Harris Hill are pleased to be working with Canal & River Trust, to recruit their new Community Engagement Coordinator based in Brent. 

The Canal & River Trust is one of the UK's largest and newest charities, having been set up in 2012 to care for over 2,000 miles of historic inland waterways. Their waterways contribute to the health and wellbeing of local communities and economies, creating attractive and connected places to live, work, volunteer and spend leisure time. These historic, natural and cultural assets form part of the strategic and local green-blue infrastructure network, linking urban and rural communities as well as habitats. Their waterways are on the doorstep of 8 million people and reach some of the most deprived communities within the UK. By caring for the waterways and promoting their use they believe they can improve the wellbeing of our nation.

Your job will be to engage and connect with new and existing communities along the canal within in specific project areas, and drive transformation that will materially change how local people perceive and use the waterways they live by, to make local waterways relevant and build community ownership so that the momentum is sustained and wellbeing benefits are realised.

This will involve building strong relationships with stakeholders, partners and communities, and working with them to establish and develop a local project plan. You will also be responsible for creating a programme of volunteering and community activity designed to improve health and wellbeing in the area.

This is contract until May 2022.

Key Responsibilities:
-Provide a concentrated effort into key strategic areas to increase local engagement and engrain the canal network into local communities and maximising the benefit it brings. Transforming places, generate greater community engagement and cohesion and build stronger local networks.
-Develop and maintain positive and strong relations with key stakeholders, partners and communities.
-With internal teams, external partners and local communities establish and implement a local project plan for the successful delivery of the required outputs within the project area and set timescales. This will include the proposed financial spend required.
-Create a programme of volunteering, community activity and recreation to improve health and wellbeing and engagement along the canal.
-Ensure local groups are embedded into the Trust's regional teams for continued support and management.
-Prepare progress and financial reports to allow for efficient and effective monitoring and evaluation of the project.
-Work closely with the Regional Directors and steering group to develop models for success that can be utilised across the Trust's network of canals and waterways.
-Ensure that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of the project.
-Promote and recognise the community contribution through press, media and appropriate communication channels
-Investigate further funding opportunities

Skills and Experience required:
-Experience working within community engagement and volunteering environment
-Experience in delivering community and volunteering projects.
-Experience in youth engagement.
-Ability to work with a diverse group of people, including minority or marginalised communities
-Ability to communicate effectively both internally and externally to a wide variety of audiences and using a variety of methods suitable to different audiences.
-Experience of budget management and control
-Proven ability to be able to influence and collaborate with other departments/stakeholders
-Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills. Ability to operate in a complex organisation and influence the delivery of others.
-A proven ability to build robust relationships with key stakeholders to deliver excellent services, programmes or projects.
-Evidence of developing relationships with partner organisations and communities to deliver mutual benefits and outputs, building strong relationships and influencing