Community Engagement Officer in Haywards Heath

An exciting new opportunity has arisen to join the Borde Hill team to work on the Reinventing Borde Hill project. This role will be responsible for managing the Community Growing Garden at Sugworth Farm, part of our new 2-acre biodynamic market garden which produces seasonal fruit and vegetables to supply the new restaurant, café and farm shop at Borde Hill.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project includes an Activity Plan including a range of learning, community and volunteering activities, and this new role will have responsibility for overseeing community engagement both at the Community Growing Garden, and across the Parkland and main Garden.

Your role will focus on two key areas: overseeing the seasonal growing at the Community Growing Garden with volunteers and community partners, and developing and delivering an annual site-wide community engagement programme. You will work closely with the NLHF Project Team, as well as the Green team. You will lead on liaising with local schools, community groups and charities, encouraging and facilitating participation in the Community Growing and wider site community programmes. Your passion for learning, community engagement, horticulture and nature will be key in ensuring this programme succeeds in delivering the ambitions set out in the Activity Plan.

Although funded via the Lottery project, this role is permanent as we are committed to continuing it after the funded project; we intend to continue the wide range of the activities that your role will nurture and develop.

Knowledge, skills and experience needed:

• Build a seasonal programme of community engagement and growing in the Community Growing Garden and at the main site, building on and developing the programme set out in the Activity Plan.
• Deliver new community programmes and connect with participants, including facilitated sessions, supported visits to the site, and drop-in activities and events.
• Work with community partners to develop and deliver a community volunteer programme, ensuring access for people who will benefit from the opportunity.
• Identify and build partnerships with relevant and diverse community groups, organisations and individuals, taking responsibility for the community engagement elements of the Reinventing Borde Hill project more widely.
• Work with the Borde Hill Green Team, especially the Market Garden Growing Team, to ensure that the Community Growing Garden is aligned with their work, and supports the biodynamic certification aims of the Farm.
• Identify routes for participant and volunteer progression and sustain communication.
• Ensure equality of opportunity, access and inclusion for all participants and volunteers.
• Work with freelance delivery partners and local community groups to deliver community activities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the programmes, maintaining accurate monitoring data and adjusting programmes in response to feedback.
• With audience needs in mind, review similar offers across the sector, especially in other local horticulture/nature organisations, to ensure our programmes are distinctive, attractive, appropriate and innovative.
• Support and attend events delivered by other members of the team when required (e.g. large public events) and lead smaller community events.
• Record and monitor the income and costs of the programmes, to meet budget goals.
• Comply with the Safeguarding policy and all other policies relevant to programme delivery.
• Ensure effective systems for resources and documentation are maintained in line with GDPR legislation and organisation policy.
• Carry out any other duties as reasonably requested.

Skills and experience:

• Experience of working with a diverse range of community partners, and a commitment to and experience of delivering community engagement activities including learning engagement and activities.
• Experience of managing and recruiting a diverse cohort of volunteers.
• Ability to lead community group activities and co-ordinate a programme of community group activity across the season.
• An understanding of seed sowing, crop rotations, pest and disease management, plant husbandry techniques needed in a productive market garden, and/or a willingness to learn about Biodynamic principles and practices.
• A passion for growing and experience of growing fruits, vegetables, salad crops and ideally cut flowers in a recognised establishment.
• An understanding of growing crops undercover and knowledge of cultivation under polytunnels.
• Appreciation of nature and natural heritage, and its potential to contribute to wellbeing, creativity and learning among families and communities.
• Proven commitment to and understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Good organisational skills.
• Flexible, collaborative, and self-motivated.

We’d also be interested to know if you have experience in any of the following areas (it isn’t essential to have experience of them all):

• Experience of partnership working, especially with marginalised and/or disadvantaged communities.
• An innovative approach to planning and delivering family learning.
• An understanding of barriers limiting access to nature and natural heritage opportunities.
• Experience facilitating engagement with gardens / public spaces for the community.
• Understanding of communities and the challenges they face in the areas near Haywards Heath and the wider Mid Sussex area.
• Understanding of the role of stakeholders in successful community engagement.
• A practical approach to using evaluation to inform future programming.
• Competence with the Microsoft Office suite of applications.
• Experience of managing budgets and maximising income.