Community Cohesion Engagement Officer (2 Years FTC) in London

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About the role

As our Community Cohesion Engagement Officer, you will work at the heart of Barnet's communities, building and maintaining strong relationships with residents, community leaders, voluntary organisations and faith groups. You will lead innovative engagement activities that bring people together, encourage meaningful dialogue, and create opportunities for communities to shape local decisions. This is a proactive and preventative role, focused on identifying emerging issues, reducing tensions, and strengthening community resilience before challenges escalate. You will work collaboratively across the Council and with external partners to support Barnet's commitment to tackling hate crime, promoting inclusion, safeguarding vulnerable communities, and fostering positive relationships between people from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths.

Working closely with a wide range of stakeholders, you will use community insight and local intelligence to inform policy, shape engagement strategies, and support early intervention approaches that strengthen cohesion across the borough.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with diverse communities, community leaders, faith groups, partner organisations and council colleagues.
• Design and deliver innovative and inclusive engagement programmes that encourage participation and amplify community voices.
• Foster dialogue and collaboration between different communities to strengthen social cohesion and mutual understanding.
• Identify emerging issues and community concerns, helping to prevent tensions and support constructive local responses.
• Develop initiatives that celebrate diversity, promote inclusion and empower residents to play an active role in their communities.
• Use community insight, lived experience and local intelligence to influence policy development and strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Community Safety council services to ensure coordinated responses to cohesion-related challenges.
• Support communications and awareness campaigns relating to hate crime, extremism prevention, safeguarding and community resilience.
• Monitor community trends and risks, evaluate impact, and share learning and good practice.
• Build strong relationships with local, regional and national networks to promote innovation and continuous improvement in community cohesion work.

About you

You are a passionate and skilled engagement professional who thrives on building relationships, bringing people together, and making a positive difference in diverse communities. You understand the value of community participation and have the ability to engage successfully with people from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths. Educated to degree level, or with equivalent professional experience, you will have a proven track record of delivering community engagement, participation or cohesion-related work and building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You will be an excellent communicator and facilitator, able to work confidently with community representatives, residents, partners and senior colleagues alike. You will bring a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing diverse communities, alongside a genuine commitment to inclusion, equality and community empowerment.

You will have:

• Experience of community engagement, participation, community development or cohesion-related work within diverse communities.
• Experience of working effectively with diverse communities, faith groups and voluntary sector organisations to build trust and encourage participation.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage confidently and sensitively with a wide range of audiences.
• A good understanding of the voluntary, community and faith sector and the important role it plays in supporting local communities.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• The ability to use insight, evidence and local intelligence to inform engagement approaches and decision-making.
• Political awareness, sound judgement and the ability to manage sensitive issues with professionalism and discretion.

We would also welcome:

• Knowledge of community cohesion, equalities, community safety, hate crime or counter-extremism policy.
• Understanding of local government and public sector partnership working.
• Experience of supporting hate crime, prevent or safeguarding initiatives.
• Experience of analysing data and producing high-quality reports, briefings and recommendations.

What we offer

• 31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents.
• A comprehensive Flexible Working Policy which supports work-life balance by empowering staff and management to make decisions around when, where, and how work is done.
• A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more.
• Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership.
• Excellent training and development opportunities.
• Employee well-being training programs including confidential employee assistance.

How to apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Rui.Octavio@Barnet.gov.uk.