Community Engagement Officer

Location: Bushy Hill

The starting salary for this full-time position is £34,660 per annum based on working 36-hours per week.

These positions are offered on a fixed-term basis until 31.03.2027.

We are excited to be hiring two Community Engagement Officers to join our fantastic Countryside Team based at Merrow Depot, Guildford with regular travel across the county and between sites.

Our Offer to You

26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (pro rata for part-time hours) plus bank holidays
Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
A generous local government salary related pension
Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Role

We are looking for Community Engagement Officers to help drive both community and volunteer engagement, within our tree planting initiative for Surrey. We want to increase biodiversity and encourage volunteering and community participation from diverse groups, bringing our residents along on our journey towards achieving our targets.

As a Community Engagement Officer for tree planting within the Countryside team, you will be part of a pivotal element of the delivery of Surrey County Council's 1.2 million tree planting initiative and climate change agenda. The role forms a critical interface between Surrey County Council, the county Boroughs/Districts within, and a range of stakeholders including members of the public, schools and diverse community groups.

The team work flexibly through a mix of office, site and some home-based working. You will be regularly required to visit potential planting sites throughout the County and liaise with residents, community groups, volunteers and council members and attend engagement events.

Your key responsibilities as a Community Engagement Officer will include:

Organising, coordinating and attending volunteer tree planting days and engagement events
Working collaboratively with colleagues across Surrey County Council
Planning and attending site visits to support project delivery, volunteer activities, and aftercare, including monitoring tree establishment and liaising with local stakeholders
Developing and delivering written and in-person communications to stakeholders, schools, and community groups on project progress, ensuring continued engagement, involvement, and support
Identifying and contacting community groups to deliver tree planting and establishment projects
Coordinating the delivery of aftercare by residents and tree planting volunteers
Recruiting and briefing new and existing tree planting volunteers using a Volunteer Management System Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills:

A passion for both trees and Surrey's greener future
Strong written, verbal and interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence and negotiate with others

Experience of working with the public (for example: schools, community partners and charities)
Experiencing working with or managing volunteers
Ability to work effectively under pressure and plan your own workload

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and candidates will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to…