Strategic Lead for Participation and Coproduction

Bristol City Council; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol City Council is seeking a Strategic Lead for Participation and Coproduction, a full-time, permanent role based at City Hall in Bristol. You will lead systems to ensure children and young people’s feedback influences decisions and co-design a participation strategy to drive inclusive practice across complex systems.

You will champion the voices of Bristol’s children and young people, engage across sectors, and work with senior leaders, youth workers, and communities to amplify impact.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in championing the voices of children and young people.
• Strong communication and diplomacy skills.
• Experience of engaging with professionals and with children and young people.

Responsibilities

• Lead and co-design a new participation strategy to drive inclusive practice across complex systems.
• Create systems to ensure children and young people's feedback has a tangible impact on decision-making.
• Engage with senior leaders, youth and community workers, and children to amplify voices.

Job description

Job details

Job reference VAC008966 Date posted 16/10/2026 Application closing date 01/11/2026 Location City Hall College Green City Centre Bristol BS1 5TR Salary BG13: £48,738-£51,928 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Job category/type Social Care, Youth and Communities Attachments Job Description.pdf Person Specification.pdf

Strategic Lead for Participation and Coproduction

Full Time, Permanent An exciting new post has been created to take thelead inparticipation and co-productionputtingchildren and young people's voice in the heart of everything we do. You will be responsible forcreating systems to ensure children and young people's feedback has atangible impact on decision-making. You will lead and co-design a new participation strategy to drive i nclusive practice across complex systems and drive measurable impact. You will have significant experience in championing the voices of children and young people and a strong track record ofleading change. You will be an excellent communicator withstrongdiplomacy skills, and experience of working with a variety of professionals as well as children and young people. You will be accomplished at engagement across all sectors and be as comfortable talking to senior leaders in the morning, youth and community workers after lunch and to be listening to our children in the evening. If you are passionate about the amplifying the voices ofBristol’s children and young people we would love to hear from you.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

Why Bristol City Council?

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. For the majority of our roles hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice - mixing both home and office working.

Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

EEO and Diversity

We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

Bristol City Council are not offering sponsorship for this role.

Interviews are planned for w/c Monday 9 th November

Interviews are planned for w/c Monday 9 th November, likely days are Tuesday to Thursday. Please note there will also be a young people’s interview panel which may not be on the same day as the professional interview panel. If you have questions or require further information, please email Liz Small [e-mail]. At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit. Thepersonal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.