Community engagement officer jobs

As Scotland’s leading nature conservation charity, we welcome applications from individuals who are looking to join us in our journey of protecting Scotland’s wildlife for the future.

From major species and landscape restoration projects, to managing our network of wildlife reserves and campaigning for nature, we work for Scotland’s wildlife year-round.

We give a voice to wildlife through our policy and campaigning work, demonstrate best practice through practical conservation work, engage with people to take positive action through our education programmes and events, and so much more.

Title: Community Outreach Officer - Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

Status: Full time (35 hrs/week), Fixed term (until 31st March 2028)

Salary: £25,000 per annum pending review

Location: Blairgowrie Office, Perthshire (working across the Central lowlands and Southern Highlands)

Closing date: 15th June 2026

The Role:

The Community Outreach Officer will contribute to the protection of the Highland Line (HL), a coast-to-coast control zone which aims to prevent grey squirrels from moving north from Central Scotland into the red strongholds of the Highlands and Grampians. Progressed through a programme of targeted grey squirrel monitoring and control, you’ll help support the protection and expansion of red squirrel populations in accordance with the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels strategy. This role requires an approachable individual with experience recruiting, motivating, training, coordinating and managing community-based volunteers (groups and individuals) to undertake active conservation work.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Working closely with the Monitoring and Control Officers (MCOs)
• Supporting and expanding volunteer networks through volunteer recruitment and onboarding
• Data entry and digital records
• Engaging and building relations with key stakeholders, landowners and local authorities
• Providing community network support and communications.  This will include identifying opportunities to engage difficult-to-reach people and new audiences in the Central Lowlands.

Specifically, this includes:

1. Recruiting, training and supporting volunteers to carry out fortnightly feeder box monitoring surveys, ensuring they have the equipment and consumables required, and providing practical support and temporary survey cover as needed.
2. Manage and coordinate the processing of monitoring samples and resulting data. Tis includes the analysis of hair samples to identify and record red squirrel, grey squirrel or pine marten detections and sharing results with volunteers
3. Alongside the SSRS HL team, engaging with and recruit new landowners/managers to undertake grey squirrel control and monitoring on their land.
4. Developing methodologies to ensure sustained engagement and data sharing to support independent controllers across the Highland Line region
5. Engaging and building relations with new and existing stakeholders to support the project.
6. Leading strategic events, talks, and other activities to promote active community understanding and participation of red squirrel conservation in Scotland

The successful candidate will:

• Possess a relevant degree
• Have experience of recruiting, motivating, training, coordinating and managing volunteers
• A good understanding of conservation principles, invasive non-native species management, wildlife practices and legislation
• Experience of working with landowners, gamekeepers, foresters and the public is desirable
• Experience with keeping and maintaining accurate records using Microsoft packages is essential and knowledge of ArcGIS would be useful
• There may occasionally be a requirement to work out of normal working hours
• You must possess a full clean driving licence and have use of a vehicle

Closing date: midnight Monday 15th June

Interview date:  Thursday 25th June

The Community Engagement Officer will play a key role in helping Symphony Studios become a place that young people, families, schools and local partners know, trust and use.

This is a practical, people-facing role for someone who is brilliant at building relationships, opening conversations and helping people feel that Symphony is for them. You will help connect young people to our programmes, strengthen relationships across Tulse Hill, Brixton, Norwood and wider Lambeth, and make sure the Studios are not just a building, but a place of welcome, access, creativity and opportunity.

Too many young people grow up full of potential but without the spaces, support or confidence to grow into it. Symphony exists to change that. Through Academics, Arts and Advocacy, we create platforms where young people can learn, make music, develop their voice, build confidence and imagine a fuller future.

This role will help us move that mission from intention into everyday connection. You will be a bridge between Symphony and the people we exist to serve — young people, parents, carers, schools, youth services, local organisations, creatives, volunteers and partners. You will help us listen well, communicate clearly, build trust locally, and make sure the right people know what is happening at Symphony Studios and how to get involved.

As Symphony grows, this role will also support the foundations for wider moments such as showcases, community events and TRIBE Festival of Hope. It is a chance to help build something rooted, generous and ambitious from the ground up.

The chosen candidate will ideally be based in Hertfordshire, and any travel expenses from within the county will be covered.

This is a fixed-term contract for 9 months, with a possible 3 month extension.

