Local engagement officer jobs in Bristol
JOIN OUR WORK TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE
We are looking for an ambitious and Wellbeing and Learning Development Manager to lead two of our flagship wellbeing and employment projects, aimed at supporting purposeful activity, health and wellbeing. You will provide expert leadership and support to a small team, creating a culture that best supports our friendly community-based services. You’ll have an excellent eye for systems and structure, understand the importance of person-centred services and be able to spot and capitalise on development opportunities, from partnerships to funding. You’ll be passionate about reducing health inequalities and community work. You’ll believe in the power of partnership working to deliver the best outcomes for our community.
ABOUT US
Southmead Development Trust is a Bristol-based charity made up of staff, volunteers, and residents working together to keep power in our community. We work alongside local people and partners to improve health, wellbeing, employment, and local pride — while tackling social isolation and bringing investment into the area.
Guided by residents, our vision is a thriving and healthy community. We provide the support, spaces, and services our community needs through our two well-loved sites: the Greenway Centre and Southmead Adventure Playground (The Ranch). These venues host a wide range of activities including wellbeing services, youth and play sessions, fitness classes, community groups, and local celebrations.
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident employer and welcome applications from everyone. We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process or in the workplace, just let us know — we’ll do our best to support you.
ABOUT YOU
· 3+ years experience in a role supporting holistic wellbeing, employability or health
· Experience leading a team
· Experience developing cross sector partnerships for joint aims including facilitating meetings and information sharing
· Experience contributing to fundraising applications or business cases
· Understanding of the importance of employability and the connection with health and wellbeing
· Interested in health system change to support prevention and community-based models of working
· Project management experience, including programming, reporting, budgeting, evaluation
· Excellent working knowledge and understanding of managing safeguarding issues and ensuring best practice for service delivery
· Proactive and creative, with an aptitude for building relationships and problem solving
· Understanding of equalities and health inequalities
· An understanding of the complexity that may affect the participants of our services
· Good inter-personal skills with the ability to relate to others and build strong relationships
· Most importantly, you embody our values of:
· Positivity – Integrity – Excellence – Welcoming – Entrepreneurial
ABOUT THE ROLE
You will be key part of our Wellbeing and Communities directorate, offering vital support and strategic direction to our Learning and Wellbeing team to achieve our vision and meet funder requirements and coordinating the development of a new partnership aimed at improving health and wellbeing for people across North and West Bristol. You will lead a team that combines wellbeing and health and employment support, as well as offering support and synergy to other teams in the directorate. This role will ensure support for wider social issues, such as debt, housing, family and health barriers faced to engage with employment and learning opportunities.
You will work closely with our Senior Wellbeing and Learning Coach to develop interventions to improve confidence, physical and mental health and employment prospects.
You will work closely with our Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager to ensure synergy between our wellbeing teams and develop our service offer.
DETAILS:
Location: Greenway Centre, Bristol, BS10
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £35, 455 - £36, 887 (with pending cost of living rise in April 2026)
Hours: fulltime, 37 hours per week
Reports to: Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager
Holiday: 33 days annual leave pro rata (inclusive of Bank Holidays), occupational pension, free membership to Greenway Gym and classes.
Sick Pay: 4 weeks over rolling year, pro rata
Training & Development Opportunities: All mandatory training and job specific training offered, e.g. First Aid, Safeguarding, Motivational Interviewing, Management and Leadership, Trauma Informed Practice and Reflective Practice.
Pension Contribution: Nest Pension Scheme, combined 7% (employer 3%, employee 4% as standard)
Benefits: free membership to Greenway Gym and classes, cycle to work scheme, cafe discount.
Sick Pay: 4 weeks at full pay over rolling year, pro rata
Pension Contribution: Nest Pension Scheme, combined 7% (employer 3%, employee 4% as standard)
Interview process: if you are successful in the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to an in person interview. This will consist of a series of questions, short presentation on your vision for the role and an admin task.
Deadline: 9am, Wednesday 4th March
RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership and Partnerships
· To develop and contribute to forums and partnerships that support the growth of our work in North Bristol, including working closely with health partners (community health, Primary Care and acute services) and the learning and employment sectors to develop collaborative services.
· To oversee the Learning and Wellbeing Service and activities, ensuring they meet funder requirements, targets, and quality standards, and are safe, effective and well-managed, including oversight of reporting and budgets and providing leadership and guidance to the Senior Coach.
· To support the development and delivery of the Healthy Ageing Research Project and Community Consortium, working closely with the CEO and Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager.
