Project Development Lead

Project Development Lead (CLARITY)

Location: Dorset (Community Based)

Salary: £28,000 - £30,000 per annum (pro rata, and depending on experience)

Hours: 24 hours per week

Reporting to: Operations Lead

Accountable to: Head of Operations

About Us:

At Intuitive Thinking Skills, we believe every person has strengths and talents and can use any past experiences to help shape their future. Our role isn't to fix people. It's to create opportunities, remove barriers and help people recognise the strengths that they already possess.

That's why we are proud to have established - CLARITY, Dorset's first Lived Experience Recovery Organisation (LERO).

CLARITY exists to connect, shape and influence services across Dorset while providing an inclusive and encouraging community where people affected by drug and alcohol issues can find belief, purpose and a future through lived experience.

Working alongside Dorset Council, Waythrough, commissioners and local partners, CLARITY is helping to ensure that lived experience is at the heart of Dorset's recovery community.

As CLARITY continues to grow, we're looking for someone to lead the next stage of its development towards sustainability, and independence.

This is an opportunity to create and build a meaningful legacy.

The Role:

This is much more than a Project Development Lead role.

As our Project Development Lead, you will work across the whole of Dorset helping CLARITY grow into a confident, sustainable and community-led organisation.

Working closely with Dorset Council, Waythrough, commissioners, recovery communities, mutual aid groups, voluntary organisations, employers and local community assets, you'll strengthen the connections that already exist whilst creating new opportunities for people affected by drug and alcohol challenges.

Rather than focusing on people's problems, you'll take a strengths-based approach, recognising the talents, experiences and potential that already exist within individuals and communities.

You'll support people with living / lived experiences to become volunteers, peer supporters, ambassadors, trustees and future community leaders, helping CLARITY develop the confidence, governance and sustainability needed to become increasingly independent over time.

Success won't simply be measured by activities delivered. It will be measured by stronger communities, empowered people, meaningful partnerships and an organisation that belongs to Dorset.

What the day to day role will look like:

Community Development:

• Lead the continued development of CLARITY across Dorset.
• Take an asset-based community development approach, identifying the strengths, skills and resources already available within local communities.
• Create opportunities for people with living / lived experiences to become active members of their communities through volunteering, education, employment and social participation.
• Develop new recovery initiatives that respond to local needs through genuine co-production.
• Promote recovery as entirely strength focused, that happens within communities, not just services.

Partnership Working:

• Develop strong relationships with Dorset Council, Waythrough, commissioners and other important stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with local mutual aid groups, recovery communities, voluntary organisations, employers, housing providers, healthcare services and community organisations.
• Represent CLARITY at local partnership meetings and community forums.
• Promote CLARITY as an organisation that complements existing services and strengthens Dorset's wider recovery services.
• Build partnerships that create opportunities for people with living / lived experience to contribute to service improvement and community development.

Community Leadership:

• Recruit, train, and develop volunteers, peer supporters and ambassadors.
• Help identify and nurture future community leaders from within CLARITY's membership.
• Support people with living / lived experience to build confidence, influence local services and take on leadership responsibilities.

• Promote meaningful co-production and ensure local people help shape the future direction of CLARITY.
• Sustainability & Organisational Development:
• Support CLARITY's long-term ambition to become an independent and sustainable organisation.
• Develop governance arrangements alongside members, trustees and community leaders.
• Identify funding opportunities, grants and partnerships that strengthen long-term sustainability.
• Support the development of policies, procedures and organisational infrastructure.
• Help diversify income opportunities and reduce long-term reliance on commissioned funding.
• Develop systems that enable CLARITY to continue growing beyond the life of the current contract.

Quality & Impact:

• Capture meaningful outcomes, impact stories and community feedback.
• Demonstrate the difference CLARITY makes to individuals, communities and partner organisations.
• Produce reports and presentations for commissioners and stakeholders.
• Ensure safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion remain central to everything CLARITY delivers.
• Promote continuous learning and improvement throughout the organisation.
• What we are looking for:
• We are looking for someone who naturally sees people's strengths through their challenges. Someone who enjoys bringing people together, developing partnerships and helping communities discover what they are capable of achieving.
• You might already work within community development, substance use services, mental health, public health, social care or the voluntary sector.
• Equally, you may have developed community initiatives in another setting where you have successfully built partnerships and empowered people to lead change.
• Most importantly, we're looking for someone who genuinely believes that people with living / lived experiences should be trusted to shape the services and communities they are part of.

We would like you to have:

• Experience developing partnerships across statutory, voluntary and community organisations.
• Experience managing projects or community development initiatives.
• Experience working with commissioners and strategic partners.
• Knowledge of strengths based practice and asset-based community development.
• Experience facilitating co-production and community engagement.
• Experience recruiting, supporting or developing volunteers.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
• Experience preparing reports and presenting information to stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Confidence working independently across a large geographical area.
• Full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle.

It would be an advantage if you have:

• Personal living / lived experience of recovery.
• Level 3 AET Qualification or equivalent
• Information, Advice & Guidance Qualification
• Experience working within drug and alcohol services.
• Experience supporting charities, Community Interest Companies or community organisations.
• Understanding of governance and trustee development.
• Knowledge of recovery communities and mutual aid.
• Experience securing grant funding or supporting organisational sustainability.
• We know that great people don't always meet every requirement. If you are passionate about communities, believe in the value of living / lived experience and think you could make a real difference, we would encourage you to apply.

What it's like to work at Intuitive Thinking Skills:

We are proud of the culture we have created. We believe the best ideas come from the people closest to the communities they support, which is why we trust our teams to think differently, build relationships and create solutions that genuinely make a difference.

You'll be working with experienced operational leaders, and you'll be encouraged to bring your own ideas, challenge traditional thinking and help shape the future of Clarity.

You'll have the freedom to innovate, have the backing to develop, and the opportunity to create something that leaves a lasting legacy across Dorset.

If you are looking for a role where relationships and people matter more than processes, where communities come before targets and where your work can genuinely change lives, then you will genuinely feel at home here.

What we offer as a package:

Alongside a competitive salary, you'll receive:

• 26 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays – (pro rata on your hours)
• Opportunity to buy or sell annual leave.
• Company pension.
• Occupational sick pay.
• Ongoing professional development.
• Regular reflective practice time
• Flexible and agile working.
• Opportunities to progress within a growing organisation.
• The opportunity to influence one of Dorset's most exciting community developments.

Additional Information:

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

The role is community based and covers the whole of Dorset. Approximately 70% of your time will be spent working within communities, developing partnerships and supporting Clarity's members and volunteers. The remaining time will involve planning, partnership meetings, organisational development and reporting.

Occasional evening and weekend work maybe be required to support community events, activities and partnership engagement. We believe flexibility works both ways and are committed to supporting a healthy work-life balance.

Intuitive Thinking Skills is committed to creating inclusive communities where everyone is welcomed, respected and given the opportunity to thrive.

Intuitive Thinking Skills is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We welcome applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds, experiences and working styles. Candidates are encouraged to let us know if they require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Applicants do not need to meet every desirable criterion to apply; we are interested in relevant skills, potential and values alignment as well as direct experience.

Compliance

It is the responsibility of all staff to abide by organisational policies to ensure compliance with relevant standards e.g. ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environmental) as well as adhering to statutory duties in relation to safeguarding, Prevent and health and safety.