Project Groundwater Communities & Engagement Officer

Location:

Aylesbury

This is a pivotal role within one of Buckinghamshire Council’s flagship flood resilience and innovation programmes, working with communities, partners and stakeholders to improve understanding of groundwater flooding and to build long-term community flood resilience across the Chilterns.

This is a secondment/fixed‑term contract opportunity up to until 31 March 2027 (inclusive).

The Climate Change and Flood Risk Management (CC&FRM) Team ages flood risk in Buckinghamshire in its role as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), as well as managing the Council’s response to climate change. The Team is comprised of the Flood Management Team, the Sustainable Drainage Team, Project Groundwater, the Flood Capital Programme Team, and the Climate Response Team, with officers who are enthusiastic and passionate about managing local flood risk and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The CC&FRM Team delivers the statutory duties of the LLFA under the Flood and Water Management Act (2010) and Land Drainage Act (1991); develops and delivers a wide range of flood management and research projects; guides the flood management approach regarding large infrastructure projects; helps households reduce their energy and carbon emissions; and manages a large tree planting programme, and the council’s Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy.

Project Groundwater is one of the country’s leading flood risk innovation projects. It is part of the Flood & Coastal Resilience & Innovation Programme, a six-year programme working with communities in nine high-risk flood areas of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs. Led by Buckinghamshire Council in partnership with five other local authorities and flood community groups, Project Groundwater aims to forever transform how communities prepare and respond to groundwater flooding.

It has a high profile and the work it delivers is critical to achieving the following objectives in our Local Flood Risk Management Strategy :

• to develop and promote better understanding and awareness of flood risk from all sources, now and in the future.
• to improve innovation, skills and resourcing in flood risk management in Buckinghamshire.

The PG Communities & Engagement Officer will be responsible for coordinating and delivering communications and engagement activity across Project Groundwater.

Reporting to the PG Project Team Leader, you will work closely with Project Groundwater colleagues, partner authorities and community groups to ensure communications and engagement activity is effective, collaborative and aligned to programme objectives.

• Delivering the agreed communications and engagement objectives for Project Groundwater
• Increasing awareness and understanding of groundwater flooding amongst communities, partners and stakeholders
• Supporting and sustaining engagement with pilot communities to enable effective two-way exchange of insight and data
• Developing and managing programme messaging, key narratives and responses to stakeholder enquiries
• Managing programme branding and ensuring consistency across all channels
• Creating and curating high-quality content for digital, print and partner channels
• Managing and developing the programme website, newsletters and social media presence
• Planning and delivering engagement activities and events, including community sessions, workshops and industry events
• Showcasing programme progress, learning and achievements locally and nationally
• Sharing learning and best practice across the flood risk management and resilience sector

You will bring substantial experience in communications and/or community engagement, ideally within a public sector, partnership or programme environment.

You will have strong interpersonal and influencing skills, experience of working collaboratively with partners, communities and stakeholders, excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong planning and organisational capability, and good ICT skills including confident use of Microsoft 365 and digital engagement platforms.

An understanding of flood risk management is desirable but not essential.

The ability…