· To deputise for the Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager at relevant meetings and support the ongoing development of the Communities and Wellbeing team to meet Southmead Development Trust’s strategic objectives.
· To embed community development principles across all work, including strength-based approaches, participant involvement, engagement, and the nurturing of volunteers to help build a resilient community.
· To ensure the safe and effective delivery of activities, interventions and services, including oversight of risk assessments, safeguarding processes, data recording and quality assurance, in collaboration with the Wellbeing and Communities Development Manager.
· To work alongside research partners to develop effective methods for evidencing the impact and effectiveness of interventions, activities and services.
Team Leadership and Line Management
· To lead and inspire the team to create a positive and collaborative culture.
· Coordinate, manage and supervise our Learning and Wellbeing team, and other practitioners as appropriate.
· To provide proactive performance management of staff via the Trusts’ processes, to include but not limited to, holding monthly one-to-one meetings, establishing development opportunities and training.
· To lead team meetings and ensure all practitioners have access to reflective practice and appropriate training
Systems and Marketing
· To work with SDT colleagues and others to improve systems and processes to best support services and other contractual obligations
· To be a key advocate for Beacon database
· To work alongside SDTs Communications Manager to ensure that our services and activities are known and understood by residents of Southmead and North Bristol
Relationship Development, Fundraising New Opportunities
· Build relationships with external agencies, organisations and stakeholders to best support staff and participants and develop new opportunities for delivery and collaborative working.
· Coordinate the Learning and Wellbeing steering group meeting, gathering feedback, advice and ideas to continually improve the service
· Work with teams across Southmead Development Trust to develop engagement and volunteering opportunities for participants.
· Produce content, with the support of the communications team, for social media, mail shots and other channels, to promote and celebrate our wellbeing and learning work
· To develop external funding bids and proposals to sustain and expand our programmes, working with colleagues from the Senior Leadership Team and across the Trust; supporting other income generating activities including supporting the development of tender responses to sustain health and wellbeing initiatives
General Responsibilities
All staff at Southmead Development Trust are expected to:
· Follow all Trust policies, procedures, and safeguarding requirements.
· Model our values: Positivity, Integrity, Excellence, Welcoming, Entrepreneurial.
· Work proactively, use initiative, and collaborate well with colleagues and the community.
· Maintain confidentiality, data protection standards, and a safe, inclusive environment.
· Take part in training, development, staff meetings and occasional evening/weekend work when required.
· Carry out any other reasonable duties to support the organisation.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL
· Passion, empathy and desire to support residents to lead healthier and happier lives through holistic, person‑centred, community‑based models.
· Experience of successfully developing and delivering community‑based wellbeing, health or employment services/interventions.
· Track record of developing proposals and securing funding for new wellbeing or health interventions.
· Experience implementing project plans, managing budgets, producing reports and meeting deadlines, and performance managing contracts or projects
· Experience of implementing systems and processes to improve service delivery and evidence.
· Experience of outreach, engagement and working directly with residents to shape and inform services.
· Excellent people management skills with proven experience of supporting, motivating and managing staff and volunteers.
· Experience implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and reporting to funders/stakeholders.
· Experience working holistically with people in 1‑2‑1 or group settings and achieving change.
· Excellent interpersonal, relationship‑building and communication skills with a range of stakeholders and diverse communities.
· Excellent IT skills including Word, Excel, email, web research and presentations.
· Understanding of health inequalities, complexity and barriers to employment/learning, and knowledge of community‑based interventions.
· Highly motivated with the ability to creatively problem‑solve.
· Capacity to work under pressure and adapt to changing workloads.
· Commitment to continual professional development and a personal drive for excellence.
· A flexible team player able to work collaboratively and adapt to changing needs.
· Ability to act as a positive role model and remain calm under pressure.
· Commitment to the charitable objectives and values of Southmead Development Trust.
· Willingness and ability to work outside normal office hours and across multiple sites when required.
· Flexibility to travel locally and work outside core hours as part of service delivery.
DESIRABLE
· Relevant employment, health or wellbeing qualification.
· Management and/or leadership qualification.
· Proven track record of working successfully with partner agencies (health, employment, GPs, NHS, VCSE partners) to deliver measurable outcomes.
· Up‑to‑date knowledge of public health, NHS service developments and funding sources.
· Knowledge of Southmead, North Bristol or similar communities and the issues facing residents.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Context:
Kinship provides direct support to, raises awareness of and campaigns for the rights of kinship carers across the UK. Kinship carers are navigating complex family relationships, trauma, poverty, discrimination. The children that they care for have frequently experienced abuse or are at risk of harm. Safeguarding concerns can be disclosed by kinship carers at all contact points with Kinship.
