Community Development Officer

Active Community Development Officer (St Austell)

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This is one of two exciting new roles that will form a pivotal part of Active Cornwall’s place focused team, helping to drive the Sport England funded Place Partnership programme in St Austell. If you have a passion for improving people’s lives and communities by tackling deep‐rooted systemic inequalities, then this could be the role for you.

Active Cornwall is part of a national network of 42 Active Partnerships independently funded by Sport England and hosted by Cornwall Council in the Community Wellbeing Directorate. We are a team of 16 dynamic and dedicated people all with a passion for systems change, working collaboratively with a diverse range of partners to help remove barriers and create the conditions for more people to experience the benefits of an active life.

Sport England’s Place Expansion programme, which is funding two new posts, is being rolled out in Cornwall after successfully trialling local delivery pilots nationwide. It is a key part of their Uniting the Movement 10‑year strategy to 2031, addressing inactivity and tackling inequalities using a whole‑system, place‑based approach.

As a system partner of Sport England, Active Cornwall is working in partnership to create the conditions for place‑based system and behaviour change so that moving more becomes a natural part of how local people live, travel, work and play. Investment is initially targeting the St Austell and Penzance areas – hence these two exciting new Active Community Development Officer roles.

As St Austell’s Active Community Development Officer you’ll be a key member of a wider multi‑disciplinary place‑focused team. You’ll work with the Active Cornwall Place Partnership Manager and the wider Active Cornwall team plus partners, communities, commissioned experts and decision‑makers locally.

You will be a critical player in helping to deliver the outcomes of the initial development phase of the Place Partnership work aimed at preparing the ground for future investment. You will be providing the ‘glue and the compass’, ensuring that various work streams are supported, connected and above all remain focused on the needs of communities.

We’re looking for an individual who loves working with people, breaking down barriers and making sure every voice is heard. It’s all about bringing local communities together, supporting local leaders and making real change happen. That means shaping how physical activity is understood, prioritised and embedded, not just in programmes, but in policies, partnerships and everyday decisions.

This position will not be subject to a criminal record disclosure check.

This is a full‑time (37hrs) fixed‑term role initially until 31st March 2027, with the potential to extend beyond that subject to future successful funding extension.

It is a hybrid role with a mix of office, outreach and home working. The nature of the role will require significant connection to St Austell and the people/partners who live, work and play there. The Active Cornwall team commits to being in situ on a minimum of 2 days each week with additional place‑based scheduling as and when the work dictates.

Working in systems change is messy, layered and relational. You will need to be comfortable with dealing with complexity, grappling with multiple moving parts that are inter‑related and helping to lead change in environments where you don’t hold the cards.

To be successful in this role you will need to believe in the power of people, possess great interpersonal skills, be adept at relationship building and at the same time prepared to respectfully challenge the status quo. You will need to be a convenor, a connector and an enabler whilst remaining compassionate, empathetic and values‑driven with equity at the heart of your approach.

You might also have understanding of living on a low‑household income and/or what life is like to live, work and play in St Austell.

Please read the role profile for the full details of this role attached below in this advert.