Place Lead

West Northamptonshire Council; Northampton; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

West Northamptonshire Council is seeking a dynamic leader to drive sport and physical activity initiatives across Kings Heath and Spencer. You will coordinate place-based programmes to engage children, families and diverse communities, improving wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.

You will build strong relationships with residents, community groups and partners such as NHS teams and schools to shape inclusive opportunities that reflect local needs and priorities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience working in partnership to design and deliver sport and health programmes.
• Ability to engage with diverse communities and stakeholders across sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate place-based programmes in Kings Heath and Spencer to boost activity and reduce health inequalities.
• Develop and deliver inclusive physical activity initiatives for children, families, and diverse groups.
• Build trusted relationships with residents, community leaders and partner organisations.
• Work with NHS teams, schools, leisure providers and Public Health to raise participation in physical activity.

Job description

Fixed term contract until 31st March 2028

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering the Council’s ambition to create more active, healthier communities across West Northamptonshire. You will lead the development, coordination and promotion of a wide range of sport and physical activity initiatives, encouraging residents of all ages and backgrounds to become more active and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

What will you be doing?

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and coordinate place-based programmes within Kings Heath and Spencer, helping to increase physical activity levels and reduce health inequalities across local communities. Working with a particular focus on children and young people, families, older adults and ethnically diverse communities, you will develop and deliver initiatives that encourage more residents to lead active, healthier lives.

You will build strong, trusted relationships with residents, community leaders, voluntary and community sector organisations, and local groups to develop a deep understanding of community strengths, needs, barriers and motivations relating to physical activity. Using this insight, you will help shape and deliver inclusive opportunities that reflect local priorities and create lasting positive change.

Working collaboratively with a wide range of partners, including NHS teams, schools, leisure providers, businesses, Public Health, Communities teams, Northamptonshire Sport and other system partners, you will play a key role in connecting people, organisations and resources to increase participation in physical activity. Through partnership working and community engagement, you will help deliver sustainable improvements in health, wellbeing and community resilience across West Northamptonshire.

About you

The successful candidate will have proven experience of working in partnership with a wide range of organisations to design and deliver sport, physical activity and health programmes that achieve positive outcomes for diverse communities. You will be confident building effective relationships with stakeholders across the public, voluntary, community and private sectors, working collaboratively to increase participation, improve wellbeing and tackle health inequalities.

You will have experience of engaging directly with local communities, community leaders and residents to co-design and develop physical activity initiatives that reflect local needs, strengths and aspirations. Using a community-centred approach, you will be skilled at listening to and involving people in decision-making, ensuring programmes are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of different groups.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear from our Chief Executive, Martin Henry, about building a career at WNC.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us .

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email [e-mail] for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.