Safeguarding children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect is a collective responsibility and requires a safeguarding approach that is aligned to statutory frameworks, is professional, consistent, trauma-informed and proportionate to level of risk.
The designated safeguarding officer holds organisational responsibility for Kinship’s safeguarding framework and actions. The role works collaboratively with a team including a Safeguarding Trustee and a group of Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads drawn from key service areas across the charity.
The role provides expertise, professional guidance and clear direction across the organisation, supporting staff and volunteers to make sound safeguarding decisions within a framework.
Purpose of the role:
The Designated Safeguarding Manager works closely with all teams across Kinship to embed proactive, person-centred, and partnership-driven safeguarding practice to protect children and adults at risk of harm.
The role provides professional oversight to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads through individual and group reflective practice and supports high-quality and defensible safeguarding decision-making. The role drives contextual safeguarding approaches, promote professional curiosity, continual professional development and ensures safeguarding responses are informed by lived experience and the realities of kinship care.
At Kinship safeguarding concerns come from risks of harm to adults and children often with risks of harm to multiple people in the same family context.
This requires careful, trauma-informed decision-making and support for staff responding to complex safeguarding situations.
How the role works:
Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the Designated Safeguarding Manager holds responsibility for safeguarding practice across the organisation and provides expert oversight and organisational assurance ensuring safeguarding is embedded consistently, proportionately and in line with best practice.
This role will require flexibility for occasional travel in England and Wales.
Key responsibilities:
Organisational safeguarding accountability and assurance
- Act as Kinship’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, holding organisational authority for safeguarding decision-making and escalation.
- Hold organisational accountability for safeguarding practice, ensuring responsibilities are well defined, understood and embedded across the organisation.
- Maintain and assure a robust safeguarding framework, including defined roles, escalation routes, decision-making thresholds and accountability arrangements and balance safeguarding rigour with compassion and proportionality.
- Provide safeguarding oversight and assurance during service development, mobilisation and organisational change to ensure risks are identified, assessed and mitigated.
Trauma-informed safeguarding practice and oversight
- Embed trauma-informed safeguarding practice, ensuring all decisions, interventions, and organisational processes:
- Recognise the impact of past and ongoing trauma on children, kinship carers, and families.
- Prioritise emotional and psychological safety while balancing protection, autonomy, and empowerment.
- Integrate trauma-awareness into risk assessments, safety planning, case management, policies, and service design.
- Support staff through reflective supervision, guidance, and training to respond effectively.
- Provide professional oversight and reflective practice support to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
- Provide expert safeguarding advice and consultation to staff and managers, supporting the assessment of concerns, threshold decisions, appropriate escalation, and proportionate, trauma-informed decision-making.
- Quality-assure safeguarding practice and decision-making to ensure actions are proportionate, person-centred, trauma-informed, and defensible.
- Maintain appropriate oversight of safeguarding records, risk assessments, and safety planning.
Policy, compliance and organisational assurance
- Develop, review and maintain safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance in line with legislation, statutory guidance and Charity Commission expectations.
- Ensure safeguarding systems, processes and recording arrangements are robust, accessible and consistently applied.
- Provide regular safeguarding assurance, analysis and learning reports to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Culture, capability and continuous improvement
- Embed trauma-informed, contextual and culturally responsive safeguarding practice across the organisation.
- Promote professional curiosity and reflective practice, supporting staff to exercise sound professional judgement and avoid overly procedural responses.
- Design and deliver safeguarding training and guidance for staff and volunteers, building organisational capability and confidence.
- Lead learning reviews following safeguarding incidents or near misses, ensuring learning informs service and practice improvement.
Equity, inclusion and anti-racist safeguarding
- Ensure safeguarding practice actively considers how race, ethnicity, racism and intersecting inequalities shape risk, vulnerability and access to support.
- Support teams to identify and challenge bias and assumptions through reflective practice, supervision and learning.
- Embed equity, inclusion and anti-racist principles within safeguarding frameworks, policies, training and quality assurance processes.
Partnership working and external accountability
- Work collaboratively with statutory partners and external agencies to support effective safeguarding responses.
- Represent Kinship in multi-agency safeguarding forums, reviews or regulatory engagement as required.
Experience (Essential)
- Significant experience in adult and child safeguarding practice, including oversight of complex, high-risk, and multi-agency safeguarding situations.
- Experience providing professional oversight, reflective supervision, and structured learning support to safeguarding practitioners or leads, without direct line management responsibility.
- Experience embedding contextual safeguarding approaches and promoting professional curiosity in decision-making.