About Us

Healthwatch Hertfordshire are an independent champion for people who use health and social care services. Being a values-driven organisation with a national reputation for our research and engagement work, we are here to find out what matters to local people and help ensure their views shape the support they need.

Our purpose is to help make care better for people by improving how services are run now and in the future. We have an ambitious vision to ensure that health and social care work for everyone.

The Role:

We are looking for someone who enjoys talking to people, listening to their experiences, and turning those conversations into meaningful change.

You will gather evidence from Hertfordshire residents about their experiences of health and social care services, analyse the findings, and produce clear insight driven reports that drive service improvement through insightful recommendations, and partnership with decision makers.

The broader health and social care landscape is actively changing around us, and we need someone who can work flexibly, respond to changing needs, and stay confident and calm during change – making sure our values and duties to the public are successfully delivered.

Responsibilities

• Building relationships with local residents, including those from underserved and marginalised communities
• Running focus groups, surveys, and engagement events
• Engaging with senior stakeholders (internally, NHS, county council, voluntary sector)
• Managing research and engagement projects from start to finish
• Writing clear, practical reports and insights
• Presenting findings and recommendations

Essential Criteria

• You live in or near Hertfordshire and can travel regularly across the county
• You are confident and experienced communicating with the public, diverse communities, and senior leaders
• You have experience designing and delivering research questions, running focus groups, and crafting and analysing survey data
• You can write clear, engaging reports for health and care decision makers and the broader public, drawing recommendations from the insights

Skills and Experience

• Ability to scope, design, organise, deliver, and analyse insight from focus groups and online surveys
• Experience of engaging directly with members of the public to gather insights
• Talking to people from a wide range of communities
• Good organisation and project management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Ability to work collaboratively and in a flexible and agile way

If you do not meet the entire criteria but believe you have preferential experience and transferable skills, we welcome you to apply.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and a tailored covering letter to Louis Eastwell of Hire Purpose, before 23:59 on Sunday 31st May 2026.

You are welcome to initially submit a CV prior to completing a covering letter.

Louis is exclusively managing this recruitment campaign and will be speaking with all longlisted candidates prior to a formal interview with Healthwatch Hertfordshire.

Application Guidance:

A tailored covering letter highlighting how you meet the essential requirements of the role, outlining your relevant experience, skills, attributes, and your motivation for applying and supporting Healthwatch Hertfordshire’s mission.

Hire Purpose champions inclusive recruitment.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. We uphold equal opportunity principles and challenge bias at every stage, partnering only with organisations that share our commitment to integrity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Hire Purpose is also proudly a B Corp certified business that has met B Lab UK’s high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

We are seeking a passionate and community-focused Community Engagement Officer to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in strengthening community connections, supporting vulnerable residents, and delivering inclusive programmes that make a meaningful impact. 

Working closely with the Community Development Manager, you will lead on engagement activities, coordinate community events, support advocacy work, and help activate our community garden. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Build strong, positive relationships with local residents and stakeholders. 

• Increase engagement and participation in community activities. 

• Organise trips, community meals, and celebrations as part of our Welcome Project for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and for larger community events for key faith and cultural events. 

• Assist community members with form filling, signposting, and general advocacy support. 

• Oversee the upkeep and activation of the community garden, encouraging participation and engagement. 

Uniting Staffordshire Against Hate provides information, advice, guidance and practical and emotional support to victims of hate crime and hate incidents to help them cope and recover from their experience and exercise their rights under the Victims Code. We also work to raise awareness and encourage reporting of hate crime across Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire. 

The role of a Training and Community Engagement Officer is an exciting and diverse one. You will be responsible for engaging with communities, including those most at risk of or directly impacted by hate crime, to improve awareness and understanding of hate crime, how to report it and how to access our specialist support service. You will do this in a variety of ways including by delivering awareness raising sessions and activities and attending events. You will also provide initial information, advice and guidance to victims of hate in the community and facilitate referrals into our specialist support service. You will be responsible for the development of meaningful and trusted relationships between communities and the service, so that the people who need our support know how to and are confident to access it. You will also be responsible for delivering our awareness raising training to professionals and communities. 

Flexibility is a key characteristic of all our posts, and the post-holder may be asked to carry out other tasks consistent with the grade from time to time. 

This role is based at our offices in Hanley but most of your time will be spent working in communities across Staffordshire and regular travel is a key element of this role. 

Equality and Diversity:  

All staff members are expected to demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity. We recognise and celebrate the positive value of diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.