Business Engagement Officer

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

Job summary

A local government organization in Poole is seeking a Skills and Learning Officer to enhance community engagement and increase enrolments in adult education courses. The ideal candidate will have experience in project coordination and local community relations, with a flexible approach to working hours. This role offers the chance to work across various locations in Dorset and engage with diverse stakeholders.

Benefits

Flexible working

Wellbeing support

Career progression opportunities

Qualifications

• Educated to Diploma level/NVQ Level 4 or equivalent experience.
• Experience in post 16 sector or community engagement.
• Knowledge of local organisations and employers.

Responsibilities

• Work with Area Programme Managers to increase enrolments.
• Establish partnerships with local stakeholders.
• Identify funding opportunities for community projects.

Skills

Communication with stakeholders

Project coordination

Community engagement

Influencing and persuading

Education

Diploma level/NVQ Level 4

Job description

From 1 December 2025, our refreshed Pay and Reward package comes into effect, bringing a new approach to how we recognise and reward roles across the Council. This means the salary for this role will be changing. The pay range for this role will be £31,537 to £36,363 (pro rata for part time colleagues) from 1 December 2025.

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

Role Purpose

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

You will be based at either our Dorchester or Weymouth centre, with the opportunity for some remote/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.

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.

Please see attached Job Description for a full list of responsibilities.

The Ideal Candidate

Our 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.

Desirable

• IAG qualification at Level 3
• Detailed knowledge of grant and funding opportunities
• Knowledge of community group governance and best practice
• Substantial experience in communications and marketing activity

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. 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.

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

From 1 December 2025, we’re proud to introduce a new Pay and Reward package, shaped through close collaboration with our trade union partners. Our enhanced offer includes fair and transparent pay, modernised terms and conditions, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to attract and retain talented individuals. Whether it’s flexible working, wellbeing support, or opportunities for career progression, our new approach puts people first – we’re excited to welcome new colleagues into a Council that’s evolving to meet the needs of both our workforce and our communities.

Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package on our careers page.

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.