The opportunity

We are seeking an Engagement Manager to join us on a 12-month maternity contract. This is an exciting opportunity to work across a number of areas and projects including the NHS, local government and charity sector.

The engagement work involves a combination of: leading workforce development of the sectors we deliver projects in, establishing and supporting learning systems, designing and managing execution of high quality marketing and internal and external communications, and creating processes to facilitate coproduction work.

The role will focus on shaping and leading engagement with national and local, internal and external stakeholders and people with lived experience. The role would suit someone with experience of executing engagement plans, forming lived experience and similar working groups to influence the development of programmes, strong communication skills as well as proven marketing and recruitment experience.

The team

You will work across a number of areas within Social Finance. Two examples of these programmes are:

IPS Grow: IPS Grow is a national programme designed to support the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services in mental health and drug and alcohol teams across England. The programme is led by Social Finance in partnership with Centre for Mental Health. It is funded by NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and Public Health England (PHE). A core element of the programme is the expert assistance provided by a team of IPS experts, known as IPS Grow Leads, to support providers to improve their fidelity to the IPS model and achieve better employment outcomes for their clients.

Changing Futures: Changing Futures is a £64m three-year programme to support 15 local areas transform their systems and the way they provide services to those facing multiple disadvantages, defined as people experiencing three or more of mental ill health, domestic abuse, offending, substance misuse and homelessness.  Funded by Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Social Finance is acting as the Area Support and Learning Provider.

Responsibilities

The key requirements of the role are:

Shape and execute strategies for external development of workforces in the sectors where we deliver infrastructure and learning programmes to ensure staff are attracted, recruited and trained

• Engage with project funders and policy leads to identify recruitment and training opportunities and launch new initiatives

• Engage with recruitment enterprises such as Teach First and Think Ahead to develop brand propositions for the sectors we work in

• Initiate, design and lead marketing and recruitment initiatives, such as piloting recruitment schemes for the IPS sector

• Develop training materials and courses, managing the commissioning of work from partners where needed

Establish and support systems for sharing learning and coproduction on programmes

• Manage and commission support to develop project websites and online communication systems

• Establish and manage online collaboration websites for project participants

• Lead coordination of learning collaborative events

• Chair expert stakeholder groups on areas of expertise as needed, such as around developing the workforce of the sectors where we deliver programmes

• Establish lived experience groups and coordinate with project leads to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are prioritised in developing programmes

• Engage with local sites and services to understand and respond to challenges

Create strategic marketing and communication plans

• Develop and execute project plans for marketing, communication and raising awareness of our support offering

• Directly manage the IPS Grow Marketing Assistant to deliver high quality marketing materials and stakeholder communications

• Oversee production of internal and external communications including monthly project newsletters

• Translate learnings into clear, impactful reports, blogs and other forms of communication to share our findings with funders, policy makers and other stakeholders

Share learnings with and support wider project teams

• Engage closely with colleagues in other parts of the team to share learning, help solve common challenges, and support a ‘one team’ culture

• Contribute towards national reports for funders

• Share learning in Social Finance internal team meetings

• Reflect on own learning and development needs

 And any other responsibilities commensurate with the job title and role

About you

You will need to show potential and interest in the following areas, and will be supported to learn and develop in the role:

• Shared values. We are passionate about developing pioneering solutions for lasting change for those experiencing social injustice.  We deliver programmes across a range of issue areas including work and skills, housing, multiple disadvantage and children with additional needs. 

  You will have a good understanding of the public sector and shared passion for change (E)

  You will have sector specific experience (D)

• Managerial and leadership experience.

  You are able to effectively represent Social Finance and our programmes (E)

  You will have experience managing others (E)

  You will have experience and examples of successfully delivering campaigns and projects (E)

  You are a team player, have the ability to work independently, and are comfortable taking a strategic view in shaping your workstream to contribute to a wider, complex team (E)

• Communication, stakeholder management & relationship building:

  You are able to build effective working relationships, both within and outside Social Finance (E)

  You build the trust of senior funders and policy makers, and are able to negotiate and influence stakeholders, creating additional opportunities to deliver impact (E)

  You are able to summarise and disseminate information effectively, reflecting key themes, have excellent writing, listening and inter-personal skills (E)

• Marketing and recruitment expertise.

  You have direct experience in a marketing or recruitment-related role (E)

  Your significant experience leading external communication activities and / or leading national recruitment campaigns (D)

• Self-motivation and organisation:

  You will be responsible for driving forward your own work (E)

  You will be able to create project plans and communicate these clearly to the people you manage, organise your workload, and communicate your priorities effectively (E)

  You will be comfortable allocating and delegating tasks as necessary, able to deal with multiple and competing priorities using analytical skills to prioritise and meet deadlines (E)

• Creative thinking and problem solving:

  You will play a key role in driving forward our work at scale by supporting high-quality recruitment efforts, and supporting the marketing and communications of infrastructure support programmes (E)

  You will need to be able to quickly understand challenges, develop solutions and be comfortable coming up with new ideas to address problems (E).