Programme Engagement Officer (Thurrock) Permanent, Full Time £26,485 to £31,158 per annum Location: Chelmsford Closing Date: Monday 5th January 2026 at 11.59pm The Opportunity Essex has a number of key employment and skills challenges including low productivity, low wages and lower than average workforce skills levels. Whilst the unemployment claimant count is low, Essex suffers from high levels of economic inactivity and significant pockets of deprivation in communities and cohorts. To resolve these challenges, Essex County Council delivers the Connect to Work Programme which supports residents facing barriers or challenges to get into and maintain meaningful employment, social inclusion, and engagement. This Programme Engagement Officer role will have a specific geographical focus on Thurrock, working closely with Thurrock Council and local partners to ensure the Connect to Work offer is embedded within local systems, services, and employer networks. Engagement Officers play a key role in ensuring that the opportunities in the Connect to Work programme reach as many people as possible. Working across Greater Essex, with a primary focus on Thurrock, the role will engage residents and a range of organisations including the Voluntary and Community Sector, Health Services, Prison and Probation Services, and Jobcentre Plus to raise awareness of the programme. The role will work proactively to promote opportunities and increase the number of participants. Engagement Officers will also be instrumental in working with employers across Thurrock to secure employment opportunities for programme participants, ensuring the programme delivers meaningful local impact. Accountabilities Raise awareness and stimulate interest in the Connect to Work Programme, acting as the principle point of contact for public, private and voluntary sector organisations seeking information on the programme. Responsible for ensuring access to information about the programme through social, online, and print media, including devising accessible formats suitable for those with additional support needs. Build and maintain relationships with professional third parties including, educational institutions, Job Centre Plus, Local Authorities, health, and voluntary sector bodies to generate actionable referrals to the Programme, overseeing a vibrant referral network of partners. Support the development of, deliver and attend events, workshops, and training sessions to promote the project, building the community base to drive direct and indirect Expressions of Interest to the programme. Responsible for working with employers to secure suitable work opportunities for programme participants, maintaining a register of opportunities. Work with Marketing Executives to design and deliver targeted marketing campaigns to increase engagement in the Connect to Work Programme. Support the implementation of the Connect to Work account management approach, accurately completing relevant paperwork and ensuring that records are kept up to date on the programme CRM / MIS system. Gather, analyse, and report data related to programme performance and workforce trends to inform action plans. The Experience You Will Bring Essential criteria Demonstrable experience engaging employers or external partners. Evidence of proactively building and maintaining relationships with employers, business networks, or partner organisations, resulting in tangible outcomes (e.g. vacancies, work trials, events, commitments). Experience working within an employment, skills, health, inclusion, or related public or community programme. Understanding how structured programmes operate, including objectives, eligibility or scope, delivery partners, and accountability requirements. Ability to work to defined targets and evidence outcomes. Proven experience of managing activity against targets and accurately recording engagement and outcomes using CRM, MIS, or similar systems. Practical understanding of inclusive employment principles. Ability to engage employers on inclusive recruitment, reasonable adjustments, flexible roles, or workplace support, and to apply this in real-world conversations. Desirable criteria Experience working alongside supported employment or employability services. Exposure to models or services that support people into or within work, without requiring direct case-holding responsibility. Sector-based employer engagement experience. Experience engaging employers within priority or growth sectors such as health and social care, construction, logistics, public sector, or SMEs. Experience of partnership working across multiple organisations. Evidence of coordinating or aligning activity across commissioners, delivery partners, local authorities, VCSEs, or economic development teams. Experience supporting employer-facing events or outreach activity. Involvement in job fairs, employer briefings, roundtables, webinars, or targeted outreach campaigns that led to measurable engagement.