Community Engagement Officer
Temporary contract May 2023-May 2024.
35 hours per week, worked 5 days over 7 to ensure availability to deliver activities over the weekend. Evening work may be required to meet the needs of the project for which time off in lieu will be given.
We are Chester Zoo
We’re not just an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction that’s home to 20,000 incredible animals inside 128 acres of stunning gardens. We’re not just the UK’s most popular zoo. We’re a major wildlife charity that’s committed to the recovery of endangered species, globally. And, as the world faces an extinction crisis, we’re making a hugely significant contribution to conservation at a time when it’s needed most. We are Chester Zoo and we prevent extinction.
We have teamed up with Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Land Trust, Sustrans, The Canal and River Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Cheshire West Communities Together to deliver Networks for Nature.
Networks for Nature is an ambitious landscape scale community conservation project spanning from Chester to Ellesmere Port. The project will connect wildlife with wildlife, people with wildlife, and people with people. Our vision is for Networks for Nature to create a thriving, more connected, wildlife-rich landscape across a peri-urban area in Northwest Cheshire, benefitting both people and nature, and maintained through community collaboration and partnership.
The Role – Community Engagement Officer
We currently have an exciting vacancy for a Community Engagement Officer to join our Conservation Education & Engagement team working specifically on the Networks for Nature (NFN) Project. Reporting to the Networks for Nature Project Manager, with the support of a project team. This project is funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). This role will be within the Development Phase of the project with a focus on community consultation. To find out more about the previous project which led to this big next step visit https://www.chesterzoo.org/what-you-can-do/nature-recovery-corridor/
We’re looking for someone who can:
- Develop relationships with new community audiences through meetings, consultations and delivering a programme of audience tailored trial engagement opportunities, enabling them to engage with Networks for Nature, working within a framework agreed by Networks for Nature Project Manager.
- Work alongside the Networks for Nature Project Manager to deliver community consultation workshops to get community input into the project plan for the NLHF Delivery Phase.
- Build effective working relationships with internal and external partners in support of our community engagement and organisational aims.
- Research, write and co-ordinate the production of engagement resources to support participation in the NFN Development Phase.
- Maintain contact with community groups to support their continued participation in the project and commitment to creating habitats for UK Wildlife.
- Work closely with the Networks for Nature Project Manager to devise and deliver an evaluation programme for the Networks for Nature project, including collection and collation of data from project participants.
- Ensure that the NFN project activities are safe and appropriately risk assessed, liaising with Health and Safety Advisors as appropriate.
What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?
Well, where do we start? Here goes…
We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.
As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of nearly 500 permanent and 500 seasonal team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.
Our working environment could not be more different from a typical office – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans from your office window, or stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?
The Package
- Contract Type – Temporary
- 35 hours per week worked 5 days over 7
- Salary £23,176.14 per annum
- 33 days annual leave pro rota plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
- Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
- Cycle to work scheme
- Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
- Discounted gym membership
- Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
- Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%
Our requirements – Community Engagement Officer
- Experience coordinating and administering community programmes and projects, preferably within a zoo, aquarium or other environmental education or conservation focused organisation.
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, demonstrated through a wide range of experience presenting to different audiences, teaching and delivering learning in different formats (workshops, presentations, talks, tours etc.)
- Attention to detail and proof reading skills are essential.
- IT skills: Skilled in the use of all key Microsoft packages and use of digital technologies for public engagement. Film editing and ability to manipulate and edit images would be an advantage.
- Experience coordinating and administering projects with demonstrable project coordination skills and knowledge.
- Organisational skills: Excellent time management, administration and planning skills. Ability to coordinate multiple project activities, meeting deadlines and ensuring appropriate quality control.
- Interpersonal skills: Excellent diplomacy and interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively under own initiative and as part of a team, to work under pressure with positive attitude and also to enthuse and engage others. The role requires the post holder to work extensively across different departments and with external colleagues.
- Relevant experience facilitating consultation sessions, leading training and delivering workshops with a range of audiences from a wide variety of backgrounds.
- Experience working collaboratively with a wide range of community partners, including stakeholder engagement.
- Experience of using learning programmes to bring about social change, ideally encouraging sustainable behaviours.
- Experience developing high quality resources for learning, both paper based and digitally.
- Subject knowledge: The post holder requires a working knowledge of conservation and the key issues threatening the natural world today, particularly with a focus on UK native species.
- Full driving license
Networks for Nature is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.
Closing date for applications is midnight on 14th May 2023
A group assessment centre will take place on 31st May 2023.
