COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER in Manchester

Reporting to the Community Investment Manager, the Community and Partnerships Manager will be responsible for developing a comprehensive community investment service offer for customers, including an enhanced offer in anchor neighbourhoods. They will have a clear focus on partnership working, ensuring resources are targeted appropriately and initiatives and projects are evidence led, with outcomes clearly defined and impact measured so we understand the value of our contribution. They will work with customers from across the Customer Services Directorate, including Independence and Wellbeing and Neighbourhoods, ensuring consistency of offer to anchor and non-anchor neighbourhoods and aligning service delivery with the aims and objectives of the Community Investment and Sustainable Neighbourhoods strategies, as well as the guiding principles stated within the Community Investment model.

What you'll be doing

• To develop our core Community Investment offer to our customers and lead on identifying partnerships, initiatives and projects to increase opportunities for customers, promote awareness, address local and community need, and address broader social issues.
• To contract-manage commissioned work with local organisations as well as small, local contracts for delivery of programmes via organisations such as Athena and the DWP.
• To work with trusted partners and external organisations to identify projects and monitor and evaluate these to ensure the contribution made is proportionate to percentage of stock and number of customers impacted.
• To contract-manage and negotiate the social value offer from contractors, ensuring contributions align with the contract awarded and the offer is maximised for the benefit of Great Places customers and communities, ensuring effective monitoring, impact measurement and related communications.
• To identify local and regional funding opportunities working with colleagues or trusted partner agencies where required, and submit funding applications and requests for in-kind investments to support the delivery of projects and initiatives.
• To use data and evidence to ensure partnerships, projects, initiatives or events are data led, outcomes are clearly defined from the beginning and there is an evidenced need from Great Places customers and/or local community.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of partnerships, initiatives and projects, undertaken to identify successes and any learning, ensuring this is used to inform decision making in the future and all initiatives are cost effective and deliver successful outcomes for Great Places customers and the communities in which we work.
• To monitor Service Level Agreements with partner agencies and where required hold partners to account if expected outcomes or delivery does not meet stated aims and objectives.
• To manage effectively any associated budgets to support our customers and communities with identified key themes.

What you'll need

• Experience of developing partnerships to address a range of social issues and for the benefit of communities, including but not limited to tackling poverty, welfare reform changes, access to fuel, food and furniture, employment and training, digital, community cohesion, youth agenda, capacity building and the environment.
• Ability to engage and build relationships with potential or trusted partner agencies or organisations, developing appropriate contacts and future networking opportunities.
• Experience of contract and/or project management and the production and monitoring of Service Level Agreements and Project Plans to ensure the delivery of services and projects that meet stated objectives.
• Knowledge of the issues locally, regionally and nationally that impact on people's lives and their health and wellbeing.
• A solution focused attitude and the ability to use coaching techniques to help customers identify actions and solutions for themselves, promoting and maximising independence.
• Knowledge of community development and community wealth building to create opportunities for people and to enhance their local environment.
• Ability to analyse and interpret data and business intelligence to make informed and balanced service delivery decisions.

Great Places Housing Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all our colleagues to share this commitment; this role is subject to a basic DBS check.

What we need from you

• Attend a number of face to face training sessions as well as virtual sessions and e-learning; this part of your role is vital and of equal importance as the day to day aspects.
• Passionate about delivering an excellent customer service.
• Great people skills with an ability to work effectively with stakeholders and colleagues.
• Commitment to coaching and relationship management.
• Have a non-judgemental approach, being respectful of others and trustworthy in character.
• Highly organised with an ability to plan, prioritise and manage deadlines.
• Committed to working as part of a team as well as on own initiative.
• Ability to work flexibly and when needed outside normal working hours.
• Takes accountability for decisions.

What we give you in return for your hard work and commitment

• Pension DC Scheme (up to 10% contribution from both colleague and Great Places).
• WPA Healthcare auto enrolled at no contribution level with £1250 of savings available - option to increase & add on family members.
• The Market Place high street, restaurant & supermarket discounts, gym memberships, cycle to work, smart tech loans and much more.
• Annual Leave: Start at 26 days annual leave, increasing up to 30 days + Bank Holidays.
• Lottery: Monthly draw with 1st @ £250, 2nd @ £75 and 3rd @ £50.
• Savings Club: You can put aside money each month for 11 months to help you save for that special something (pays out in November's salary).
• Sharing Greatness: Our colleague incentive scheme where colleagues can earn £300 by helping the business achieve business targets.
• Help with transport: We offer season ticket loans, an affordable way to purchase season tickets for public transport at discounted rates.

At Great Places we believe the wellbeing of our colleagues is vital to enable them to deliver great services; all your benefits can be used inside and outside of work.