Sustainable Communities Manager

Our Housing and Communities Team are passionate about the people who live in our town; our vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to live in a good quality sustainable home within in a lively and thriving neighbourhood.  We have bags of energy and enthusiasm and channel this by seeking to innovate and create opportunities that have a lasting effect on the communities in Reading and keeps them at the heart of all we do.

We have a great track record in building strategic partnerships, successfully bidding for Government funding, major project delivery and being the best landlord in the town. Our work is rewarding, we change lives for the better by tackling homelessness, building new homes and strengthening communities.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as a diverse and inclusive team will be key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

The Community Partnerships Service, which sits within Housing & Communities, has undertaken an exciting workforce review to ensure the service is better placed to support, empower, and protect individuals and communities and is now looking for an enthusiastic Sustainable Communities Manager to lead our brand-new Sustainable Communities Team.

About the role

This is an exciting community focussed role which will require you to lead and manage the Sustainable Communities Team and lead on the development and implementation of the new Housing and Communities Neighbourhood Working Model and Housing Community Centre Framework.

A key focus of the role is to lead on work to strengthen and diversify resident participation in local decision-making processes, with the opportunity to work in partnership with our amazing stakeholders to ensure positive outcomes for all the communities we work with.

Main Duties and responsibilities 

• Manage and lead the new Sustainable Communities Team
• Strategic Development: including facilitating and embedding joint working between services and residents from diverse backgrounds to achieve tangible improvements to residents’ lives, working with them to identify and remove barriers that prevent them collaborating with the council to improve services for residents.
• Operational Delivery: including embedding the Neighbourhood Working and Community Centre Frameworks, ensuring performance management processes are in place and overseeing the delivery of co-produced community activities programme to directly benefit communities.

About you 

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is experienced in working in and leading a team in the field of community development and engagement, and able to demonstrate successful implementation of frameworks and processes to improve working with communities.

You will need to also have experience of managing community centres/buildings and be highly efficient and competent at communicating with an open style with a wide-ranging audience.

Having a good understanding of the different forms of consultation and participation and a good understanding of the needs of disadvantaged, underrepresented or excluded sections of the community and actions to tackle inequality will be key to your success in this role!

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success.

Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading

Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees’ skills are developed and used effectively

Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential

Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

This post will be a hybrid working post.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including: 

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities 
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofste
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years.  The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

For more information on this position please contact joanne.middlemass@reading.gov.uk

Closing Date: 3rd December 2023

Interview Date: To be confirmed

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.