Business Engagement Officer

BCP Council; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Poole is seeking candidates for outreach roles aimed at community engagement and support for individuals facing employment barriers. The positions involve project coordination, stakeholder communication, and organizing informative events. Successful candidates will require a Diploma level education or equivalent experience and should have a flexible approach to working hours. Opportunities also exist for part-time arrangements, with roles predominantly set in the West and North Dorset areas.

Benefits

Enhanced benefits package

Flexible working hours

Home working options

Qualifications

• Experience in community engagement or community-based work.
• Substantial experience of coordinating projects and events.
• Knowledge of local priorities and adult education.

Responsibilities

• Engage with community and employers to understand skills needs.
• Organize recruitment events and build stakeholder relationships.
• Collaborate on projects with local stakeholder teams.

Skills

Communication

Empathy

Project Coordination

Community Engagement

Education

Diploma level / NVQ Level 4

Job description

From 1 December 2025 the pay range for this role will be £31,537 to £36,363 Band 7 (pro rata for part time colleagues). To promote fairness and consistency, all new starters will begin at the bottom of the pay band. This reflects our commitment to equity across the organisation and aligns with the approach taken with existing staff during the transition. While the starting salary is fixed, the role offers excellent scope for growth, meaningful contribution, and being part of a forward-thinking team.

You can also find out more about the new terms and conditions that we are introducing on our careers site on, 'More than just a job' brochure

Role Purpose

We have two exciting outreach roles at Skills and Learning.

Role 1: Working in our Dorset council area curriculum team on a permanent full time basis.

Role 2: Working in our Connect to Work project team across both BCP and Dorset council areas on a fixed term contract until March 2030, either full or part time.

Role 1

You will be working within the Skills & Learning - Adult Community Education service, to engage with the community, employers and other stakeholders to understand and respond to local skills and employment needs. Skills and Learning deliver adult education courses across both BCP and Dorset Council area and this role will be predominantly working in the West and North Dorset areas.

Main Responsibilities

• Work with Area Programme Managers to increase enrolments on our courses
• Establish links with potential partners
• Identify local skills needs of communities and employers
• Identify funding opportunities that will facilitate innovative partnerships and support the financial aims of the service
• Organise and attend promotional and recruitment events to raise the profile of adult education
• Attend networking events and meetings to build relationships with local stakeholders
• Collaborate on projects across both council areas, such as Connect to Work
• Please see attached Job Description for a full list of responsibilities

This role will be based at either our Dorchester or Weymouth centre, with the opportunity for some home working. There is also a requirement to be able to travel to all of our centres around Dorset, as well as partner events and network meetings in venues across the County. This is an outreach post, so the majority of your work will be outside of the office.

Role 2

Are you passionate about helping people into sustainable employment?

Join us in delivering the Connect to Work programme – a dynamic, person‑centred employment support initiative designed to help individuals living in Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole council areas.

Connect to Work is a voluntary employment support programme that helps people with disabilities, long‑term health conditions, such as mental ill health and other complex challenges, secure and retain employment. Through personalised support and strong partnerships with local employers, we aim to empower people to overcome barriers and thrive in meaningful employment.

If you’re enthusiastic about helping people into meaningful employment and think you’ve got the skills, experience, or potential to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Main Responsibilities

• Work with the project team to engage with potential participants who might benefit from a supported employment programme
• Establish links with potential partners
• Organise and attend promotional and recruitment events to raise the profile of the Connect to Work project
• Attend networking events and meetings to build relationships with local stakeholders
• Collaborate on projects across both council areas
• Work with other Business Outreach Officers on other pieces of work
• Please see attached Job Description for a full list of responsibilities

This role will be based at either our Bournemouth, Poole or Dorchester centre, with the opportunity for some home working. There is also a requirement to be able to travel to all of our centres around Dorset, as well as partner events and network meetings in venues across the County. This is an outreach post, so the majority of your work will be outside of the office.

For Both Roles, The Ideal Candidate Will Be

Someone who can confidently communicate with stakeholders at all levels. You will have knowledge and understanding of local priorities and of adult education. This is important because you will be engaging with employers and communities to identify what opportunities there are for collaboration.

Essential: Specific Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to Diploma level / NVQ Level 4 or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working in the post 16 sector, community engagement or community-based work.
• Substantial experience of co‑ordinating projects and events.
• Comprehensive knowledge of employers, community and third sector local organisations.
• Ability to plan and manage own workload.
• Ability to influence, persuade, and engage with people using empathy.

As Skills & Learning - Adult Community Education cover the whole of Dorset, we have Learning Centres in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorchester, Weymouth and Blandford as well as community venues across the county that we use to deliver courses and projects. We also regularly have partner meetings and events in other locations in Dorset. You will need to be able to travel to all of these sites in a timely manner, often with promotional equipment and merchandise.

As well as the travel aspect of the role, you will need to have a flexible approach to working hours as there will be occasional evening and weekend working to attend meetings or events.

• Candidates will be asked which role they would prefer at interview.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world‑renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, world‑class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

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DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details.