Community Development Worker

Community Development Worker — Holtspur, Beaconsfield

Join Beaconsfield URC as our Community Development Worker and turn a newly refurbished building into a welcoming place in Holtspur.

About us

Beaconsfield United Reformed Church serves two very different communities. Beaconsfield itself is well-resourced, with an active church life. A short distance away, Holtspur tells a different story — isolation, cost-of-living pressure, and too few places for people to simply connect. We're investing in our Holtspur building to change that, and now we need someone to bring it to life.

The role

This is a rare chance to shape a role from the ground up. As our Community Development Worker, you won't be managing an established programme — you'll be building one. You'll get to know Holtspur street by street, person by person, and turn what you learn into activities that genuinely matter: community meals, bereavement support, family and children's groups, informal spaces where people feel they belong. You'll recruit and grow volunteers around you, and you'll help make our refurbished Holtspur building the welcoming hub it's meant to be.

Faith sits at the centre of this role. You'll work closely with our Minister and Eldership, and you'll have the confidence to create natural, unforced opportunities for people to explore Christian faith alongside the practical support you offer. This post carries an occupational requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 for the postholder to be a practising Christian.

What you'll be doing

• Building a consistent, trusted presence in Holtspur, especially with families, children, young people and isolated residents
• Developing and expanding community activities — lunches, bereavement support, wellbeing groups and more
• Recruiting, supporting and growing volunteers
• Partnering with local schools, charities and community groups
• Creating genuine, natural opportunities for conversations about faith
• Helping tell the story of this work through our website, social media and reporting to Eldership, Church Meeting and Synod

What we're looking for

• Real experience of community engagement, outreach or pastoral work
• A knack for building trust with people who don't yet know you
• Confidence recruiting and encouraging volunteers
• Warmth, resilience, and the organisational skills to turn ideas into action
• An active Christian faith you're comfortable sharing appropriately as part of community work
• Flexibility for occasional evenings and weekends

Experience of church-based or "fresh expressions" community work, working with isolated or marginalised groups, or coordinating volunteers would be a bonus — as would a driving licence.

The details

• Salary: £30,000 p.a. pro rata (£18,000 p.a. actual)
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week (0.6 FTE), three days a week
• Leave: 15 days per year plus pro-rata bank holidays
• Location: Holtspur URC, Crabtree Close, HP9 1UQ
• Probation: 3 months

Safeguarding

This role involves working with children, young people and older adults. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and must comply with United Reformed Church safeguarding policies.

How to apply

Please send a CV along with a personal statement (max. two sides of A4) telling us about your experience building relationships and communities, how you'd go about understanding Holtspur's needs, your track record of working with others to create change, and what draws you to this role.

Closing Date: 20th August, 2026