Family Engagement Officer
Licensed sponsor Leeds, England, United Kingdom Full-time Posted 1 hour ago
Job title: Family Engagement Officer
Salary: SO2 £38,510 - £40,444
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Merrion House
As a Family Engagement Officer, you will thrive at building trusted relationships with families, communities and partners, working collaboratively to improve awareness of and access to services, support, activities and opportunities across the city.
You will use your partnership-building, organisational and engagement skills to coordinate the 12 Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and the Child Friendly Leeds Awards, working closely with wish lead officers, partners, children, young people and families to drive and demonstrate positive change across Leeds.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions .
About You
As a Family Engagement Officer, you will bring to the role:
As our Family Engagement Officer, you'll play a key role in helping children, young people and families access services, support and activities across the city. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with communities and turn insight into action. Through strong partnerships with voluntary, community and statutory organisations, you'll help remove barriers to participation and ensure families are aware of and can benefit from the citywide offer. This role is integral to our Child Friendly Leeds team and children and families directorate, a rewarding role where your work will directly benefit families, communities and services across the city.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
This role follows our safer recruitment process, additional pre-employment checks are required to comply with this process.
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Hannah Lamplugh (Strategy and Influence Lead) on 07891 279304 or hannah.lamplugh@leeds.gov.uk or Sadiya Salim (Partnership Development Coordinator) on 07595 211145 or sadiya.salim@leeds.gov.uk
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. This may include a check against Children’s or Adults’ barred list where applicable. You will not be able to commence in post until this check is returned. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose:
Lead the development and delivery of the Child Friendly Leeds Family Engagement Strategy, working with families to co-produce solutions that improve awareness and access to services, support, activities and opportunities across the city. Focus on reaching families experiencing poverty and inequality through strong partnerships with community groups, networks and organisations.
Ensuring children, young people and families, particularly those who are most vulnerable, influence and shape how the citywide offer is promoted and addressing barriers to engagement. Coordinate the review of the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and annual action plan with lead officers and children, young people and families. Responsible for delivering an annual programme of partnership engagement campaigns, events and activities that support the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes, the Children and Young People’s Plan, and the city’s ambition to be the best place to grow up.
Key Responsibilities
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements:
Skills
Salary: SO2 £38,510 - £40,444
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Merrion House
As a Family Engagement Officer, you will thrive at building trusted relationships with families, communities and partners, working collaboratively to improve awareness of and access to services, support, activities and opportunities across the city.
You will use your partnership-building, organisational and engagement skills to coordinate the 12 Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and the Child Friendly Leeds Awards, working closely with wish lead officers, partners, children, young people and families to drive and demonstrate positive change across Leeds.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions .
About You
As a Family Engagement Officer, you will bring to the role:
- Ability to lead and facilitate workshops, events and co-production activities with confidence and inclusivity.
- Skilled in community outreach and engagement, with an in depth understanding of barriers to access and engagement for families experiencing poverty and inequality
- Ability to adapt engagement approaches and producing information to meet diverse needs and ensure accessibility.
- Project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Creative skills to design engaging campaigns, events and web and social media content that help increase reach, awareness and engagement.
As our Family Engagement Officer, you'll play a key role in helping children, young people and families access services, support and activities across the city. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with communities and turn insight into action. Through strong partnerships with voluntary, community and statutory organisations, you'll help remove barriers to participation and ensure families are aware of and can benefit from the citywide offer. This role is integral to our Child Friendly Leeds team and children and families directorate, a rewarding role where your work will directly benefit families, communities and services across the city.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
This role follows our safer recruitment process, additional pre-employment checks are required to comply with this process.
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Hannah Lamplugh (Strategy and Influence Lead) on 07891 279304 or hannah.lamplugh@leeds.gov.uk or Sadiya Salim (Partnership Development Coordinator) on 07595 211145 or sadiya.salim@leeds.gov.uk
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. This may include a check against Children’s or Adults’ barred list where applicable. You will not be able to commence in post until this check is returned. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose:
Lead the development and delivery of the Child Friendly Leeds Family Engagement Strategy, working with families to co-produce solutions that improve awareness and access to services, support, activities and opportunities across the city. Focus on reaching families experiencing poverty and inequality through strong partnerships with community groups, networks and organisations.
Ensuring children, young people and families, particularly those who are most vulnerable, influence and shape how the citywide offer is promoted and addressing barriers to engagement. Coordinate the review of the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and annual action plan with lead officers and children, young people and families. Responsible for delivering an annual programme of partnership engagement campaigns, events and activities that support the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes, the Children and Young People’s Plan, and the city’s ambition to be the best place to grow up.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead on the development and implementation of a Child Friendly Leeds Family Engagement Strategy.
