Local Area Coordinator

Surrey County Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Surrey seeks Local Area Coordinators to support community initiatives. Ideal candidates will have experience aiding diverse populations and have strong advocacy skills. This fixed-term role requires effective collaboration with local services and professionals, aiming to enhance community well-being and independence. The salary is £41,585 per annum, with a workweek of 36 hours.

Qualifications

• Experience working alongside and supporting diverse individuals, including those with mental health issues.
• Practical experience in advocacy and strength-based support.
• Ability to work creatively and independently.

Responsibilities

• Support individuals in local areas to build personal capacity and prevent service interventions.
• Assist people during personal crises to access person-centered services.
• Work collaboratively with various professionals and community organizations.

Skills

Experience supporting diverse people

Advocacy skills

Creative problem-solving

Job description

• Location: Surrey wide

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £41,585 per annum, working 36 hours per week.

We are recruiting 3 x Local Area Coordinators to work alongside designated local communities within:

• Neighbourhood/s in South West Surrey area
• Old Dean & St Michaels in Surrey Heath Borough
• Hurst Green in Tandridge Borough

These are Fixed Term/Secondment contracts up to 27th March 2027. For internal candidates interested in a Secondment opportunity, please discuss with your Line Manager before submitting your application.

Are you passionate about the power of local community? Are you motivated by being alongside people and families, helping them as they achieve their vision of a good life?

We want Surrey to be a place where everyone has a great start to life, people live healthy and fulfilling lives and can achieve their full potential and contribute to their community. With the help of the national Local Area Coordination Network and along with our partners, we have been introduced Local Area Coordination in Surrey to help us make this a reality.

About the team

The role is positioned in Surrey County Council (within the Adult Health & Wellbeing) but in day-to-day practice you will be based in the local community, alongside colleagues from other County Council services, the local Borough or District Council, NHS partners, and the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector.

You will be part of a small team of seven Local Area Coordinators, helping to grow and champion this approach. This is part of our wider efforts to support people earlier and more effectively within their homes and local communities.

About the Role

As the Local Area Coordinator in this area, you will be aiming to:

• Take introductions from services, organisations, and local people to support people in the local area to stay strong, build their personal capacity and prevent any need for service interventions by building on their strengths and natural support through local relationships.
• Walk alongside people facing personal crisis, supporting them to achieve person-centred services within the context of a supportive community network around them.
• Help our public services to learn, understand and transform so they are integrated, person centred, and co-produced with communities.
• The Local Area Coordination approach has had a positive impact for communities in other areas of the country and we are excited to see this starting to happen in Surrey too.

Shortlisting criteria

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Experience of working alongside and supporting a diverse range of people, including those experiencing mental health issues, older people, people with physical disabilities, families, carers, and their local communities
• Understanding and practical experience of advocacy and supporting people to plan for their future in a strength-based way
• Ability to work creatively and independently
• Experience and ability to work with a broad range of professionals within the health and social care sector as well as elected members, community leaders, third sector, voluntary, community and faith sectors as well as other organisations.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to answer 3 questions using a maximum of 1,000 words in total:

• Please can you tell us what has motivated you to apply for the position of Local Area Coordinator, and what you hope to bring to the role?
• Please describe your experience of working alongside people from diverse backgrounds, including those who may be facing mental health challenges, physical disabilities, or caring responsibilities for example. How did you build trust or tailor your support to meet their individual needs?
• Please tell us about a time when you supported someone in a strength-based way. What advocacy skills did you use, and how did you help them build on their strengths?
• Please describe a situation where you had to work independently and creatively to support someone or solve a complex issue. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome?

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For more information or an informal chat about the role, please contact Charlotte Austinby e-mail at [e-mail] or on 07977 837802.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday 28 th September with interviews expected week commencing 13 th October 2025.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit. Please ensure you select your preference in location when submitting your application.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

The Surrey Way behaviours are a guide that supports our council to work together effectively and deliver our best for our customers and communities, and for each other. Discover more about our behaviours.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.