About the role:
Within this role you will work as part of Porchlight’s Live Well Kent & Medway (LWKM) service, strengthening the links between local communities, voluntary and statutory partners, and the wider mental health and social care system.
As a Mental Health Locality Officer, you will work closely with local health alliances, district councils, voluntary and community sector organisations and people with lived experience, helping to ensure community voices influence local wellbeing planning and decision making.
The role will involve promoting LWKM, gathering insight from communities to inform strategic commissioning. and supporting the promotion of key public health priority areas such as stigma reduction, supporting carers, gambling harms and lived experience engagement.
This is a place‑based role, working across, all districts in East Kent and the Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley area, with a strong emphasis on partnership working, community engagement and co‑production.
The role requires:
* Excellent communication, engagement and relationship‑building skills
* Experience of supporting people with mental health needs in the community, including helping them access services and local resources
* Experience of working collaboratively with people with lived experience and supporting co‑production approaches
* An understanding of mental health inequalities, stigma and the wider social determinants of mental health
* The ability to work confidently with a range of partners across health, social care and the voluntary and community sector
* Knowledge of local mental health support services and community organisations (desirable)
* A commitment to community engagement, prevention and early intervention
* Good IT, literacy and numeracy skills, with the ability to use data and insight to inform and promote services
* Ability and willingness to travel regularly across Kent
Lived experience of mental health is welcomed and valued.
Hours: 22 per week
Working pattern: Part-time, 9am to 5pm on set days between Monday and Friday with some flexibility required (working pattern to be agreed upon appointment)
Contract type: Fixed Term until 31st March 2028
Interview date: 15th June 2026
Please note, salaries are pro‑rata for part‑time positions.
The contract for this role runs until 31st March 2028. We hope to extend the contract if new funding is obtained, but this isn’t guaranteed at the time of writing this job advert.
Our application form and interview process have been designed to assess your transferable skills rather than direct experience. This helps remove barriers for people who may have the right values, abilities, and potential but may not have formal experience in the role they’re applying for. We actively encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. Please have a look at the application guidance and job description at the bottom of the page to give you the best chance of being shortlisted.