- Experience of working confidently with complexity, challenging constructively and supporting teams to do the right thing in difficult situations.
- Experience developing, reviewing, and embedding safeguarding policies, procedures, training, and learning frameworks.
- Substantial experience working with dispersed or multi-disciplinary teams, supporting wellbeing, professional development, and reflective practice.
- Experience working in voluntary sector, community-based, or service delivery organisations, particularly where safeguarding concerns arise through multiple routes.
Knowledge (Essential)
- Strong working knowledge of adult and child safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and recognised safeguarding frameworks, with the ability to apply them proportionately in practice.
- Up-to-date knowledge of children’s and adult social care systems.
- Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based practice in work with adults, children, and families.
- Awareness of how racism, inequality, and structural disadvantage can increase risk and shape safeguarding experiences, particularly for Black and minoritised communities.
- Understanding of organisational safeguarding governance, including accountability, assurance, escalation, and risk management.
- Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities within the voluntary and community sector, including Charity Commission expectations, trustee duties, and regulatory requirements
Skills and abilities (Essential)
- Strong professional judgement, with confidence in making and defending complex safeguarding decisions.
- Calm, credible, and reflective approach in ambiguous or high-pressure situations.
- Ability to support and challenge colleagues constructively through reflective discussion, learning, and coaching rather than directive management.
- Clear, compassionate, and adaptable communicator, able to translate safeguarding complexity for diverse audiences, including operational and service delivery teams.
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple safeguarding priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
- Ability to work collaboratively across wide-ranging professional teams and external partners.
- Values-led, with a demonstrable commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-racist practice, and culturally responsive safeguarding.
Qualifications (Essential)
- Relevant professional qualification (e.g. social work, health, or related field), or equivalent professional experience.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development in safeguarding children and adults.
- Permission to work in the UK.
Attributes and general characteristics (Essential)
- Commitment to the values, aims, and objectives of Kinship.
- Respectful, empathetic approach to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Flexible and willing to travel across England as required.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
Desirable
- Lived experience of kinship care.
- Experience using Salesforce, Asana, Notion, and/or general AI tools for case management, project management, or documentation.
- Experience in innovation and continuous improvement within safeguarding practice or organisational culture.
How to apply:
Please apply for the role of Designated Safeguarding Manager by sending a tailored CV and responding to these 5 questions below in the online application process. Please read the guidance notes in the job pack.
Closing date is 9am on Mon 2 March, with a first interview (30 mins online) that week and a second interview in person on Tues 10 March 2026.
For all questions, please provide a maximum of 250 words per answer.
1.Alignment with Kinship: Why do you want to work for Kinship, and why does this Safeguarding Manager (Designated Safeguarding Lead) role matter to you at this point in your career? Please refer to Kinship’s work and services in your answer, and explain what specifically about this role you are drawn to.
2.Trauma informed practice: Describe a specific example where you have led or overseen a safeguarding concern using a trauma-informed approach.
3. Contextual safeguarding and professional curiosity: Tell us about a time you applied contextual safeguarding or professional curiosity to a situation where the initial concern did not tell the full story. What did you notice, what questions did you ask, and how did this change the safeguarding response?
4. Reflective practice and supporting others: Give an example of how you have supported others to improve safeguarding decision-making through reflective practice (for example group reflection or one-to-one discussion). What was the issue and what changed?
5. Equity, racism and safeguarding: Describe a situation where race, ethnicity or structural inequality affected safeguarding risk or decision-making. How did you recognise this and what did you do to ensure a fair and proportionate response?
What we offer you:
- Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.
- 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown)
- Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling)
- Charity Worker Discounts.
Read the guidance notes in the job pack.
Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your application reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
Tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values above.
Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to focus on your knowledge, skills and experience.
We know people might use AI – however make sure the answers reflect you and who you are and your experience. So many applications are the same because they’re using AI. Make sure you stand out.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We support kinship carers in their homes and communities, giving advice and helping them work through problems to find the best way forward.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Community Fundraiser – South East (Kent, Surrey or Sussex)
We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!
This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the South East region.
As the Community Fundraiser covering the South East you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK. Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1.5 million.
- Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
- Do you live in Kent, Surrey or Sussex?
- Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?
Have you answered Yes to these questions?
Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?
If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application. We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!
This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the East Anglia region.
As the Community Fundraiser covering East Anglia you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK. Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1.5 million.
- Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
- Do you live in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk?
- Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?
Have you answered Yes to these questions?
Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start?
If you are excited to learn more about this position, please take a read through our recruitment pack which is attached in this advert.
If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application. We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!
We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.
We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.