Community Funding Officer

22 hours per week, Witney

Permanent 

£33,481 - £35,315 pro rata

Do you want to make a difference in your community? We're looking for someone with an eye of detail and great communication skills to oversee our Community grants programme. Could this varied role be your next adventure?

West Oxfordshire District Council is focused on enabling a fulfilling and meaningful quality of life for our residents with opportunities for all to flourish. We provide a range of important services including planning, housing, waste and recycling collections, leisure, community safety and environmental health.  The Council has an ambitious Council Plan focused on a range of important priorities including putting residents first, climate and ecological action, affordable housing, and helping our economy to grow.  We want to deliver excellent services whilst ensuring the financial sustainability of the Council.  We also want to continue working in close partnership with our local communities and other important partners.

The role sits within the multi-disciplinary Community Wellbeing team. It will act as the single point of contact for residents, colleagues and Councillors seeking information and guidance about Council community funding. The Council currently operates 2 main community grant schemes – Westhive – a civic crowdfunding platform - and a programme of 3-year service level agreements, aligned to the Council’s priorities of environment; climate and ecology; and community resilience and wellbeing

About the role…

• The Community Funding Officer will be required to:

  • Take ownership of and coordinate the community funding programmes – incorporating Westhive, the 3-year service level agreements and other community grant schemes, including those which are one-off and externally funded  
  • Take responsibility for all administration relating to the community funding programmes including devising application processes, reviewing applications in conjunction with relevant internal specialist officers and councillors, monitoring performance, monitoring expenditure and liaison with applicant organisations
  • Liaise with voluntary sector partners and organise and deliver market place events to promote understanding of the community funding programmes, stimulating interest and encouraging collaboration and innovation

This role will cover West Oxfordshire. 

You will need…

• A minimum qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3 or A level, and/or three years relevant experience
• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent to grade C/4 or higher
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships and external networks and work with others to achieve shared outcomes
• Ability to remain calm and confident when dealing with challenging customers and situations

Special Conditions…

• Ability to travel
• You will be expected to work reasonable additional hours in line with the needs of the service

For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

What can we do for you…

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays, which increases to 30 days after five years’ service and 33 days following 10 years’ continuous service
• In addition you will have an extra two volunteering days a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Renewed again for another year there is a Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care 
• Generous contributory local government pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements

Terms and conditions apply

These are just a handful of the benefits that you can enjoy when you join us!

To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page to complete an application form and supporting statement together with your CV. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It’s important that we’re a good fit for each other, so let us know what’s important to you and why you want to work for West Oxfordshire District Council. Your CV will not be available to the hiring manager unless you are shortlisted for interview to assist with our non-biased screening process so please ensure you complete the application form in full.

It is important that our staff reflect the diversity of our community, and we therefore welcome and encourage applications from people of all genders and sexual orientation, those from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds, and those with disabilities.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable adults, young people and children.  Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references;  proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record