- Build trusted relationships with local networks and community organisations who work with families living in poverty and experiencing inequality.
- Work collaboratively with families to identify and address barriers preventing awareness of and access to activities, opportunities, services, and support.
- Promote the citywide offer to families and services working with families at workshops, events and community outreach and partnership activities.
- Produce holiday guides promoting free and low cost activities for families.
- Develop and deliver creative campaigns targeting families and communities and evidencing reach and impact, including promoting children’s right to play and play streets.
- Facilitate Child Friendly Leeds Ambassadors to receive insight or hear directly from families to help understand their needs at Ambassador workshops/ events.
- Responsible for developing engaging social media content, promoting the citywide offer and increasing the number and reach of families following and engaging with Child Friendly Leeds social media accounts.
- Coordinate the Child Friendly Leeds awards (a bi-annual event) and nominations process which is planned and delivered in partnership with young people.
- Lead on the review and development of the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and co-produce with children young people and families.
- Lead on the annual Child Friendly Leeds Wishes Action plan, working with officers and senior leaders across directorate to demonstrate impact to families.
- Ensure information and engagement approaches are inclusive, accessible and tailored to meet different needs.
- Ensure effective project planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation within timescales and budget.
- Gather, analyse and use feedback from families to inform service improvement and strategic planning.
- Produce reports, case studies and insight to demonstrate impact and outcomes
- Responsible for the engagement and events budget, invoicing providers for events and activities, purchasing of resources and merchandise, accurate financial recording and reporting.
- Responsible for managing team shared inboxes and responding to emails from a wide range of stakeholders including families, in a professional relational manner.
- Represent Child Friendly Leeds at events, meetings, forums and partnership networks, championing family voice.
- Collaborate across Children and Families services to help embed the Child Friendly Leeds Wishes and family voice in service design and delivery.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams across Leeds City Council, schools, voluntary organisations, community groups and Child Friendly Leeds Ambassadors.
- Maintain accurate records, databases and evaluation data.
- Promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and families at all times.
- Follow Leeds City Council safeguarding, data protection and health & safety procedures.
- Work in line with relational, restorative and anti-discriminatory practice principles.
- Recognise and respond appropriately to risk and vulnerability.
- Support continuous improvement through reflective practice and learning.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements:
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills; confident and charismatic with the ability to engage and build strong relationships with children and young people, parents, carers and key individuals and organisations.
- Ability to lead and facilitate workshops, events and co-production activities with confidence and inclusivity.
- Ability to adapt engagement approaches and producing information to meet diverse needs and ensure accessibility.
- Skilled in community outreach and engagement, including reaching and working with under-represented or seldom-heard groups.
- Creative skills to design engaging campaigns, events and web and social media content that help increase reach, awareness and engagement
- Competent in using digital and presentation software and social media platforms
- Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- High level attention to detail and accuracy when maintaining records, databases, financial tracking and producing written or digital content
- Ability to analyse feedback and data, translating insight into actionable improvements.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify barriers and develop practical solutions.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, showing initiative and accountability.
- Able and willing to work flexible working patterns to accommodate regular evenings and weekend working and work from different locations and travel as the job requires
- Strong understanding of barriers to access and engagement for families experiencing poverty and inequality
- Understanding of children’s rights, voice and influence and inclusive engagement
- Awareness of data protection, safeguarding and health & safety requirements when working with children and families.
- Understanding of equality, diversity and anti-discriminatory practice
- Awareness of Child Friendly Leeds Wishes, Children and Young People’s Plan and priority work in local authority priorities including early help, SEND, prevention and safeguarding.
- Understanding of evaluation methods to measure impact, reach and outcomes of engagement work.
- Demonstrable experience of co-production and participatory approaches with children, young people and families, enabling them to shape services and decisions.
- Experience of direct work with disadvantaged children, young people and families facing poverty and inequality.
- Experience of building partnerships across community, voluntary and statutory sectors.
- Experience of planning delivering and evaluating campaigns, events and outreach activities
- Experience of developing digital/social media content to engage target audiences.
- Producing reports, case studies and impact evidence for a range of stakeholders.
- Managing projects, including planning, delivery, monitoring outcomes and meeting deadlines.
- Experience of managing budgets and resources, including financial monitoring and reporting.
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
- Skilled in producing films with children, young people and families
- Experience of working with elected members
