Partnerships Officer - Cyp Send Focus

Children and young people and special education needs and disabilities

Salary: Full time (37 hours) £30,518 with potential future progression to £33,699 (pay award pending)

Location: Hybrid working (with Exeter base). Haven Banks Outdoor, Education Centre, Exeter, EX2 8DP

Type: Initial fixed term contract to March 2028.

We are seeking a community minded person to be part of our work locally to unlock the ability of movement to change lives.

About us… Active Devon is a community focussed, not for profit organisation with a vision of everyone in Devon active for life. We know the benefits of being active are life-changing, helping to reduce inequalities and delivering huge value in our communities. We hope that you will want to join us in making movement a positive part of people’s lives, whatever their background.

The working environment at Active Devon is a busy one, but friendly, informal and energetic.

What you’ll be doing… Our Partnerships Officers provide a local ‘first point of contact’ with Active Devon. Their principal focus is building and maintaining relationships with local community groups and partners. They also plan and develop various collaborative initiatives, aimed at enabling those people who would benefit most from being active. In addition to these ‘core’ Partnerships Officer responsibilities, this role will have specific emphasis on physical activity, movement and sport for children and young people (as part of our Early Life strategic theme), and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Our work supporting children and young people with SEND is expanding, and we are looking for an individual who shares our commitment to making a positive difference. We seek someone who is considerate, open-minded and dedicated to creating inclusive and supportive opportunities for all. We welcome applications from individuals who are open to thinking differently and bring fresh ideas that help improve outcomes for children and young people. If you are passionate about improving outcomes for people with SEND and enjoy working collaboratively, we would love to hear from you. Lived experience of disability, SEND, or caring responsibilities is particularly welcomed, as diverse perspectives strengthen the impact of our work.

What experience you’ll need… This is a fantastic opportunity for people with excellent relationship building skills and a passion for helping people. These will be allied with proven project planning and implementation skills. Experience in education or disability sectors would be advantageous as would the wider community, physical activity and/or health sectors. This could be from a paid role but lived experience, volunteering, or informal community involvement are equally valued. The role would suit committed, values driven people who are motivated to make a difference and looking to take their success and personal growth to the next level. We are always keen to hear from people who have lived experience of the challenges and barriers that can prevent people leading active lifestyles. You’ll be joining a highly regarded, community focussed organisation which works at the leading edge of community based physical activity, sport and movement. Successful candidates will share Active Devon’s values and possess a real passion for supporting participation in physical activity and reducing inequalities. They will be able to demonstrate clearly transferable skills and experiences or draw upon experience in a frontline active lifestyles, education or health development role (voluntary or professional). For these roles, we are also particularly interested to hear from applicants who have specific experience / interest in physical activity, movement and sport for children and young people with special education needs and disabilities.

What you’ll get in return… As well as the opportunity to work as part of an energetic and vibrant team, the successful candidate will benefit from:

• Generous salary with defined benefits (career average) pension scheme
• 26 days annual leave entitlement
• Various active workplace initiatives

Flexible appointments… We know that flexibility is important and we welcome applications from people seeking flexible working arrangements. This is a full-time role (37 hours per week), but we are open to considering a job share arrangement and welcome applications from individuals interested in working part-time as part of a shared role. Please state clearly in your application whether you are seeking full-time or part-time hours, including your preferred working pattern and minimum/maximum hours per week. We genuinely value flexibility and will seek to accommodate individual preferences wherever possible.

Further job details…. The full job specification is available from the link below or by calling 01392 925150. Active Devon will consider all candidates with appropriate skills and competencies, from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from people in groups who are underrepresented in physical activity and those with lived experience of inequality. If you require the application in an alternative format or need support to apply, please contact us. Active Devon is hosted by Devon County Council through which you would be employed. This role will require the post holder to undergo a DBS criminal records check. To discuss the roles, Active Devon or its work, please contact Cara Baer on 07511 701581 or Rebecca Skinner on 07784 359862.

DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.