Community engagement officer jobs

About Working Well Trust

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment.

We are recruiting a Community Outreach & Partnerships Officer to support the delivery of the Connect to Work programme across Kingston and Sutton. This is a full-time role (35 hours per week), working Monday to Friday, with core hours of 9.00am–4.30pm. Hybrid working is available, with a minimum of three days on site per week. Evening work may be required on occasion.

You will report to the Connect to Work Operations Manager and work closely with internal teams and local stakeholders to ensure the service is well integrated and reaches residents who will benefit most.

What you’ll be doing

If you were working with us, your days would be varied, outward-facing and rooted in partnership working. You would play a key role in building and maintaining strong relationships across Kingston and Sutton, working with local organisations to ensure eligible residents are identified, engaged and referred into the Connect to Work programme.

You would proactively engage with a wide range of partners, including Local Authority teams, Jobcentre Plus, health services, VCSE organisations and community groups. This would involve attending forums and partnership meetings, delivering tailored information sessions and presentations, and promoting the Connect to Work service so that referral pathways are clear, effective and aligned with contractual targets.

A central part of the role is ensuring Connect to Work is well integrated with existing local provision. You would work alongside partner teams, including co-locating where appropriate, to support warm handovers into the service and improve participant journeys. You would also identify gaps in local provision and work with internal colleagues to develop solutions that improve access and outcomes for residents.

You would manage and develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders, supported by the Operations Manager and Senior Integration and Partnership Manager. This includes maintaining regular 

communication with partners, contributing to partnership action plans, and providing updates on progress, impact and service developments. You would work collaboratively with internal teams to maximise opportunities for skills development, vacancies and sustainable employment outcomes.

Alongside outreach activity, you would ensure all work is delivered in line with contract requirements, safeguarding protocols and data protection standards. You would maintain accurate records of partnership engagement and referrals, provide timely updates and reports to support service monitoring, and contribute to internal meetings, service reviews and audits. The role also includes attending supervision, appraisal, training and development activities, and acting as a positive ambassador for the organisation by embedding its values in all interactions.

Above all, this role suits someone who enjoys working with people, building trusted partnerships, and helping communities connect with opportunities that support long-term employment and wellbeing.

What you’ll need

We are looking for someone who brings the following skills and experience:

• Experience of outreach, partnership working or community engagement within employment, health, social care or VCSE settings

• A strong understanding of the importance of integration and partnership working within employability programmes

• The ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

• Confident verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Experience of working towards targets or outcomes while maintaining a people-centred approach

• Good digital skills, including Microsoft Office and the use of databases or CRM systems

• An understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection (GDPR) requirements

• A clear commitment to equality, inclusion and supporting people who face barriers to employment

The following experience and knowledge would be beneficial, but is not essential:

• Knowledge of Kingston’s local labour market, services and community networks

• Experience of working on government-funded employability programmes

• Experience of engaging people with mental health and/or physical health needs

• Experience of monitoring, recording or reporting on outreach and referral activity

What we offer 

• £35,000 per year 

• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays (FTE) 

• Paid company closed days at the end of the year (FTE) 

• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) 

• 6% employer pension contribution 

• Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities. 

What's next

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions.

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. Telephone and final interviews will be confirmed. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career.