Community Development & Participation Lead

Old Moat; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Old Moat is looking for a Community Development and Participation Lead to enhance community engagement across Manchester. This pivotal role involves leading strategies that promote social cohesion and empower residents to influence decisions affecting their neighborhoods. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in community development and a passion for fostering inclusive participation.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Local government pension scheme

Enhanced parental leave

Learning and development opportunities

Volunteering leave

Qualifications

• Extensive track record in community engagement and development.
• Experience in strategic collaboration across various stakeholders.
• Knowledge of social cohesion strategies and community power dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the citywide social cohesion strategy.
• Collaborate with external stakeholders and government departments.
• Drive inclusive action on community power and social justice.

Skills

Community Engagement

Collaboration

Social Justice

Trust Building

Education

Relevant Degree in Community Development or Social Sciences

Job description

About The Role

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm (standard office hours). Will be occasions when the post-holder will need to work evenings (meetings) and may be weekends (less frequent for the latter though). Flex/TOIL will be offered and discussion with the post holder)

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Closing Date: Wednesday 11th June 2025

Closing time: 11.59pm

Interview Method: In Person (Face to Face)

Application Instructions: In the 'Supporting Documents' section of the application form,please submit your CV and an expression of interest (1,000 words max), explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this role

This role is subject to -

2 References - where possible we require 3 years' employment history.

In Manchester, residents are at the heart of everything we do. Are you someone who is passionate about enabling residents and communities to participate,drive forward theirideasfor change, using their voice to influence decisions about their communities and neighbourhoods, strengthening a sense of belonging, and building relationships and cohesion?

If yes, an exciting opportunity has now arisen in a brand-new citywide role in Manchester City Council.We are on an exciting journey strengthening our approaches to participation, influence and embedding a sense of pride and belonging within communities across the city. This role is focused on strengthening the conditions that enable communities and the City to flourish, which canpositively impact on the health and wellbeing of residents.

As a city, building on its rich diversity and identity, the refreshed Our Manchester Strategy (2025-2035) is driving the vision of a ‘world-class city, which makes Manchester dynamic, thriving and ever changing.It is clear that strong economic growth is continuing, residents want to live in clean, safe and vibrant neighbourhoods, residents and communities want to get more involved in matters that affect them,new homes andneighbourhoods are being created for existing and a growing population,and a growing leisure and cultural offer is helping the City to be an attractive place to live, work and visit.All of this ambition and activity influences how the City,it’s people and its individual neighbourhoods, function.

About the Candidate

The Community Development and Participation Lead role will be based within the Neighbourhoods Directorate (Neighbourhood Teams), but its focus will be Council wide and collaborating across the system of partners within Manchester. Through an equality, diversityand inclusion lens, it will play a pivotal leading role in strengthening the conditions to strategically translate the community engagement, development, participation and cohesion ambition into action.We are looking for a candidate who has an extensive track record in this agenda andis able to:

• • Collaborate at a strategic level to drive inclusive action on community power, trust, social justice and equality, anti-discrimination, and working and learning together (the National Occupational Standards for Community Development Practice);
  • Lead the strategic direction and delivery of the citywide social cohesion strategy- Building Stronger Communities Together, which is focused on relationships, belonging and participation, as well as supporting the ambition in others e.g. Our Manchester and Making Manchester Fairer;
  • Proactively focus on the enablers to influence organisational leadership, cultureandbehavioursof others for ways of working, the effective use of resources (staff, skills, funding, toolkits, assets, Manchester Volunteer Inspire Programme- MCRVIP),culturally appropriate engagement, and supporting Members in their democratically elected leadership role;
  • Work at a city, regional and national level with external stakeholders and Government departments on the community engagement,development,participationand cohesion agenda. This also includes learning from good practice at these levels and understanding how it could be translated into a Manchester context;
  • Proactively drive and support the governance and oversight of this agenda (Council / multi-sector), through expert knowledge, insightandtrends, evaluation of impact, innovation, quality assurance of practice, influencing policy, business cases for investment and the deployment of resources, and addressing any system challenges;

If you have the experience the Council is looking for, please submit your CV and an expression of interest (1,000 words max), explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this role.

If you wish to have a conversation about the role, please contact Mark Rainey, Head of Neighbourhoods, on 07944 691451.

About Us

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance- Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension- You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave- Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks- Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow- We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member- We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave- Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of ourcareers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimumshortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [e-mail].

What we will need from you if you’re successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement ofemployment.This is not arole we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
• References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

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