Commercial Officer

St John Ambulance; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused charity in the UK seeks a Community Project Officer to deliver impactful projects addressing local needs. This role involves collaborating with volunteers and stakeholders to enhance experiences across various sectors, including Youth and Fundraising. The ideal candidate will have project management qualifications and experience in a volunteer-driven environment. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are vital. The position fosters inclusivity and aims to create a resilient community.

Benefits

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Supportive work environment

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
• NVQ level 4 (or higher) in project management or similar.
• Experience delivering projects within a volunteer‑involving organisation.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Understanding of the volunteer lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of projects that enhance volunteer experience.
• Work across the Four Pillars: Youth, Fundraising, Events, and Education.
• Collaborate with community leaders to co-create solutions.
• Monitor progress and outcomes of projects.
• Build strong relationships to support project success.

Skills

Project delivery skills

Stakeholder engagement

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Analytical abilities

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

NVQ level 4 in project management or similar

Job description

a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates). There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers.

Job Summary

The Community Project Officer plays a vital role in the delivery of targeted, high‑impact projects that address local needs while supporting St John Ambulance's organisational priorities. Each officer works closely with their County Commissioner, Deputy County Commissioner, County Council, and Volunteer Impact Partner to support delivery of projects that enhance volunteer experience, strengthen operational delivery, and improve outcomes across the volunteer lifecycle. Projects may cover any of our Four Pillars (Youth, Fundraising, Events, and Education) and can address local challenges in recruitment, training, leadership, recognition, communications, culture, or operational delivery. Acting as additional capacity for the county or network they support, the role ensures that national priorities are translated into locally relevant solutions, using clear, agile project management methods to deliver measurable impact.

About You

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent
• NVQ level 4 (or higher) in project management, business management, volunteer management or similar (or equivalent qualification/experience)
• Experience delivering projects or initiatives, ideally within a volunteer‑involving organisation
• Working effectively with multiple stakeholders, including volunteers, community leaders, and operational teams
• Experience of planning, monitoring, and evaluating projects to achieve measurable outcomes
• Experience addressing local challenges through tailored, practical solutions
• Project delivery skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• An understanding of the volunteer lifecycle and how to support volunteers at different stages of their journey
• Ability to analyse local needs and translate them into clear, achievable project plans
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders and build trust
• A confident communicator, both verbally and in writing with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences
• A knowledge of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility principles, and ability to apply them in all project work

About the Role

Local Project Delivery

• Support the coordination, delivery, and evaluation of projects that address county or network priorities while aligning with national organisational strategy.
• Work across the Four Pillars (Youth, Fundraising, Events, and Education) to tackle challenges and deliver improvements in operational delivery and community impact.
• With support of colleagues across the volunteer lifecycle, deliver outcomes in areas such as recruitment, training, recognition, leadership, communications, engagement, and culture.
• Collaborate with youth leaders, fundraising managers, and events leads to advise on and co‑create solutions to specific local challenges in these areas.
• Adapt national initiatives for local implementation, ensuring they meet the needs of volunteers and the communities served.
• Use feedback, insight, and performance data to advise on project scope, priorities, and delivery approach.
• Monitor progress and outcomes of projects, capturing insight to inform future planning.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Work in partnership with the County Council and the Deputy County Commissioner to ensure projects address local needs and challenges.
• Be guided by the Volunteer Impact Partner on appropriate project delivery, alignment with priorities, and effective reporting.
• Act as an active member of the County Council, contributing to meetings and operational decision‑making.
• Bring together employees and volunteers to create a ‘One St John’ culture that fosters collaboration, mutual respect, and shared purpose.
• Build strong relationships with volunteers, employees, and local partners to support project success and long‑term sustainability.

Volunteer Engagement and Support

• Work with volunteers to shape and deliver projects, ensuring volunteer voices and experiences are central to planning.
• Support the development and recognition of volunteers involved in project delivery, encouraging ownership and leadership.
• Champion inclusive and equitable practices, ensuring projects meet accessibility standards and reflect St John values.

Performance, Quality and Impact

• Monitor to ensure all projects deliver clear, measurable impact for volunteers, beneficiaries, and the organisation.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

St John Ambulance is committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive. We have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women's groups. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.

St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre‑employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process if applicable to the nature of the role.