Senior Manager, Community Engagement and Participation

Greater Cambridge Development Corporation; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days annual leave

Hybrid working 50/50

Pension scheme

Job summary

Greater Cambridge Development Corporation is seeking a Senior Manager for Community Engagement and Participation. You will lead community, stakeholder and public engagement across Greater Cambridge, shaping voices to influence decisions and projects that affect communities.

You will work with government partners, local authorities and a wide range of stakeholders to deliver inclusive engagement, craft strategies that build trust and deliver social value, and ensure effective governance of

Responsibilities

• Lead community engagement, stakeholder and public engagement across Greater Cambridge.
• Provide expert advice on engagement strategies and assess risks and opportunities.
• Oversee engagement activity, commission specialist support, and work with project teams to deliver targeted programmes.

Job description

Senior Manager, Community Engagement and Participation

Closing Date: 05/11/2026

Interviews will take place week commencing 16/11/2026 and 23/11/2026

About the role...

This is an exciting opportunity to lead community, stakeholder and public engagement across Greater Cambridge, helping to ensure that the voices of residents, partners and communities are at the heart of shaping the area’s future. You will develop and deliver engagement strategies that build trust, strengthen relationships and create meaningful opportunities for people to influence decisions and projects that affect them.

Working closely with colleagues, government partners, local authorities and a wide range of stakeholders, you will champion innovative and inclusive approaches to engagement. You’ll help ensure that engagement activity supports the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation’s vision and values, delivering social value, positive community outcomes and a strong sense of place.

The role combines strategic leadership with practical delivery. You will oversee engagement and consultation activity, provide expert advice and guidance, commission and manage specialist support where required, and work with project teams to design and deliver targeted engagement programmes. You will also help identify and mitigate risks, share best practice across the organisation and ensure a consistent and effective approach to stakeholder and community engagement.

This is a highly visible role that requires a confident and collaborative leader, able to navigate complex environments, influence a diverse range of stakeholders and deliver engagement that makes a genuine difference to communities across Greater Cambridge.

This role is being recruited by Homes England to support the establishment and operation of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation. The successful candidate will initially be employed by Homes England and will work predominantly on matters relating to the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation and its activities.

About you…

We’re looking for an experienced engagement professional who is passionate about involving communities, partners and stakeholders in shaping the future of places. You will have a strong track record of leading stakeholder and community engagement activity on complex development, regeneration, infrastructure or place-based programmes, and be comfortable working with senior leaders across government, local authorities and the private sector.

You will bring a solid understanding of planning, housing and public policy, with an appreciation of the challenges and opportunities involved in delivering sustainable growth. Knowledge of the funding, economics and infrastructure required to support large-scale development will help you engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders and partners.

You will understand what good engagement looks like and be able to apply best practice approaches to build trust, encourage participation and deliver meaningful outcomes.

The successful candidate will be a skilled collaborator and influencer, capable of bringing together diverse interests and building consensus around complex proposals and decisions. You will be confident navigating challenging stakeholder environments, balancing competing priorities and maintaining productive relationships across multiple organisations.

Experience of working within the development, planning, housing, regeneration or public sector environment, particularly alongside government bodies, will be highly valued. Above all, you will be motivated by making a positive difference, helping to create places that reflect the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.

Who are we?

Homes England: The Housing and Regeneration Agency

We believe that affordable, quality homes in well-designed places are key to improving people’s lives. As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, we create thriving new places and transform urban areas, combining the full breadth of our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more homes built.

How? We form long-term partnerships that bridge the gap between the public and private sector to meet local needs and aspirations. We use our influence to champion the creation of sustainable homes, communities and places that are brilliantly designed for the people that live there now, and in the future. And we use our funding and support to build a more resilient, diverse and innovative housing sector, helping new entrants in the market, encouraging modern methods of construction and design, and promoting the utmost attention to building safety.

Together with our partners, we’re accelerating the pace of house building, remediation and regeneration across the country, as we seek to deliver ever more affordable homes in places people are proud to call home for generations to come.

Greater Cambridge Development Corporation

The Greater Cambridge Development Corporation was established by the government on 23 July 2026. It is a statutory delivery body set up as a new local-national partnership, to unlock the long-term sustainable economic future of Greater Cambridge.

Building on the foundations laid by the Cambridge Growth Company, the Development Corporation marks the next phase of the government’s commitment to achieving nationally significant economic growth through infrastructure-led development.

What we offer...

As well as a competitive salary and 33 days annual leave, we are committed to 50/50 hybrid working. We’ll support you, wherever possible, so that you don’t miss out on what matters to you.

Membership of the Homes and Communities Agency Pension Scheme, which is a contributory defined benefit scheme with the amount you receive on retirement based on your salary and years worked at the Agency.

Internal applicants: please note that if you are successful, the salary you are offered will be in accordance with our pay policy. You can find details on the HR Hub SharePoint site.

If you ever need a bit of extra help, we have a great employee assistance programme, a wide range of healthcare plans, financial wellbeing support and access to many great discounts with leading high street names.

Our range of network groups are also there to support you to be yourself at work and play a key role in helping shape our future.

If you are a member of a professional body, we’ll pay for your membership and once you get your digital kit, you’ll be good to go.

Homes England are a geographically diverse community. We work to a 50/50 office/ home based model. Moving back into our office environments has enabled us to utilise our space and time together in the most collaborative way.

We’re a diverse team of more than 1,000 professionals spanning 17 professions, helping Homes England to be effective, efficient and deliver for communities.

Our people remain at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to building an Agency that not only reflects the diverse communities we serve, but also champions inclusion in how we shape homes and places across the country. For more information about our EDI strategy please see our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2024 to 2025 — Second Edition - GOV.UK

You will be required to have the Right to Work in the UK and Homes England do not offer visa sponsorship. If your application is shortlisted to interview we will require you to provide proof of your Right to Work in the UK at this stage.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.