Community Connector & Engagement Officer Full Time NEW

Community Connector & Engagement Officer

Employer: Community Power

Location: 6 St Peter’s Square, Hereford, HR1 2PG

(Some home, community and outreach-based working across Herefordshire)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £28,200 p.a.

Contract: permanent

Reports to: Operations Manager

Community Power

Community Power is a community-focused organisation delivering projects and initiatives that strengthen local communities across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. We work collaboratively with partners, residents, volunteers and stakeholders to create positive, sustainable change.

Community Power’s purpose is to empower and enable our communities to reach their potential, understanding and reduce health inequalities and celebrate diversity and inclusion.

We collaborate with health, local government, business and the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sectors.

Promoting a truly new and different way of creating Community Power.

Purpose of the Role

Community Power is seeking an enthusiastic, compassionate and highly motivated Community Connector & Engagement Officer to lead and expand our community-based cancer awareness, screening engagement and volunteer recruitment & activation and general engagement work with communities across Herefordshire which will contribute to Healthwatch Herefordshire projects and Community Power Projects.

One of the key programmes you would be working on is our Cancer programme. The aim of this work is to improve cancer awareness, early diagnosis and screening uptake amongst communities experiencing the greatest health inequalities and barriers to access, including (but not limited to) Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, migrant agricultural workers, Farming communities, deprived communities and underserved groups.

The postholder will build trusted relationships within communities, reduce fear and stigma around cancer and screening, and support people to access appropriate NHS services and preventative support.

Alongside direct outreach work, the role will coordinate and support a growing network of Volunteer Cancer Champions, helping local people become confident advocates for cancer awareness within their own communities.

The role will also contribute to wider Community Power and Healthwatch Herefordshire activity including public engagement, community partnership development, telephone support services and attendance at strategic and neighbourhood meetings.

This is a dynamic and developing role. As Community Power secures new project funding and develops additional programmes, the postholder may be required to take on new objectives and areas of work over time.

Key Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Deliver cancer awareness outreach sessions in community venues, workplaces, schools, faith settings and local events.
• Gather Community Insight, lived experience and feedback.
• Support culturally sensitive conversations around cancer screening, prevention and early diagnosis.
• Build trusted relationships with communities facing health inequalities and barriers to NHS access.
• Provide practical support including:
• appointment guidance
• GP registration support
• signposting
• interpreter awareness
• navigation of health services.
• Attend community and employer engagement sessions, including occasional evenings and weekends where required.
• Support local micro-campaigns and community-led awareness activity.
• Work flexibly across projects in response to organisational priorities and funding opportunities.

Volunteer Cancer Champion Programme

• Recruit, support the training and support Volunteer Cancer Champions across Herefordshire.
• Work with partners including schools, employers, VCSE organisations and communities experiencing deprivation to identify and engage volunteers.
• Support delivery of monthly Cancer Champion training sessions alongside Community Power colleagues and partners.
• Facilitate regular Champion Health Champion support and check-in sessions and develop the Community Health Champions.
• Support, Encourage and coordinate community-led awareness, engagement and health improvement activities.
• Maintain activity records and reporting systems relating to Champion engagement and activity outcomes.

Partnership Working

• Work collaboratively with GP practices, NHS screening teams, employers, schools, VCSE organisations and community groups.
• Strengthen partnerships that improve access to cancer awareness and screening opportunities.
• Coordinate with counterparts and regional partners where appropriate.
• Promote partnership approaches that reduce inequalities and improve community trust in services.

Healthwatch Herefordshire Support (when required)

• Provide frontline support to the Healthwatch Herefordshire phone line for enquiries.
• Respond professionally and compassionately to public enquiries.
• Accurately log calls & enquiries, issues and outcomes.
• Escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately and within required timescales.
• Promote opportunities for public involvement and feedback.

Community Meetings & Representation

• Attend Community Action Network (CAN)/local footprint meetings and other partnership forums on behalf of Community Power.
• Promote Community Power projects, training opportunities and Healthwatch involvement opportunities.
• Represent Community Power positively and professionally within partnerships and local networks.
• Support Community Power to raise its profile and strengthen relationships across the county.

Communication & Resources

• Support development of culturally relevant information and engagement resources in varied languages and accessible formats.
• Use a range of communication approaches including:
• printed materials
• WhatsApp engagement
• video content
• informal community conversations.
• Share accurate, accessible and trauma-informed health information.

Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation

• Maintain accurate and timely records of engagement activity, outcomes and case studies.
• Contribute to monthly reports and impact monitoring.
• Maintain reporting compliance for Volunteer Health Champion activity.
• Support evaluation and learning to improve programme effectiveness and future funding opportunities.

Person Specification

The postholder will be expected to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility, adaptability and willingness to work across a range of programmes and subject areas. Duties may change over time to reflect new contracts and funding streams, emerging community priorities and organisational growth opportunities.

This role is ideally suited to someone who thrives in a varied environment, embraces change and is motivated by helping shape the future direction of community-led services.

Essential

• Experience of community engagement, outreach or community development work.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to build trust with diverse communities.
• Understanding of health inequalities and barriers to accessing services.
• Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload.
• Confidence facilitating groups and community conversations.
• Reliability, empathy and a compassionate approach.
• Good organisational and record-keeping skills.
• Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Access to transport and ability to travel across Herefordshire.

Desirable

• Experience working with ethnic minority, migrant or underserved communities.
• Experience supporting volunteers or community champions.
• Knowledge of cancer screening programmes or public health initiatives.
• Experience of partnership working across VCSE and statutory organisations.
• Ability to speak another language, particularly Eastern European languages.
• Lived experience of community advocacy or health inequality.
• Experience of safeguarding and appropriate escalation procedures.

What Success Looks Like

• Increased awareness and confidence around cancer screening within underserved communities.
• Strong and active Volunteer Cancer Champion network across Herefordshire.
• Increased community-led cancer awareness activity.
• Positive partnership relationships with NHS, employers, schools and VCSE organisations.
• High-quality community engagement and reporting.
• Strong representation of Community Power within local partnerships and networks.

Process for application:

Please email to info@communitypower.org.uk

1. An up to date CV and

2. A covering letter outlining why you would like to do this role and your experience and suitability for it.

Applications without both documents will not be considered.

Deadline: 5pm Tuesday 14^th July 2026

Please note if a suitable candidate comes forward before the deadline, we reserve the right to close recruitment to this post at an earlier date.