Age Friendly: Live Better Programme and Partnerships Officer in Watford

We are recruiting a Programme and Partnerships Officer to join our new initiative: Age

Friendly: Live Better in an Age Friendly Hertfordshire where your skills can make a meaningful impact within local communities.

This role covers Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere localities.

This pivotal role within the programme team support the effective delivery of our work within local places so that more people across the county can enjoy their later life.

Working under the programme Lead and working closely with the programme team you will take responsibility in ensuring that the local delivery plans are implemented, working with the wider stakeholders in the local community.

You will provide direct support across multiple local areas on key actions, such as leading on walking audits, take a seat campaigns, and working with local stakeholders to identify, implement and embed age friendly priorities.

In addition, you will play a key role with the programme communications and working with local communities, including overseeing and maintaining our approach to keeping contact with members, responding to enquiries and requests, coordinating events and email communications.

You will be responsible for day-to-day delivery of the local action plan, working independently while maintaining strong communication with the programme team.

You will support ongoing review and development of processes as the programme evolves, ensuring our approach remains effective and responsive.

Responsibilities

• Lead engagement with district, borough, town and parish councils to embed Age Friendly principles within local strategies and service delivery, and support them through the process of preparing for and achieving formal Age Friendly accreditation.
• Collaborate with district partners to align local priorities and advance the Age Friendly agenda, establishing Age Friendly Partnerships(s) and working groups as required.
• Represent the programme and partner organisations at local community events, partnership meetings and engagement activities.
• Support establishment and ongoing delivery of local Older People's Forums or equivalent structures to ensure strong resident voice in shaping priorities.
• Work with local authority and VCFSE partners to identify and pursue funding opportunities that can support local Age Friendly projects and innovation.
• Recruit local organisations, community groups and stakeholders to join the Age Friendly Network and strengthen commitment to age-friendly practices and sign up to the Age Friendly employer pledge.
• Participate in programme steering groups, providing insight from local delivery to inform countywide planning, priorities and system-level action, and vice versa.
• Lead or support delivery of local campaigns and engagement activities, including initiatives linked to national movements (e. g., International Day of Older People, Act Now Age Better, Take 5 to Age Well).
• Promote and support awareness, recruitment and engagement with the Age Friendly Ambassador Programme across the local area.
• Support development and implementation of the action plan for the local area, ensure it remains on track and is delivered within agreed times.
• Manage volunteers who will be supporting the implementation of the local action plan.
• Engage stakeholders across community, voluntary and statutory sectors to build commitment, through attending meetings.
• Establish means by which to engage with local people, raise awareness and interest in participating in the initiative.
• Research and coordinate policy development in line with this work.
• Prepare and present briefings and reports about progress against plans, at internal and external events.
• Produce written reports as required for internal management purposes as well as for wider external publication.
• Maintain a 'lessons learned' document to support and guide other areas wishing to progress an 'Age Friendly' assessment and programme of work.
• To develop an understanding of the needs of older people which are not being fully met and feed this information into the ongoing development plans for our services, and to help us target activity to address these needs.
• To assist with the evaluation of service feedback and ensure that relevant information is acted on by services and also used to develop future services.
• Keep accurate records using the partnership's client management system.
• Set up Network meetings and record minutes.
• Ensure all activities are delivered in accordance with agreed policies and procedures e. g. equalities and diversity, health and safety, confidentiality, data protection etc.
• Support regular network communications, including the monthly newsletter and member bulletins.
• Work with the team to ensure the online resources and web pages are up to date, accurate and accessible to members, and meet the needs of new and potential members.
• Promote and support open and effective collaboration across the programme.
• Carry out all duties in a professional manner and in line with our values,
• An excellent understanding of project management
• The ability to influence a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, VCFSE partners, community groups and older residents.
• The ability to manage sensitive situations, differing viewpoints and competing priorities constructively.
• Excellent administration and time management skills.
• Excellent IT / information management skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Good written & spoken communication skills.
• An understanding of the needs and concerns of older people, including those living with long-term conditions or disabilities or are underserved.
• Knowledge of statutory or voluntary agencies, ideally in Hertfordshire, and how they relate to those over 55 years of age.
• Knowledge of GDPR and its' application in managing activities and volunteers.
• An understanding of marketing and communications.
• The ability to build effective working relationships with a range of people across sectors, and organisations, representing people of different cultures, background and beliefs.
• Ability to think strategically and develop/deliver detailed implementation plans.

You should have experience of

• Supporting programme or project teams through coordination, communication and organisational tasks.
• Working on multiple projects and managing multiple deadlines & stakeholders simultaneously.
• Working with membership, contact or stakeholder management tools (e. g. excel, CRM).
• Working autonomously and managing workload independently, including in remote or lone-working environments.
• Managing volunteers.
• Working collaboratively with other organisations.
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