An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual with a passion for community work to join Ipswich Borough Council’s Community Support Team. We are seeking a Community Participation Officer to deliver the aspirations set out within the Council’s Community Engagement Strategy. The role will include creating and delivering effective community engagement, co-production, and consultation activities through face-to-face and online events, surveys, web pages, and digital outlets to engage with and gather feedback from the community and stakeholders. This diverse post will also include the delivery of community safety-related engagement, in line with statutory duties, and facilitating the Council’s community-related grant funding.

This exciting new role has three elements:

1. Community Engagement: working closely with Council services, the role will deliver high-quality and well-planned consultation & engagement activities with residents, organisations, and community groups, ensuring diverse and seldom-heard community voices are heard.
2. Community Safety: supporting the Ipswich Community Safety Partnership with the delivery of strategies and plans, engaging with a wide range of people and partner services to facilitate community safety engagement activities in line with the Council’s statutory duties.
3. Community-Related Funding: managing and monitoring the Council's funding support to the VCFSE sector and community organisations, providing advice, guidance, and signposting to support groups to achieve positive outcomes for local people.

The successful candidate will need to be an effective communicator and efficient at time management. You should have experience engaging with different stakeholders, residents, and community groups, organizing community activities, managing multiple projects with deadlines, and excellent report-writing skills. Strong experience with MS packages, high organization skills, and the ability to prioritize workload are essential. A flexible approach and willingness to adapt are also required. You will be a motivated team player with a passion for engagement, including co-production and participation of seldom-heard groups.

This role requires travel across Ipswich using public transport or a Council pool car. DBS clearance is required.

This post is offered on a permanent basis with hybrid working (minimum of 2 days in the office per week).

Benefits include a competitive salary, career average pension scheme, generous holiday and sick pay, subsidised parking, public transport discounts, free swimming and gym membership, cycle purchase scheme, professional development opportunities, flexible and hybrid working, Employee Assistance Programme, and a collaborative work environment.

For more information, contact Deborah Carr (she/her) via email at Deborah.Carr@ipswich.gov.uk.

If you require assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application or recruitment process, please let us know.

Download the Job Description and Person Specification for more details.

Interview dates: 26th August (AM) or 28th August 2025.

Early applications are encouraged as we may interview candidates who meet the criteria before the closing date. CVs are not accepted.