of Partnerships and Funding to create and deliver a Social Investment strategy for Sovereign that will increase the social impact we make in our communities and allow community organisations and social enterprise to thrive
- Work collaboratively with Community Investment, Finance, and Governance teams and external advisers to develop a Sovereign approach to piloting and testing models of Social Investment
- Create and deliver a Social Investment strategy
- To raise awareness of Social Investment across Sovereign
- Identify opportunities to develop and support social enterprise
- To work with the communications team to plan and deliver internal and external communication about social investment to raise its profile
- Influence our grants strategy and coordinate with the Head of Partnerships and Funding and the Grants officer our approach to grant making
- Build and maintain excellent relationships with stakeholders, including funders, businesses, Housing providers local authorities and national agencies.

**What we need from you**

You will need to lead on the development of a Social Investment strategy across Sovereign. You will have some knowledge and awareness of social investment and supporting community organisations to thrive. Be able to guide on the creation and implementation of a coordinated social investment approach including delivery of initiatives, support to social enterprise, blended finance and training and support to community organisations and partners.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Confident and self-motivated
- Proactive and proven Stakeholder management skills across all levels of colleague and with external partners with the ability to influence and challenge
- Knowledge and experience of a similar role or of funding Community organisations or setting up a social enterprise
- Knowledge and experience of working within Social Investment
- Good understanding of social enterprise and grant making
- Ability to validate and impact assess, to escalate data issues as required.
- Understanding of data breaches, associated implications and industry standards of preventing/triaging a breach.
- Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills

**What we can offer you**

As a member of the Communities Team, you'll be part of a friendly, dedicated and supportive working environment.

Some of our benefits include:

- £450 yearly flexible benefit pot to use against benefits of your choice
- Flexible working
- 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays (with an extra day every year up to 30 days)
- A chance to buy or sell holiday as part of our flexible benefits package
- A generous pension scheme matching up to 12%
- Life cover as soon as you join us
- You will be a part of our Recognition scheme where you can be gifted retail vouchers
- A range of wellbeing discounts including Gym Memberships
- A wide selection of other benefits available

We invest in our people, and you will be able to develop your skills and be part of something that makes a real difference. This role can give you the opportunity for a career within a successful and diverse organisation. Have a look at our careers site to learn more about us and our values.

At Sovereign we are committed to our Equality Diversity and Inclusion strategy and believe that you can truly be yourself at Sovereign.