Community Engagement Officer - Nature Towns & Cities

Job Introduction

Community Engagement Officer – Nature Towns and Cities: Bradford’s Green Blue Steppingstones

Nature Towns and Cities is a national coalition of public, private and third-sector organisations committed to bringing nature and green space into urban areas. Bradford has been successful in its bid through Bradford’s Green Blue Steppingstones: Connecting People and Nature Across Our Towns and Cities, and we are excited to recruit a motivated Community Engagement Officer to join the programme for the next 2 years.

Bradford’s Green Blue Steppingstones aims to revitalise green and blue spaces to improve biodiversity, climate resilience, community wellbeing and access to nature. The programme will map habitat networks, co-design improvements with local communities, partner with landowners, and promote environmental learning for younger generations. Through strong partnerships, storytelling and shared learning, the programme seeks to create greener, healthier, and more connected urban places across the district.

Bradford Council has recently developed an enviable reputation for the quality of its urban landscape projects including the award-winning remodelling of Bradford City centre. Bradford’s Green Blue Steppingstones is the next exciting chapter in our placemaking journey.

The Role

We are looking for a people-focused, creative Community Engagement Officer to support the delivery of the Green Blue Steppingstones programme. You will play a key role in building strong and meaningful relationships with communities, schools, faith groups, and voluntary organisations, ensuring local voices shape the design and delivery of greener, more inclusive public spaces. Your work will help empower communities, foster local pride, and reconnect people with nature.

The Community Engagement Officer will be part of a project team with the roles of Programme Manager, Landscape Architect and Green Space Change Instigator also currently out for recruitment. The project team will also include a Social Prescriber and a Wood Creation Officer. The Green Blue Steppingstones project will get to work alongside a wide range community focused teams at Bradford Council.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver effective engagement strategies tailored to local communities and age groups.
• Facilitate workshops, creative sessions, events, site visits and co-design activities.
• Build strong relationships with residents, schools, community leaders and underrepresented groups.
• Support the development of resilient partnerships and networks across the district.
• Work closely with the design and delivery team to embed community insights throughout each stage of the project.
• Identify barriers to participation and develop approaches to increase access and inclusion.
• Collect and share feedback, stories, case studies and learning to demonstrate impact.
• Promote volunteering, youth participation and opportunities for skills-building linked to green and blue infrastructure.
• Represent the project at community events, neighbourhood meetings and city-wide forums.

About You

You will bring:

• Experience in community engagement, outreach or participatory work.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work confidently with diverse groups.
• Creativity in designing inclusive engagement activities.
• An understanding of co-design, placemaking or community-led environmental projects (desirable).
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple activities.
• A passion for empowering communities and connecting people with nature.

How to Apply

If you are interested in joining our award winning team and would like some further information, please email Saira Ali, Team Leader of Landscape Design & Conservation at saira.ali@bradford.gov.uk

*A basic disclosure check with the Disclosure and Barring Service will be sought for appointees to this post

Employee Offer

Why work for Bradford Council? Find out why by taking a look at Our Employee Offer.pdf.

Equal Opportunities 

We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee directly or indirectly on the grounds of gender, marital status, gender re-assignment, pregnancy, sexual orientation, disability, race, colour, ethnic background, religion or belief nationality or age. And, as an equal opportunities employer, the Council strives to employ the best qualified people from a diverse range of applicants. 

The RESPECT Allyship Programme is available to all staff, which offers the opportunity to learn more about the diverse communities & groups and provides added benefits and resources to its members.