Citizen Engagement Manager

Job purpose

This role will lead our citizen engagement work and oversee the Food Ambassador programme. The Food Foundation’s Ambassador programme is a volunteer programme that consists of passionate food activists from across the UK, aged 14 years and up. The programme aims to amplify the voices of people with lived experience of food insecurity. The Food Ambassadors, as experts by experience, share their stories and insights in campaigns, research, at events, with
policymakers and the media. Together, we advocate for food system that ensures everyone can access a healthy and sustainable diet.

The postholder will be responsible for supporting the ambassadors and facilitating their inclusion in both The Food Foundation’s work, research and campaigns, as well as that of our partner organisations, in order to bring visibility to the ambassadors and their lived experience. The Citizen Engagement Manager will also work with government departments to strengthen relationships between the Food Ambassadors and civil servants. The postholder will also be responsible for recruitment and onboarding of new recruits alongside the Citizen Engagement Assistant, and ensuring the programme is representative of diverse experiences.

The post holder will work with our communications team to increase the impact of our media and social media engagement by giving opportunity to Ambassadors to explain the reality of the food system’s impact through their personal stories. The post holder will also work with our business and policy engagement teams to create opportunities for our Ambassadors to provide advice on priorities for our research, the development of policy and practice recommendations. They will be
responsible for the development of strategic thinking on our work with citizens as well as the safeguarding lead for the organisation.