Policy advocacy lead

Role description 

The Network Lead is a critical role in developing and delivering the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment, facilitating its national and local thematic networks, engaging with colleagues across and beyond the social housing sector and identifying potential opportunities for collaboration.

Working closely with the Head of Communities and Projects, the Network Lead will ensure that the activities of the Centre’s networks align with and inform the overarching strategy of the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment. Our networks are spaces for learning, collaboration, problem solving and building positive social impact. 

As well as providing a light touch secretariat function to the networks, the Network Lead will coordinate activities, identify potential speakers and liaise with network chairs to deliver programmes of work that engage and generate impact.

The Network Lead will be comfortable representing HACT and the Centre externally, identifying emerging trends and working with the Head of Communities and Projects, and other HACT colleagues, to support the delivery of a programme of work that delivers lasting impact across the social housing sector at a national level.

HACT and community investment

Our reputation in this space is founded on:

· the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment, a virtual centre we established in 2018, through which we provide webinars, conferences and thematic and regional networks;

· our UK Social Value Bank, and Social Value Insight tool, that enables organisations to model, monitor and measure the impact of their community investment activities;

· our Community Insight tool that enables organisations to understand the needs of local people, so they can maximise their community investment impact and spend;

· the Age Friendly Programme, established in 2022, through which we are supporting social landlords, local agencies, and communities to work together to improve opportunities and outcomes for people aged over 50;

· the Green Skills Programme, establish in 2023, through which we are working with local housing associations, local stakeholders and specialist training providers to deliver green skills training in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole;

· fuel voucher distribution: since 2020, we have distributed over £3.2 million in fuel vouchers through a network of over 200 housing associations across the UK – and will soon be embarking on a further £3m voucher distribution;

· the Community Investment Framework: first established in 2014 and refreshed in 2023 and now available online as a self-assessment tool;

· our research and consultancy services, including local needs analyses, service evaluations, community engagement and community investment strategies, as well as an online self-service community investment health check tool.

Key responsibilities

· Leading the development and delivery of the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment’s numerous networks, involving people across the housing sector in agreeing each network’s purpose, governance, membership and activity.

· Work closely with the Head of Communities to ensure that network activities align with and inform the overarching strategy and aims of the Centre for Excellence in Community Investment.

· Identify new opportunities for collaboration, working with network members to understand the outcomes they hope to achieve and with the Head of Communities and Projects and the Head of Business Development to develop potential project proposals.

· Developing and delivering project plans for each network, collating relevant metrics in order to report on progress internally and to project funders, as required.

· Support network groups, organising meetings, liaising with participants, involving them in key decisions, reporting on progress, shaping workplans.

· Identify new individuals, groups and organisations that will be of interest to the networks.

· Identify needs and opportunities across the community investment sector for capacity building support, consultancy and subscriptions.

· Represent HACT and the Centre in external sector events and other relevant forums

· Actively building your profile across the sector through speaking engagements, posts to social media, and HACT communications channels, by working with colleagues to identify and develop content out of your insights from network meetings.

· Staying abreast of social housing sector issues and discussions and feed these into HACT work.

Person specification

Essential:

· Experience of group facilitation and effective chairing of meetings in multi-agency settings.

· Experience of organising events, meetings and networks.

. Experience working on projects that have a national reach.

. Excellent organisational skills and familiar with using project management tools to juggle multiple workstreams.

· An enthusiasm to work at the cutting edge of new thinking, to be curious and confident about new ideas and willing to learn.

· Experience of engaging, communicating and building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at different levels.

· Ability to be flexible, adaptable and to thrive on the challenge of working in a developing area.

· Knowledge of community investment and the role social housing plays in communities.

· At least three years’ experience working in social housing or an associated sector.

· Ability to identify, conceptualise and propose projects that respond to emerging opportunities.

Desirable:

· Ability to communicate complicated ideas in simple terms, including experience of developing content.

· Research and evaluation skills.

· Experience of using new media to build awareness and generate engagement.

. Knowledge of co-production and community engagement practices.