Community Engagement Officer – FTC

Alzheimer's Research UK

Great Abington

Hybrid

GBP 30,000 - 40,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Comprehensive training programs

Supportive work environment

Job summary

A leading dementia research charity in the UK seeks a Community Engagement Officer to enhance community awareness about dementia. The role involves managing and supporting volunteers, planning events, and delivering training to communicate vital health information. The ideal candidate should be a science graduate with experience in public communication and volunteer management. This position offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact among underserved communities and support the mission of advancing dementia research.

Qualifications

Experience communicating complex health information in an accessible way.
Knowledge of dementia and dementia research topics.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.

Responsibilities

Support volunteer recruitment and management.
Provide guidance and support to DCC volunteers.
Plan and deliver online meetings and evaluate activities.

Skills

Experience of discussing health or research with the public

Effective written and spoken communication skills

Experience of working with and supporting volunteers

Project and events coordination

Education

Science graduate or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Join to apply for the Community Engagement Officer – FTC role at Alzheimer's Research UK.

The Community Engagement Officer will play a pivotal role in delivering Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Dementia Community Champions (DCC) programme. Launched in 2022, the programme empowers volunteers to share dementia information within communities that are under-served in terms of access to health information and research, and at higher risk of being affected by dementia. The programme has to date focused on South Asian communities in Leicester, Nottingham, and Derby. In 2026, it will expand to include Black African and Black Caribbean communities in East London. As the programme continues to grow, the Officer will have significant scope to support, shape, and develop this important area of work.

Dementia Community Champions are volunteers trained by Alzheimer’s Research UK to deliver events in their communities to increase knowledge and understanding of dementia, brain health and dementia risk factors. They also emphasise the importance of taking part in research in their local communities. They do this by:

attending and completing training in dementia, risk factors, and dementia research run by the core ARUK team.
holding events within their communities to share dementia information.
sharing leaflets and other resources.
speaking to local people about their experience of dementia and signposting them to appropriate information and opportunities.

This role will be known internally as Dementia Community Champion – FTC*

Key Responsibilities

Day to day support of volunteers
- Assist in the recruitment and management of new DCC volunteers, ensuring a smooth onboarding process and volunteer journey.
- Act as a point of contact for DCC volunteers, providing guidance, support, and timely responses to their enquiries.
- Empower volunteers by helping them build skills and confidence to talk about dementia and dementia research, and to engage effectively with their audiences.
- Plan, facilitate, and deliver monthly online meetings. This includes coordinating with volunteers, arranging logistics, addressing queries, and liaising with internal stakeholders.
- Provide comprehensive administrative support for the programme, including assisting volunteers in organising and evaluating their events.
- Collect key metrics from the programme to monitor progress and evaluate activities.
- Maintain relevant files and documents, ensuring accurate recording of data and adherence to GDPR.
- Ensure activities comply with ARUK’s branding and style guide.

Support the delivery of Dementia Community Champions in underserved communities.

Assist in the development and delivery of DCC training and ongoing support to volunteers to hold their own events.
Act as a champion for DCC across Alzheimer's Research UK, effectively communicating the importance, successes and challenges of the programme. Share insights and support colleagues across ARUK in their efforts to reach underserved communities.
Collaborate with the DCC Manager to produce ongoing evaluation of the programme. Proactively suggest new initiatives and continuous improvements.

What we are looking for

Science graduate or equivalent level of education (biomedical or biological subject) or relevant work experience
Experience of discussing health or research with the public.
Experience of communicating complex health information in a simple and accessible way.
Awareness of current topics in dementia and dementia research
Demonstrated experience in providing comprehensive administrative support for programmes or initiatives.
Experience of working with and supporting volunteers.
Project and events coordination experience.
Effective written and spoken communication skills.
A confident, friendly, and professional attitude; would feel at ease representing the charity to a range of audiences.
Willingness and ability to travel independently in the UK and occasionally to work outside of regular office hours when needed.
Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritise responsibilities, and meet deadlines effectively, especially in a fast-paced environment.
The willingness to learn and understand about dementia and dementia research and be able to use learning to effectively train others on topics of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
Willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues across different departments, as well as external stakeholders and volunteers, to achieve common goals.
Openness to adapting to changing circumstances and priorities, as well as flexibility in approach when working with diverse communities and volunteers.
Ability to understand and empathise with individuals affected by dementia, as well as volunteers who may have personal connections to the cause.
Dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the programme and ensuring that all volunteers feel valued and respected regardless of their background.

Additional Information

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.
Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals. This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.
Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 25th January 2026, with interviews being arranged once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us at recruitment@alzheimersresearchuk.org.

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure. Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure.

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference.

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK

Seniority level