Community Connector & Engagement Officer
Employer: Community Power
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Contract: permanent
Reports to: Operations Manager
Purpose of the Role
This role seeks an enthusiastic, compassionate and highly motivated officer to lead and expand community-based cancer awareness, screening engagement and volunteer recruitment & activation, and general engagement work across Herefordshire. The incumbent will build trusted relationships within communities, reduce fear and stigma around cancer and screening, and support people to access appropriate NHS services and preventative support.
Key Responsibilities
Community Engagement & Outreach
- Deliver cancer awareness outreach sessions in community venues, workplaces, schools, faith settings and local events.
- Gather community insight, lived experience and feedback.
- Support culturally sensitive conversations around cancer, screening and early diagnosis.
- Build trusted relationships with communities facing health inequalities and barriers to NHS access.
- Provide practical support, including GP registration support, signposting and navigation of health services.
- Attend community and employer engagement sessions, including occasional evenings and weekends.
- Support local micro‑campaigns and community‑led awareness activity.
- Work flexibly across projects in response to organisational priorities and funding opportunities.
- Recruit, support and train Volunteer Cancer Champions across Herefordshire.
- Partner with schools, employers, VCSE organisations and deprived communities to engage volunteers.
- Facilitate regular Champion training sessions alongside Community Power colleagues and partners.
- Maintain activity records and reporting systems for Champion engagement and outcomes.
Partnership Working
- Collaborate with GP practices, NHS screening teams, employers, schools, VCSE organisations and community groups.
- Strengthen partnerships to improve access to cancer awareness and screening opportunities.
- Coordinate with regional partners where appropriate.
- Promote partnership approaches that reduce inequalities and build community trust in services.
Healthwatch Herefordshire Support (when required)
- Provide frontline support to the Healthwatch Herefordshire phone line for enquiries.
- Respond professionally and compassionately to public enquiries.
- Accurately log calls, issues and outcomes.
- Escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately.
- Promote opportunities for public involvement and feedback.
Community Meetings & Representation
- Attend Community Action Network (CAN)/local footprint meetings and other partnership forums.
- Promote Community Power projects, training opportunities and Healthwatch involvement opportunities.
- Represent Community Power positively and professionally within partnerships and local networks.
- Support Community Power to raise its profile and strengthen relationships across the county.
Communication & Resources
- Support development of culturally relevant information and engagement resources in varied languages and accessible formats.
- Use a range of communication approaches, including printed materials, WhatsApp engagement and informal community conversations.
- Share accurate, accessible and trauma‑informed health information.
Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation
- Maintain accurate and timely records of engagement activity and outcomes.
- Contribute to monthly reports and impact monitoring.
- Maintain reporting compliance for Volunteer Health Champion activity.
- Support evaluation and learning to improve programme effectiveness and future funding opportunities.
Person Specification
The postholder will be expected to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility, adaptability and willingness to work across a range of programmes and subject areas. Duties may change over time.
Skill and experience requirements:
- Experience of community engagement, outreach or community development work.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to build trust with diverse communities.
- Understanding of health inequalities and barriers to accessing services.
- Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload.
- Confidence facilitating groups and community conversations.
- Reliability, empathy and a compassionate approach.
- Good organisational and record‑keeping skills.
- Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.
- Access to transport and ability to travel across Herefordshire.
- Experience working with ethnic minority, migrant or underserved communities.
- Experience supporting volunteers or community champions.
- Knowledge of cancer screening programmes or public health initiatives.
- Experience of partnership working across VCSE and statutory organisations.
- Ability to speak another language, particularly Eastern European languages.
- Lived experience of community advocacy or health inequality.
- Experience of safeguarding and appropriate escalation procedures.
What Success Looks Like
- Increased awareness and confidence around cancer screening within underserved communities.
- Strong and active Volunteer Cancer Champion network across Herefordshire.
- Increased community‑led cancer awareness activity.
- Positive partnership relationships with NHS, employers, schools and VCSE organisations.
- High‑quality community engagement and reporting.
- Strong representation of Community Power within local partnerships and networks.
