Thames Connections Project Officer

Thames Connections Project Officer (REF: TCO0224)
Salary: £29,000 - £32,000 per annum, with an 8% pension contribution
Contract: Fixed Term 18 months (with possibility of extension of one year)
Location: Location: Office in Guildhall, home working, and outreach work
Responsible to: Head of Engagement and Learning

What does Thames21 do?

Thames21 is one of London’s leading environmental charities and its work on rivers and landscapes across London and the Thames Basin builds climate resilience, biodiversity and connected communities. It supports the relationship between communities and their rivers while delivering powerful social impacts like improved wellbeing, community cohesion, and greater equality of access to good quality green-blue spaces.

What is Thames Connections?

The Thames Connections Project was launched in early November 2020. It aims to inspire underrepresented communities from six London boroughs to engage more with their local rivers and has three themes: cultural connections; health and wellbeing; nature and environment.

The project is based on research carried out in the year-long pilot phase of the project. The evidence collected identified how:

• increased access to and engagement with the River Thames could strengthen communities and increase cohesion.

• cultural engagement activity around the River Thames could best engage and bring people together to increase self-esteem and community pride in where they live.

• increased connection and engagement with the green/blue space of the River Thames could increase health and well-being.

The next phase of the programme will involve building on key partnerships with grassroots groups and multiple stakeholders drawn from the public and private sectors. Thames Connections operates across the London boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Barking & Dagenham, Greenwich and Wandsworth.

Purpose of the job

We are seeking a skilled community engagement officer to continue this exciting project. This role offers an opportunity for the post holder to make a difference to six diverse areas of London, with differing challenges and an array of ambitions.

The key skill for this role is being able to connect with and bring people together. The project relies on creating strong networks of grassroots organisations, community leaders and representatives from the public and private sectors, including councillors and politicians.

The key value for this role is curiosity. Being able to ask questions, listen and encourage people to get involved in whatever way they are able, will help you succeed.

You’ll thrive in this role if you are able to see the strengths and assets of communities and individuals and find space for them to flourish. By working together with local people in diverse communities beside the River you will establish a new and positive ongoing relationship between Londoners and the River Thames.

A typical day is likely to involve keeping on track with what’s happening across each area, meeting with key partners, being alert to upcoming network meetings, or delivering community events or activities. You might be working from home, or out of our offices in Bow or Guildhall, or working with a community group or local organisation, co-producing an engagement event.

You might be posting on social media or updating the web page. You may be working on strategic long-term plans on how to share the learnings from the project. You’ll be thinking both big and small on any given day!

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Attend community groups and meetings to open dialogue with residents about local perceptions, connections and interest in the river; thus building an understanding of the types of events that encourage awareness and appreciation of the Thames.
2. Work with local community organisations and representatives to co-produce an engagement programme that will lead to a better understanding of the environmental issues that affect the Thames; improve community wellbeing and explore cultural connections to the river.
3. Set up robust monitoring processes and regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the project to ensure it meets its remit as a learning programme.
4. Support and develop the Steering Group to provide advice and direction to the project. This group will be representative of London’s communities, meet on a quarterly basis and will advise on progress and relevant opportunities.
5. Work with Port of London Authority, the target Local Authorities and Landowners to ensure understanding of the programme and the opportunities available.
6. Liaise with the grassroots organisations and Thames21’s Fundraising Team to identify and support applications for funding to build the engagement programme.
7. Work with Thames21’s Comms Team to promote the project, celebrating its achievements and learnings; and collate and build content for the webpage.
8. Collect and collate feedback from partners and participants and evaluate this information to develop the methods for engagement and inform a culturally relevant programme of activities that will engage a wider diversity of Londoners with the Thames.
9. Produce internal quarterly reports and annual reports to funders.
10. Ensure learning from the project is shared across the organisation and incorporated into Thames21 wider work.
11. Represent Thames21 at community and partnership meetings. Presenting the vision and aims of the programme to increase the reach of the programme.
12. Maintain clear records of progress, ensure all administration and statistical information is kept, and regularly upload information onto the Thames21 database.
13. Work with the Thames21 team to raise awareness and respect for the River and water environment, including Thames river bank and foreshore health and safety issues.
14. Attend Thames21 Team Meetings and liaise with Thames21 staff.

This job description cannot cover every issue or task that may arise within the post at various times. The post-holder will be expected to carry out other reasonable duties from time to time which are broadly consistent with other Thames21 activities and with those in this document.