Common Connections Engagement Officer

How you’ll make a difference

The Common Connections Project is a £1.25 million green infrastructure project seeking to
reverse biodiversity decline across the local area, with funding from West of England Combined
Authority (WECA) and South Gloucestershire Council.

As Engagement Officer, you will work with the local community to ensure effective two-way
communication continues throughout the project and help actively engage the community in the
Common Connections Project.

What you will be doing

• Day to day, you will develop relationships with a range of groups throughout the local
  community including partner organisations, interest groups, local schools, and residents to
  help support the Common Connections Project.
• It will be key for you to collate and maintain project records and data to aid the
  development of the project.
• Regularly, you will undertake site visits and plan and attend meetings within the
  community.
• You will be responsible for the delivery of community events such as consultations and
  briefings alongside formal and informal training to colleagues, partners and the community.
• Working closely with the local community, you will encourage young people to gain hands-on
  experience of practical activities such as tree planting, wildflower seeding, building and
  siting nesting boxes.

What we need from you

• It is essential that you have or are working towards a relevant qualification such as
  landscape, environmental management, community engagement, and/or outdoor education, or have
  relevant experience of working in a nature based engagement role.
• You must have demonstrable experience of working with community groups and volunteers to
  co-ordinate and implement community, landscape and environmental projects.
• Given the key elements of this role, you will have excellent interpersonal skills and
  proven experience of effective communication with a variety of audiences.

What you need to know  

• This is a part-time role, working 22.2 hours per week. Your salary is pro-rata to hours
  worked. 
• This is a limited term contract, ending 31st March 2026. 
• We are also offering this as an internal secondment opportunity, you should first seek your
  line managers permission before applying. 
• Please note that due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement of employment that a
  Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained. 

Interviews are curently scheduled for week beginning 31st March. 

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata),
  employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including
  eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to
  work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted
  and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
• We trust our team to work in the way which allows them to make the biggest difference, and
  we continue to invest in technology to help staff do their jobs to the best of their ability
  and celebrate innovation.
• What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos, the support and the training.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young
  people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and
  support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect.

 Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people
who live, work and learn here.

• We’re building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We’re planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green
  spaces, and houses.
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well
  maintained.

We’ve achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to
make a difference.

We’re making a difference, be part of it!