Community Heritage Officer in Manchester

Organisation: Sale Sharks Foundation

Salary: £26,088

Location: Carrington Training Centre with expected travel across Greater Manchester & North West

Contract type: Fixed Term (Full time)

Closing date: 10 August 2026

About Sale Sharks Foundation

Sale Sharks Foundation is the official charity of Sale Sharks Rugby Club. Our purpose is to Level the Field for communities across the North West, using the power of rugby to boost health, fight inequality and foster a sense of belonging. Established in 2010, we deliver high-quality, community-focused programmes across community inclusion, education and rugby development. Last year, we engaged with more than 21,000 people, supporting children, young people, and adults of all ages and abilities, particularly those facing the greatest barriers to opportunity.

JOB SUMMARY:

Sale Sharks Foundation is recruiting a Community Heritage Officer to support the delivery of the Northern Force Project, made possible through funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Working closely with the Community Heritage Manager, the postholder will help deliver a programme of heritage-based activities celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sale Sharks’ historic European and domestic successes. This will include oral history projects, exhibitions, community events and creative workshops, with a particular focus on delivering sessions in schools and care homes across Trafford, Salford and Stockport.

The successful candidate will support activity delivery, volunteer coordination, event planning, stakeholder engagement and project administration, helping local communities connect with Sale Sharks’ rich heritage and ensuring the project creates a lasting legacy and meaningful community impact.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and deliver high quality inclusive classroom-based heritage sessions to primary school pupils.
• Develop, facilitate and lead reminiscence sessions with older people in care homes.
• Create and run family engagement activities.
• Support Foundation delivery to school groups, care homes and the recruitment and utilisation of volunteers.
• Work with the Community Heritage Manager to complete heritage archival tasks, such as oral history interviews, summarising and transcribing, and ensuring all legal paperwork requirements are met.
• Ensure sessions are safe, engaging, and adapted to meet the needs of participants.

Partnerships & Engagement

• Build and maintain positive relationships with schools, care homes, and volunteers (ambassadors) to support programme delivery.
• Support the development of new partnerships by reaching out to schools and organisations to introduce and promote Foundation programmes.
• Act as a key day-to-day contact for partner schools and care homes, ensuring good communication and a high-quality experience.
• Identify opportunities to engage new participants and expand programme reach.
• Represent the Foundation professionally in all community and partner settings.

Monitoring & Evaluating

• Maintain accurate registers and session data, ensuring timely input into our digital monitoring platform Upshot and internal systems.
• Support the collection of participant feedback, case studies, and impact data, including working with the Marketing & Communications Manager to capture photos and video content that showcase programme delivery.
• Support the collection of survey data for MMU evaluation.
• Contribute to reporting requirements where required.
• Work towards agreed targets and programme outcomes.

Programme Development

• Contribute and implement ideas to improve and develop the Northern Force programme.
• Deliver awareness events and community engagement opportunities, including on matchdays.
• Lead the planning and organisation of key events and festivals for family and community engagement.
• Take a proactive approach to learning and development within the role.

General

• Ensure all non-delivery tasks are completed thoroughly, accurately and within deadlines.
• Support the wider team as needed across Foundation programmes.
• Uphold safeguarding, health & safety, and all Foundation policies at all times.
• It is expected that the role at times, will include working evenings and weekends, including match days. This will always be agreed in advance with time off in lieu offered.

This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of duties but is intended to reflect the range of duties the post-holder will perform. The job description will be reviewed regularly and may be changed in the light of experience and in consultation with the post-holder.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

• Commitment to ongoing professional development and learning.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential

• Experience working with children and/or young people.
• Ability to deliver engaging sessions in school and care home settings.
• A confident and proactive communicator with experience engaging schools, participants, or community groups.
• Experience or willingness to liaise directly with schools/care homes to organise and schedule delivery.
• Understanding of safeguarding and working safely with young people.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage time across multiple sessions/projects.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Basic IT skills (e.g. Microsoft 365) and ability to complete session registers and data requirements.

Desirable

• Experience delivering in a classroom or care home environment.
• Background in heritage work or other community outreach.
• Undergraduate degree in history or related subject.
• Track record of working with a range of stakeholders across school and community settings.
• Ability to support monitoring, evaluation, or reporting processes.
• Experience working independently in community settings.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for sport, history and making a positive difference in the community.
• Friendly, approachable and positive “can do” attitude.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships quickly.
• Clear and confident communication style, with the ability to motivate and engage others.
• Reliable, well organised, and able to take initiative in coordinating delivery and solving problems.
• Willingness to be flexible and work evenings/weekends where required.
• Commitment to the values and mission of Sale Sharks Foundation.
• Desire to learn, improve, and reflect on own practice.

Additional Requirements

• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (strongly desirable for delivery requirements).
• Enhanced DBS check (required).

*Due to insurance purposes candidates must be over 21 and hold a full clean driver’s license. Points on a licence will be considered.

Staff Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave pro-rata (3 to be taken between Christmas and New Year), with additional leave after 3 and 5 years of service.
• £240 per year (Pro-rata, claimed monthly) wellbeing benefit.
• 3% Pension contribution.
• 2 free tickets per game (Men’s & Women’s).
• Kit provided.
• 20% discount on the staff shop.
• Access to Sale Sharks High Performance Gym after 4pm.
• Opportunity to buy into Sale Sharks performance meal prep on site.
• Flexible working (where possible around delivery needs).
• Dogs allowed in the office/outdoor kennels (behaviour permitting).
• Free tea & coffee in the office.
• Free onsite parking.
• Health insurance through Vitality, including access to the Headspace app, discounted gym memberships, free weekly coffee and film rental, health checks, employee assistance, and discounts on health and wellbeing products (upon successful completion of probation period).
• Annual reward and recognition awards.
• Access to e-learning platform.
• Bi-annual all staff training days & Foundation socials.
• Other CPD opportunities throughout the year.