Job Title: Active Leeds Development Officer (Localities) x2
Salary: PO1 £38,220 – £40,777
Hours: Full Time
Contract: Fixed term 2-year contract (up to March 2028); secondment opportunity would be considered with line manager approval
Location: John Charles Centre for Sport / localities around the City
Job Overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a forward-thinking, community focused and highly motivated individual to join the delivery team of the 2-year Sport England funded Get Set Leeds Project. As a Development Officer, you’ll thrive on working with population groups that are less active, managing co-produced projects and exploring innovative ideas, turning them into practical solutions.
Working across priority wards, you’ll collaborate with partners and residents to design and deliver impactful, community-led initiatives that meet their local needs. The overall aim is to decrease inactivity levels by creating environments to maintain healthy lifestyles.
The Get Set Leeds project forms one of the priorities of the Physical Activity Ambition: ‘Leeds is a place where everyone moves more every day’ and feeds into the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth, Strong Communities and Sustainable City.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About The Role
The Development Officer role will become part of a team that work with local residents in priority wards, focusing on where health inequalities are the greatest to build capacity and capabilities. Fundamental to these roles are the Get Set Leeds ways of working – building trusted long-term relationships, having shared co-production principles, being visible and connected to a place; actively listening and engaging with communities, and harnessing community voice to bring about change.
The postholder will work in partnership with locally trusted organisations, council departments, schools, and other stakeholders to develop co-produced solutions to increase physical activity opportunities and to ensure sustainability in models of delivery.
The Officer will be insight driven and contribute to the effective monitoring and evaluation of the overall Project (based on local evaluation priorities and Sport England’s national evaluation and learning process). This will include contributing to the evidence base of how being active / engagement in sport and physical activity can contribute to wider outcomes such as health, economic and social benefits.
About You
- Knowledge & experience of inactivity, health, recreational and sport and physical activity development work
- Experience of working with disadvantaged communities and those underrepresented in sport and physical activity
- Able to demonstrate excellent organisational skills and meet tight deadlines for complex projects
- Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of organisations
- Committed to understanding and embracing Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours
What we offer you
- A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
Responsibilities
- Develop strong and effective working relationships with key stakeholders, partners and other relevant organisations to build opportunities to increase activity levels
- Work collaboratively with relevant partners around joint planning and shared objectives; facilitate and coordinate others to engage the inactive
- Use relevant local and national research, insight and knowledge to develop successful interventions and programmes of work
- Embed behaviour change models in interventions and programmes of work
- Produce, deliver and evaluate a measurable annual work programme utilising relevant Management Information Systems
- Establish effective communication mechanisms with relevant stakeholders, partners and community organisations
- Work with evaluation partners to develop data and insight methods to ensure programmes have a positive impact; share learning and insight with partners and stakeholders
- Commit to training and development about Evaluation and Learning (E&L) and contribute to E&L workshops and partnerships
- Adopt a community development approach supporting key partners, organisations and groups to develop sustainable models of delivery within local communities
- Work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways that support open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government
- Develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external customers, other stakeholders and partners to achieve excellent outcomes for Leeds citizens
- Be accountable for the safety of staff, service users and contractors in accordance with legislation and the Council Health and Safety Policy
- Provide appropriate information relating to the work of the Service to Members and council officers to manage risk and support them in their roles
- Prepare and manage budgets and take responsibility where appropriate for assigned budgets
- Work flexibly to meet Directorate and Corporate priorities as an officer in the Council
- Deputise as appropriate and contribute to the development of the service
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post
- Adhere to council policies including Safeguarding of Young People and Vulnerable Adults, Equal Opportunities and Health & Safety policies
Qualifications
Relevant degree or equivalent professional qualifications are essential
Essential Requirements
- Knowledge and experience of inactivity, health, recreational and sport and physical activity development work
- Experience of working with disadvantaged communities and those underrepresented in sport and physical activity
- Knowledge of developing programmes within a community setting
- Knowledge of relevant local and national strategies, priorities and associated development initiatives
- Experience of liaison with public, private and voluntary agencies
- Knowledge of local, regional and national health, recreational and community organisations
- Knowledge of funding initiatives relative to physical activity or community development
- Knowledge of the benefits of being physically active
- Understanding of issues preventing regular participation within communities
- Experience of working at a strategic level
- Experience of marketing and promotion; ability to organise, promote and market activities
- Experience of tutoring on education courses
- Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of organisations
- Able to work to tight budgets
- Knowledge of IT software applications
- Able to demonstrate excellent organisational skills
- Able to meet tight deadlines for complex projects
- Able to work as part of a team and on own initiative; identify needs and resolve problems with practical solutions
- Able to produce and implement development plans and work programmes
- Able to prepare and present reports
Essential Behavioural & Other Characteristics
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement and delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth, Strong Communities and Sustainable City
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures
- Carry out all duties with regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
- Support equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
- Recognise and appropriately challenge incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation and abuse; report concerns to the appropriate person
- Work within the Council’s flexibility protocol
- Full, clean driving licence
Desirable Requirements
- Conduct research programmes and capture and interpret detailed monitoring and evaluation data
- Understanding of behaviour change models and their application
- Experience of developing innovative partnerships with regional and local bodies
- Experience of embedding community programmes based on identified need and models of change
- Experience of managing and motivating staff
- Experience of event organisation
- Experience of securing external funding project management
- Experience of leading and managing projects
EEO Statement
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
Right to Work
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
How to Apply
Please complete the online application form. For internal applications, secondment opportunities will be considered with line manager approval.
Contact Gill Keddie, Development Manager (Gill.Keddie@leeds.gov.uk) or Katy Bowden, Development Manager (Katy.Bowden@leeds.gov.uk) if you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role.
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