Overview
Community, Participation & Volunteering Manager – Reading. This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape how we work with and alongside local communities at Basildon Park, Greys Court and Nuffield Place. You will be part of a small team and report into the General Manager. The Thames Valley is a major tourist destination with historic houses, parks and gardens, cycling, walking and boating on the river. The nearby town of Reading provides housing and facilities and serves as a base for visiting the National Trust properties in this area. Basildon Park is about 12 miles from Greys Court, with Nuffield Place nearby, forming a triangle of properties across the valley.
You’ll work to become more welcoming, relevant and responsive to the communities we serve and will help local voices, experiences and ideas guide our decisions at each property. You will design inclusive and flexible volunteering opportunities, on-site and remote, reflecting diverse lifestyles and interests, and support and co-create ways for individuals, groups and partners to share their time, skills and creativity through community-led projects or collaborative activities.
This is a key role in shaping how we engage with communities and ensure volunteering is accessible and meaningful.
You can view the full role profile in the attached document.
Redeployment note: we’ll prioritise applications from employees under formal notice of redundancy in line with our redeployment policy.
We will not require you to have all of the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is to provide a full picture of possibilities in this role.
Responsibilities
* Lead a community-first approach—ensuring local voices, experiences and ideas guide decisions at each property.
* Design inclusive and flexible volunteering opportunities, both on-site and remotely, reflecting diverse lifestyles and interests.
* Support and co-create ways for individuals, groups and partners to share their time, skills and creativity through community-led projects or collaborative activities.
Qualifications and experience we’re looking for
* Ability to use strategic outcomes and audience data to set clear priorities and make informed decisions
* Experience in leading inclusive and flexible volunteering and community participation initiatives, especially those that empower underrepresented groups
* A track record of building and managing strategic partnerships across public, private and charitable sectors
* Deep knowledge and practical application of participatory methods in various contexts
* Ability to coach managers and teams through change
* Demonstrated success in developing and implementing innovative, inclusive volunteering models that align with strategic outcomes and deliver measurable public benefit
* Ability to use empathy, openness, and cultural awareness to build trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders, including volunteers, partners and community groups
* Ability to understand and respond to community needs by building relationships and using data to guide decisions
* Experience creating opportunities for diverse groups to get involved, ensuring volunteering is accessible and meaningful
* Knowledge of setting clear priorities using audience insight and lead change across teams to improve public benefit
* Ability to develop and manage partnerships that support shared goals and increase capacity for community impact
* Ability to influence, coach and build trust with internal teams and external stakeholders
* Experience in using research and analytics to identify trends, motivations and barriers to participation
* Ability to evaluate impact regularly and share learning to strengthen practices across the Trust and beyond
Benefits
* Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
* Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
* Rental deposit loan scheme
* Season ticket loan
* EV car lease scheme
* Perks at work discounts (gym memberships, shopping discounts, cinema discounts)
* Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria
* Flexible working whenever possible
* Employee assistance programme
* Free parking at most Trust places
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