Community Development and Inclusion Officer

Our benefits

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Well Northants Team, part of the wider Community Safety and Engagement Service within the Communities and Opportunities Directorate.

The directorate is focused on harnessing the strengths of local communities and empowering residents to develop and deliver solutions that improve outcomes for people and places across West Northamptonshire.

What will you be doing?

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference within local communities as part of the Well Northants Team. You will develop and maintain a strong understanding of community strengths, assets, networks and opportunities across West Northamptonshire, using this knowledge to work collaboratively with residents, community groups and partner organisations to create innovative solutions that build stronger, more resilient, welcoming and inclusive communities.

Working directly with local people and community organisations, you will support individuals of all ages and backgrounds, particularly those who may be vulnerable, isolated or experiencing exclusion.

The role will involve building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, identifying local challenges and opportunities, and supporting communities to develop practical, sustainable solutions. You will assist community groups in identifying issues that can be addressed through local action and provide guidance to individuals and organisations seeking to establish, develop or sustain community initiatives.

This role will be covering the Rural South and East Neighbourhood of West Northants and that travel around the Neighbourhood will be essential to the role.

About you

The successful candidate will have experience of working with person-centred approaches, placing individuals, families and communities at the heart of decision-making and support.

You will be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion, with an awareness of the physical, social, behavioural and welfare needs of different individuals and communities. The role requires excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, ensuring services and support are accessible, inclusive and responsive to local needs.

A good understanding of NHS and local authority policies, statutory duties and responsibilities is essential, together with an appreciation of how organisations work together to support communities and improve outcomes. You will be confident working collaboratively with partners, community groups and stakeholders to deliver initiatives that promote health, wellbeing, inclusion and community resilience across West Northamptonshire.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear from our Chief Executive, Martin Henry, about building a career at WNC.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email [email protected] for support.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.