Community Engagement Manager

Job Title: Community Engagement Manager

Contract Length: Initially 3-6 months cover

Location: East Sussex

The Community Engagement Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering the resident, tenant and community engagement agenda. The postholder leads the development of engagement strategies, ensures residents have a strong voice in housing and community services, and drives initiatives that improve participation, inclusion and service outcomes across the city.

Working closely with senior leaders, elected members, community organisations and residents, the role oversees a team of engagement professionals, manages significant budgets and partnerships, and ensures compliance with statutory engagement requirements. The position also acts as the lead expert on community engagement, championing innovative approaches that strengthen community involvement and improve residents' social and economic wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Strategy.

2. Drive strategic and operational resident and community engagement initiatives across the city.

3. Manage, develop and motivate a high-performing community engagement team.

4. Design and deliver engagement programmes that increase participation from diverse, underrepresented and minority communities.

5. Build and maintain effective partnerships with public sector, voluntary, community and business stakeholders.

6. Provide strategic advice and policy leadership on community engagement, volunteering and resident participation to senior leaders and elected members.

7. Ensure compliance with statutory engagement obligations, including Housing Act requirements and relevant legislation.

8. Develop robust performance management, evaluation and quality assurance frameworks to measure impact and value for money.

9. Manage service budgets, grant funding and externally funded projects, ensuring strong financial governance and accountability.

10. Represent and deputise for the Head of Communities, Equality and Third Sector at internal, external, regional and national forums.

Essential Skills & Requirements

1. Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience.

2. Extensive knowledge of community engagement, resident participation, volunteering and relevant national/local legislation.

3. Proven experience leading, managing and empowering high-performing teams.

4. Strong experience delivering collaborative programmes that improve outcomes for residents and communities.

5. Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, conflicting stakeholder interests and achieve consensus.

6. Experience developing performance frameworks, KPIs, benchmarking and service evaluation processes.

7. Significant budget management and financial accountability experience.

8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex information into practical recommendations.

9. Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills across elected members, residents, community groups and partner organisations.

10. Strong understanding of equality, inclusion and the needs of disadvantaged or underrepresented communities, alongside awareness of the political and legal context of local government.

Guidant, Carbon60, Lorien & SRG - The Impellam Group Portfolio are acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.