Project Officer (Stakeholder Engagement & Communications)

Role Responsibility

Are you experienced in stakeholder relationships in the context of supporting people with barriers to employment, liaising with public, private and third sector organisations to promote services?

Kent County Council’s Economy Team is managing the government’s new Connect to Work programme which aims to help people with long-term health conditions or disabilities and other disadvantaged groups to access employment and stay and succeed in work.

We are looking for a Principal Project Officer who will work closely with the Programme Manager (Skills and Employment), and other Project Officers, to drive specific areas of this high-profile programme in Kent & Medway. This exciting role will often be the first point of contact for Connect to Work and we are looking for a brand ambassador who can fulfil this.

The post holder will need to have the skills not only for promoting the service but for driving referral numbers from key target groups. As a large contract, Connect to Work will need to reach a high number of participants across Kent and Medway, a task which will be integral to this role.

Alongside attracting the right referrals in volume, the Principal Project Officer will work with our delivery partners in collaboration to the Principal Project Officer (Provider Liaison, Quality and Compliance) to support participants in the right way. This could be by identifying signposting organisations, organising events or other activities. The postholder will also be required to engage employers and promote the benefits of employing a Connect to Work participant.

The postholder will report directly into the Programme Manager and will provide regular updates to the wider economy team, they will be able to demonstrate an ability to liaise with senior stakeholders, working across departments and presenting their communications strategy at various boards and meetings. They will have experience with communications across a range of channels including social media, reports and presentations.

The post will be based in Maidstone with some remote working but regular travel around Kent and Medway to meet partners and stakeholders is a key part of the role so you should enjoy getting our and about and meeting people and telling them all about Connect to Work whilst learning about local services.

In the early stages of the role, the post holder will be supporting the Programme Manager with the implementation phase of the programme, digesting detailed government documents, bringing content to life for delivery. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with operational experience, to get involved in service design and project management and will also be supporting providers in promoting Connect to Work in its early stages.

If you would like to put your experience in stakeholder engagement, relationship building and communications to use to make a real and lasting difference to the residents, communities and economy of Kent & Medway, then we would love to hear from you!

Contact Details

For further information on this role, please contact:

Claire Wray - 

Claire.Wray@kent.gov.uk 

03000 414679

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.