Community Participation Coordinator - Brentwood

Location: England

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £48,225 – £52,080 (including London weighting)

Starting Salary: £35,668 – £39,005 (pro rata)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Home

Hours: Part‑time (21 hours per week)

CAFOD’s work in the Catholic community of England and Wales is to inspire and resource our diverse Catholic community to participate in the Church’s mission to overcome poverty and injustice in partnership with CAFOD. The main purpose of this role is to inspire and increase the participation in CAFOD’s work of Catholic parishes, schools and the broader Catholic community within the Brentwood Diocese. Recruiting and supporting a team of committed volunteers in parish and school communities and building relationships with clergy, church administrators, networks and other stakeholders across the diocese enable Catholics to give, act and pray with CAFOD.

The Community Participation Coordinator (CPC) is part of a regional team working across several dioceses, while primarily focusing on Brentwood. The CPC is responsible for achieving the regional team plans for volunteer recruitment, retention and parishioner and school participation. The role will be home‑based with an option to be based at the Westminster volunteer centre or CAFOD’s Headquarters at Romero House by discussion. Frequent travel across the Brentwood Diocese will be required. Access to a car is essential, with mileage expenses reimbursed in line with organisational policy. From time to time, the post holder may need to transport equipment and resources, and work flexibly, including evenings and weekends, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be claimed. The post holder must be willing to adapt to the needs of the regional team, contributing skills and knowledge and supporting activity in other parts of the region where appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and delivery of annual plans in the region, with a primary focus on Brentwood, for fundraising, education, campaigns and other targets as delineated by the participation plan.
• Ensure that regional plans are delivered taking local context and opportunities into account.
• Share reports, information and insights on the participation of parishes and schools in CAFOD’s activities and on the recruitment, activity, development and retention of volunteers.
• Adapt plans and priorities through periodic reviews with your manager.
• Be the lead volunteer manager for an identified portfolio of volunteer roles locally and ensure effective coordination and communication.
• Agree targets for recruiting and retaining volunteers with your manager.
• Match the offers, skills, experiences and expectations of volunteers with opportunities and needs in relation to CAFOD’s plans.
• Ensure each volunteer is appropriately inducted, briefed, trained and resourced.
• Organise and promote volunteer meetings and training opportunities online and offline, delivered either by national programme teams or by members of the regional team.
• Ensure data is regularly recorded, accurate and up to date on CAFOD’s database.

Managing Relationships

• Represent CAFOD in the diocese and ensure CAFOD retains a diverse range of fruitful relationships with the bishop, clergy, administrators, senior representatives and chaplains.
• Promote CAFOD via various diocesan communication channels, working with diocesan communications officers and church administrators.
• Act as a point of contact for local broadcast and print media to increase opportunities for Catholics to hear about CAFOD’s work, working with media volunteers where possible.

All Staff Are Expected To

• Attend and contribute to regular Team, Group and CAFOD‑wide meetings and briefings.
• Participate in training and other activities as requested by the line manager.
• Work as a supportive member of the team, providing cover for and training of other team members and volunteers as required.
• Be accountable for the achievement of objectives set by the line manager.

Person Specification

• Working with others: Builds positive, respectful and fruitful partnerships, particularly with volunteers; works effectively as part of a regional team to share good practice and workload; willing and able to help other team members and be helped to achieve delivery of a regional team plan.
• Communicating: Can communicate strongly CAFOD’s vision for community participation and volunteer partnership; shares knowledge and information across CAFOD.
• Looking outwards: Collaborates with partners, supporters and donors to balance their objectives with CAFOD’s Mission.
• Managing resources: Confident with analysing and using data for planning, monitoring and reporting; proven planning, time‑management and organisational skills.
• Achieving results: Ability and willingness to focus on achieving results, especially for the delivery of shared regional plans for community participation and income growth.
• Managing our performance: Ability and willingness to work to targets and achieve results.
• Taking the lead: Motivates others to get things done.

Job‑Specific Competencies

• A demonstrable commitment to volunteering and understanding of its potential as a force for change.
• Experience of managing multiple relationships (e.g. with clergy, stakeholders, and a wide variety of volunteers).
• Experience of managing volunteers, including recruitment, retention, deployment and celebration.

CAFOD is a welcoming, supportive workplace committed to a safe, inclusive culture where everyone is respected. CAFOD will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process to ensure candidates with disabilities or individual needs are fully supported.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.

Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children and young people and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. The post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter‑Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.