Community Engagement Lead

Portsmouth Water; Havant; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth Water is seeking a Community Engagement Lead for a 12-month contract. The role focuses on supporting customer engagement regarding affordability and vulnerability, developing local partnerships, and conducting outreach campaigns. Ideal candidates will possess strong interpersonal skills and experience in community engagement to ensure support reaches those in need.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Support for equality, diversity, and inclusion

Qualifications

• Strong experience in community engagement, partnership management, and outreach activities.
• Ability to influence behavior change through campaigns and education.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks related to water efficiency, desirable.

Responsibilities

• Act as the key contact for affordability and vulnerability support in the community.
• Develop partnerships with local authorities and manage support for vulnerable customers.
• Conduct outreach campaigns to identify and assist customers facing financial hardship.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Organisational skills

Education

Experience in community engagement

Job description

Social network you want to login/join with:

We’re making a difference: Together, we can ensure that there is enough water for everyone, now and in the future.

Portsmouth Water is excited to be looking for a Community Engagement Lead for a 12-month contract! Are you passionate about making a real difference in your community? As the Community Engagement Lead, you'll be at the forefront of helping Portsmouth Water meet its goals around vulnerability, affordability, and demand reduction. You'll work directly with customers in need, driving participation in assistance schemes and ensuring support reaches those who need it most. With strong community ties and exciting partnerships, you'll play a vital role in empowering local customers, working face-to-face to make a lasting impact on people’s lives.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

1. Act as the key point of contact for affordability and vulnerability support in the community.
2. Provide direct, hands-on support to customers, ensuring they understand and can access available assistance.
3. Develop and strengthen partnerships with local authorities, housing associations, charities, and third-sector organisations.
4. Manage referral pathways from partner organisations, ensuring effective support for vulnerable customers.
5. Represent Portsmouth Water’s affordability and vulnerability initiatives to regulatory bodies and industry forums.
6. Increase awareness and uptake of Social Tariffs, Priority Services Register (PSR), and other affordability measures.
7. Work with internal teams to streamline customer journeys, making it easier for those in need to access support.
8. Conduct outreach campaigns to proactively identify and assist customers facing financial hardship.
9. Oversee the management of customer data related to PSR and affordability schemes, ensuring compliance with internal and regulatory requirements.
10. Deliver training sessions to internal teams and external partners, increasing awareness of affordability and vulnerability services.
11. Represent Portsmouth Water at conferences, stakeholder forums, and industry events, showcasing best practices and engagement strategies.

What do you need?

Skills, Qualifications & Competencies

1. Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, community groups, and local authorities.
2. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to deliver impactful presentations, workshops, and engagement activities.
3. Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify barriers to water efficiency and implement innovative solutions.
4. Ability to work independently in a field-based role, managing multiple priorities and projects.
5. Experience in community engagement, outreach, or partnership management, preferably in a sustainability or environmental setting.
6. Ability to influence behaviour change through customer engagement, education, and awareness campaigns.
7. Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
8. Familiarity with Ofwat, CCW, and PR24 regulatory frameworks as they relate to water efficiency and demand reduction is desirable.
9. Demonstrated experience in community engagement, vulnerability, affordability, or a related field, ideally in a customer-facing or advisory role.
10. Proven ability to develop and manage strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including local authorities and community organisations.
11. Experience in delivering outreach and engagement activities, such as public events, workshops, and training sessions.
12. Ability to engage and influence behaviour change at scale, working with customers, businesses, and educational institutions.

We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, so we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please discuss your flexibility preferences during the interview.

We support equality, diversity, and inclusion and encourage applications from all sections of society. The company ensures all employees are eligible to work and live in the UK.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to unsuccessful candidates. If your application is of interest, we will contact you within 4 weeks of receipt.