Community Development Officer: Irish in Britain

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Ann Gould

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This is a role for someone who enjoys working with people, building networks and helping community organisations thrive.

The Community Development role is key in supporting the organisations, groups, and networks that serve these communities across Britain. The postholder will build strong relationships with existing and prospective members, understand their needs and facilitate access to practical and tailored support.

The role also coordinates a number of Irish in Britain’s membership programmes, events and initiatives, including the New Leaders Programme and the Volunteer Awards, as well as supporting the Operations Manager with Irish in Britain’s AGM, and the Emigrant Support Programme’s annual information sessions.

It is a varied, relationship focussed role, for someone who enjoys working with people, building networks, and helping community organisations thrive.

The role will include but may not be limited to those detailed below. The post may require the undertaking of additional duties for which the post holder will be adequately skilled and experienced.

• The closing date is 6 November but we reserve the right to close early - no agencies.

SALARY : Starting salary £32,239

REPORTING TO : Operations Manager

LOCATION : Chocolate Factory London N22 + shared WFH option

HOURS : 35 hours per week 9.30am to 5.30pm (Monday to Friday) Evening and weekend work will also be required periodically for which time off in lieu will be given

ANNUAL LEAVE: 25 days plus bank holidays

Irish in Britain is a national membership organisation representing over 130 diverse organisations across Britain. Our members include arts and cultural groups, social clubs, community centres and hubs, welfare, advice, advocacy, and housing organisations, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller organisations, sporting bodies, language, music, and heritage groups, associations, societies, and networks.

Irish in Britain support and connect members, helping to strengthen their organisations, develop leadership and build sustainability. We also represent the interests of our membership and the wider Irish community, ensuring their voices inform our work and priorities in health, policy and campaigning, and heritage.

Irish communities in Britain are diverse, evolving and spread across generations. We understand community broadly, and that it can be shaped by shared heritage, culture, experience or interests. We view our community as anyone with a connection to, or interest in, Ireland, Irish culture, and the Irish diaspora in Britain.

• Membership and engagement
• Organisational support/development
• Programmes and events

Membership and engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Irish in Britain’s member organisations
• Act as a key point of contact for members, responding to enquiries, promoting their work and events, and identifying their needs and opportunities for support
• Promote the value of membership to prospective organisations, and manage new membership applications and inductions
• Work with colleagues to ensure the membership offer continues to respond to the changing needs of Irish communities and organisations
• Work with the communications Manager to ensure that members receive timely and relevant information about training events, funding, resources and other opportunities
• Maintain accurate membership records and monitor engagement with services, programmes and activities
• Review the Members Area, ensuring up to date and relevant resources and information is available, and promote this across the membership

Organisational support and development

• Provide support to members and community groups through face-to-face meetings, telephone and virtual support
• Connect members with relevant funding opportunities, training, tailored advice, resources, and peer support
• Develop webinars and training videos on topics relevant to members, with an emphasis on core skills and competencies
• Work with the Communications Officer to ensure the website is regularly populated and updated with emerging funding opportunities, policy, legal, governance, human resources and research relevant to members
• Work closely with our external delivery partners to co-ordinate specialist support for member organisations, facilitating introductions, communicating organisational needs and monitoring and reporting progress
• Develop opportunities for members to connect, share learning and collaborate through networks, forums and events
• Maintain a strong working relationship with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), sharing relevant issues and emerging needs and trends across the membership, and work with members to address identified gaps in support.

Programmes and events

• Coordinate the New Leaders programme, including promotion, participant recruitment and selection, programme administration, liaison with the facilitator and participants, and the delivery of the showcase and graduation events
• Work alongside the Operations Manager and Communications Manager to coordinate the annual Volunteer Awards, including managing the nomination process, attracting and securing sponsorship, recruiting judges, all communications and event delivery.
• Work with colleagues to support coordination of the annual Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) information sessions, including relevant communications, mobilising the network, and supporting members to engage with the funders.
• Support the Operations Manager in the preparation and delivery of the AGM, and any other IiB events throughout the year.
• Support the team with the development of all new programmes, initiatives and events

Management and reporting

• To ensure that all interactions with members are accurately recorded in a timely manner as required by Irish in Britain’s internal monitoring and evaluation system, and reported to the CEO as required
• Provide written and verbal reports when required, to support the AGM, board meetings and production of the Annual Report
• Engage in supervision and appraisal in accordance with Irish in Britain policy
• Operate within financial procedures and within agreed budgets

Relationships : The post holder will work as a member of a team, maintaining a close working relationship with other colleagues.

Social conditions : The hours of work are 35 per week, Monday to Friday. Out of hours and weekend working will be necessary, on occasion due to the nature of the work, for which time off in lieu can be taken. Occasional overnight stays may also be required. We are proud to prioritise a positive and progressive workplace culture. Our office is based at The Chocolate Factory, Wood Green, North London, there is some potential for remote working, by advance agreement with line management.

Economic conditions : Terms and conditions of employment are as advertised and in accordance with the Boards HR and Remuneration Committee stipulation.

Training And Development : Irish in Britain has a positive commitment to the training and development of employees to build effective team and individual skills. Similarly, employees are also expected to adopt a positive attitude to identified team and individual learning opportunities.

Qualifications and experience

• Experience in working in a not-for- profit charity and / or membership body in a similar role
• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience.
• An understanding of the issues facing membership organisations
• Experience of community development, capacity building, change management
• Experience of working in a high-pressure environment and to tight deadlines
• Experience of online learning, facilitating group learning, knowledge sharing
• Must be comfortable with occasional travel across the UK, including overnight stays

Technical and professional skills/knowledge

• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and audiences.
• Ability to plan, carry out and complete projects within agreed timescales
• Excellent presentation and IT skills and proficiency in the use of IT systems, such as Microsoft 365, and Excel
• Confident in the use of online platforms such as Zoom, Teams, Mailchimp, Survey Monkey, Eventbrite, and CRM
• Ability to operate at all levels with a strong aptitude for negotiation
• A high degree of flexibility and adaptability according to the needs of the organisation
• Excellent copywriting, proofreading and general writing skills, as well as a good level of numeracy
• A knowledge of the Irish community in Britain
• Experience working across project teams

Start Date : ASAP

Contract Type : Permanent on completion of probationary period

Overtime : Irish in Britain operate a Time Off in Lieu System.

Holidays : 25 days per year plus all public holidays, with an additional day per year after five years of employment up to a maximum of 29.

Pension : All staff are eligible to join a pension scheme immediately upon appointment.

Travel & Subsistence: All costs other than home to office/equivalent are reimbursed within Irish in Britain Policy guidelines.

Equal Opportunities : Irish in Britain is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome people from all backgrounds and recognise that in order to be successful, we need to create an inclusive environment where everyone can realise their potential and succeed. Our goal is to treat all individuals fairly throughout all stages of our recruitment process. Any decisions on recruitment and selection are based solely on job-related criteria and the needs of the charity and its beneficiaries.

Staff Benefits

• Death in service benefit

The benefits are non-contractual and the IiB reserves the right to review benefits and withdraw benefits as appropriate.

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