Engagement Officer

Responsible for: The engagement and consultation of communities and volunteers as part of the development of City of Trees new tree nursery and site.
Location: Barnfield Park, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Bury, M25 0BD with occasional work at City of Trees’ operational base in Trafford Park
Hours: Full time, 36 hours per week
Contract: Fixed Term (2 Years)

Role overview

City of Trees is looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Engagement Officer to develop and manage volunteer experience and consultation at City of Trees’ new tree nursery. The nursery is the first stage of the development of this new City of Trees site and future National Urban Forestry Centre.

This is a brand-new post to help develop an outreach programme and activity plan to engage the local community and stakeholders to help shape this ambitious and exciting project in its development stage. We want to engage a wide range of audiences by providing clear pathways for people to get involved in this exciting next step for City of Trees.

The postholder will work closely with the Nursery Manager and Engagement Coordinator (and wider team) to develop a programme of volunteer and learner activity for the site, and contributing to City of Trees’ engagement and green skills programmes.

The postholder will be experienced in outreach and community engagement to help identify different groups and individuals to be involved in this exciting new development right from the start. We are seeking someone who is experienced in community consultation principles and techniques to help develop an activity plan during this development stage. While some horticultural growing experience is desirable, it is not necessary – training on this will be given to the appointed candidate.

About City of Trees

We are City of Trees, the Community Forest for Greater Manchester and registered charity. We plant trees, we look after trees, we promote a culture of trees. We plant trees for people; to create better, greener places; to boost health and wellbeing; to enhance green skills; and to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency. We’re rooted here in Greater Manchester, the place we live and work. We are proud to call Greater Manchester home and are passionate about making our region even better, one tree at a time.

Benefits

• Flexi-time
• 25 days paid holiday plus 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees)
• Training and development opportunities
• Employer match up to 8% contribution pension scheme after 3-months service
• Cycle to work scheme
• Comprehensive health & wellbeing package

Some key duties and responsibilities include:

Development

• Working alongside the Nursery Manager and the Engagement team, to develop and implement an innovative activity plan for the site to enthuse and inspire volunteers and learners.
• Delivering pilot community engagement activity recruit a base of core volunteers.
• Community and stakeholder consultation and engagement to gather support and steer the development of the project.
• Stakeholder mapping and outreach both at the local and wider level to identify and connect with local residents, groups, education providers and organisations.
• Utilising connections in both the immediate local and wider Greater Manchester area to identify potential volunteers and build partnerships.
• Working with the City of Trees Engagement Coordinator to strategically plan nursery activity as part of the organisation’s wider Citizen Forester volunteering and green skills strategy.

Delivery

• Producing work schedules and assign duties to staff, volunteers and learners.
• Assisting the Nursery Manager in providing training to colleagues, volunteers and learners on all aspects of the nursery site.
• Complying with the site’s strict health and safety procedures, including adherence to biosecurity processes at the nursery.
• Recording impacts of volunteer activity and collecting data to support the development of the site, in line with GDPR guidelines.
• Supporting on other Citizen Forester events (such as tree planting and woodland management), when required.
• Working alongside the communications team to capture appropriate content and tell the story of the development of the site.
• To represent and uphold the City of Trees brand and reputation while at events or on site.
• To document and record evidence from events in line with funding requirements, complete essential administrative duties related to engagement events and keep record of project statistics.
• To work in a flexible manner and to undertake any other duties and responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time, which are commensurate with the grade of the job. This will occasionally include evening and weekend work.
• To undertake informal and formal training as agreed.
• To carry out duties with full regard to Equal Opportunities, Child & Vulnerable Adult and Health and Safety policies.
• To travel throughout Greater Manchester as required

The above list is not exhausted of all duties and responsibilities. Please note this role includes many practical activities and includes working outside in all weathers with the need to be on your feet for extended periods of time.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Proven experience in community engagement/outreach experience
• Experience of (and able to demonstrate) successful partnership working and of creating, developing and maintaining relationships with partners and stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience of implementing community consultation principles into practice, including leading on facilitation and consultation events
• Experience of working with a range of community and volunteering groups
• Experience in tailoring information and activities to different volunteer groups and audiences and communicating tasks in a clear and coherent manner
• Ability to work collaboratively with both the Nursery Manager and the Engagement Coordinator to effectively utilise City of Trees’ existing volunteer base
• A passion for working outdoors in all weather conditions
• Self-motivated and proven experience of ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Practical problem-solving skills
• Highly organised
• Creative approach and ability to generate new ideas
• A skilled communicator with the ability to motivate and engage people
• A positive, proactive, flexible attitude and a willingness to learn to skills
• Good IT skills
• Full clean driving license

Desirable:

• Volunteer coordination in an outdoor/environmental setting
• Experience in leading engagement activities for those with additional needs

Additional information

The closing date for this advertisement is Monday 8th December at 9am with interviews expected to be held on at our Trafford Park office on Tuesday 16th December.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applicants from all sections of the community.