Head of Public Engagement

Heart of England Forest; Dorsington CP; Hybrid; GBP 75.000 - 90.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Heart of England Forest invites applications for a newly created Head of Public Engagement role. You will unify volunteering, community, heritage and outdoor learning to create meaningful experiences that connect people with nature, heritage and environmental action.

You will lead strategy development and the delivery of engaging, inclusive and financially sustainable programmes across diverse audiences, with regular regional travel and hybrid working from Colletts Farm Office, Dorsington.

Qualifikationen

• Significant experience in public/community engagement leadership.
• Proven ability to develop strategies with measurable impact.
• Experience guiding multidisciplinary teams through growth and change.

Aufgaben

• Develop and deliver a compelling public engagement strategy aligned with our five-year plan.
• Lead three specialist teams to create a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Design visitor, participant and volunteer experiences across physical and digital spaces.
• Utilise insight and data to expand participation and remove barriers.
• Oversee programmes including school visits, volunteering, heritage and outdoor learning.
• Drive innovation and ensure services are accessible, relevant and impactful.
• Manage budgets, business planning and resource allocation for reach and value.
• Build partnerships with schools, funders and stakeholders.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety, accessibility and compliance.

Kenntnisse

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Public engagement

Budget management

Change management

Communication

Safeguarding

Jobbeschreibung

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a newly created leadership role and play a defining part in delivering an ambitious five-year strategy.

Hours:

37.5 per week – Monday to Friday 08.00 to 17.00, with occasional evenings and weekends

Location:

Colletts Farm Office, Dorsington, Warwickshire, CV37 8AU, with hybrid working and regular regional travel

Monday 2nd November 2026 - midnight

Interview date:

16th or 17th November 2026

About the role

As our new Head of Public Engagement, you will bring together our volunteering, community and heritage, and outdoor learning teams to create meaningful experiences that connect people with nature, heritage and environmental action.

Working across the organisation, you'll ensure our public engagement activities are innovative, inclusive, impactful and financially sustainable.

What you'll be doing

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising and Engagement, you will:

• Develop and deliver a compelling public engagement strategy that brings our organisational vision to life.
• Lead and inspire three specialist teams, creating a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Design exceptional visitor, participant and volunteer experiences across both physical and digital environments.
• Use audience insight, data and feedback to expand participation and remove barriers to engagement.
• Oversee a diverse portfolio of programmes including school visits, volunteering, community engagement, heritage activity, outdoor learning and public events.
• Drive innovation, improve delivery models and ensure services remain relevant, accessible and impactful.
• Manage budgets, business planning and resource allocation to maximise both reach and value.
• Build strong partnerships with schools, community organisations, funders, stakeholders and sector leaders.
• Ensure the highest standards of safeguarding, health and safety, accessibility and compliance.

Who we're looking for

We're seeking an accomplished engagement leader who combines strategic vision with strong operational delivery.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience leading public engagement, community engagement, learning, volunteering, visitor experience or audience development functions.
• A proven track record of developing and implementing successful strategies that deliver measurable impact.
• Experience leading managers and multidisciplinary teams through change and growth.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with responsibility for budgets, planning and sustainable service delivery.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to build influential partnerships.
• Confidence using insight, evaluation and evidence to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Outstanding communication and leadership skills, with the credibility to represent the organisation externally.
• A genuine passion for connecting people with environmental, heritage or place-based initiatives.

This is a rare opportunity to shape this new position at a pivotal moment in our development. You’ll have the autonomy to influence strategy, build a unified engagement offer and create lasting impact for communities, visitors, volunteers and future generations.

If you’re an inspiring leader who believes in the power of engagement to drive environmental and social change, we’d love to hear from you.

The Heart of England Forest is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Applicants must be willing to undergo protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and a DBS disclosure.