Community Development Officer

Barnsley Council; Barnsley; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Training and development

Good pension

Job summary

Barnsley Council is seeking a motivated Community Development Officer to join the South Area Team on a fixed-term contract to 13 October 2028. Based in Barnsley, you will work with communities, partners and council services to strengthen local networks and deliver priorities that matter to residents.

You will support ward alliances, enable local participation and help deliver projects, funding opportunities and governance practices, while promoting inclusive engagement and safeguarding across

Qualifications

• Experience of working with communities, partners or voluntary and community sector organisations.
• Ability to communicate clearly with a range of audiences and be comfortable supporting residents and volunteers.
• Commitment to inclusive engagement, safeguarding, equality and good governance.

Responsibilities

• Support Ward Alliances and local networks to develop and deliver community priorities and action plans.
• Work with residents, volunteers, groups, elected members, services and partners to identify local needs and opportunities.
• Encourage and enable residents to participate in local decision-making, volunteering and community-led activity.
• Provide practical support to new and existing community groups, including signposting to funding and governance advice.
• Promote local activity, achievements, funding opportunities and services through clear communication.
• Support planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of local projects and grants.
• Gather community intelligence and feedback to inform priorities and service planning.
• Prepare briefings, updates, reports and monitoring information to demonstrate impact.

Job description

Position reference: 50094070

Directorate: Place | Service: Stronger Communities

Salary: £36,581 - £39,481

Working Arrangements: Monday- Friday with some weekends/evenings inc. Agile Working

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Fixed term until 13/10/2028

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch .

Suitable for Secondment: Employees wishing to be considered for secondment should agree with their head of service before submitting an application form .

See our range of Employee Rewards: Employee rewards and benefits

Closing date: 02/10/2026 at 23:59

This post requires an Enhanced DBS Check

If you are currently living overseas or have lived overseas in the last five years please be aware, if you are the preferred candidate for the post, you will be required to apply for an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in. If you experience difficulty in obtaining an overseas criminal record check please email [e-mail]

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We're an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There's so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Stronger Communities team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We're an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We'll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There's so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities.
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About The Post

Are you passionate about working with local communities, helping people to have their say and supporting residents, volunteers and partners to make a real difference where they live?

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Community Development Officer to join the South Area Team on a fixed-term contract until Friday 13th October 2028. This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside elected members, communities, council services and partner organisations to strengthen local networks, support community-led action and help deliver priorities that matter to residents.

About The Role

As a Community Development Officer for the Hoyland Milton and Rockingham wards, you will support Ward Alliance arrangements, help communities to identify priorities, develop local solutions and take forward projects that build pride, confidence, resilience and participation.

You will play a key role in bringing people together, supporting community groups and volunteers, gathering local intelligence, promoting funding opportunities and helping to ensure that local activity contributes to the wider ambitions for Barnsley.

What you will be doing

• Supporting Ward Alliances and local networks to develop and deliver community priorities and action plans.
• Working with residents, volunteers, community groups, elected members, council services and partners to identify local needs and opportunities.
• Encouraging and enabling residents to get involved in local decision-making, volunteering and community-led activity.
• Providing practical support to new and existing community groups, including signposting to funding, governance advice and development opportunities.
• Helping to promote local activity, community achievements, funding opportunities and local services through clear and engaging communication.
• Supporting the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of local projects, grants and community initiatives.
• Gathering community intelligence and feedback to help inform local priorities, service planning and partnership responses.
• Preparing briefings, updates, reports, case studies and monitoring information to demonstrate impact and learning.

About You

We are looking for someone who is confident working with people and communities, able to build positive relationships and skilled at turning ideas into practical action. You will be organised, proactive and able to work flexibly across a varied workload, balancing community engagement, project delivery, partnership working and reporting requirements.

The successful candidate will have experience of working with communities, partners or voluntary and community sector organisations, and will understand the importance of inclusive engagement, local intelligence, safeguarding, equality and good governance. You will be able to communicate clearly with a range of audiences and be comfortable supporting residents, volunteers, councillors and colleagues to work together on shared priorities.

This opportunity is available as a secondment or fixed-term contract. Internal applicants interested in applying as a secondment should discuss this with their line manager and seek agreement before submitting an application, in line with the Council’s secondment arrangements.

Please use the documents below to help support you with your application form.

Job Profile: Community Development Officer Job Profile.pdf

Vacancy Exposure Profile: Exposure Profile.docx

Help with your application form

Why work for us?

Please ensure you view the job profile for this role, as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

We welcome the opportunity to have a chat about the role and are happy to address any questions you may have about flexible working arrangements, including as a result of caring responsibilities.

We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and everyone truly feels able to be themselves. If you have any support needs during the recruitment process, please let us know.

CV's are not accepted for this role.

At Barnsley Council, we believe in second chances and value diversity. Our recruitment process is inclusive, and we welcome applicants with past convictions. We're committed to fairness and do not discriminate. Join us in building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. #InclusiveHiring #SecondChances

www.barnsley.gov.uk/jobs

Let’s Stay Connected, Follow Us On Social Media

Facebook LinkedIn Instagram