Apply to be our Community Outreach Officer

• Deadline for applications: 9.00am on Monday 1st July. However, we reserve the right to close applications should we have a reasonable number of shortlisted candidates early on.
  We will be holding interviews for the role online on the 9th and 10th July.
• Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week – job share and flexible hours of working will be considered for the right candidate)
• Salary: £30,000 (+ London weighting if applicable)
• Benefits: Nine-day fortnight (with alternate Fridays designated as a day off), pension, 25 days Annual Leave plus Christmas-New Year, staff learning fund, enhanced parental benefits package.
• Reports to: Senior Policy and Engagement Officer
• Based in: London office, with an optional hybrid model, but expected to be in the office at least two days a week. Open to remote working if based in one of our target regions – feel free to enquire. The job will require UK based travel (more details in job description).
• Responsible for: This role may be responsible for line management of support, temporary staff or volunteers, as determined by operational and business requirements.
• Length of contract: 24 months fixed term contract, with the possibility of extension

Why this role is important – and why you’ll make a difference doing it

HOPE not hate is the UK’s leading anti-fascist organisation. Our mission is simple: To monitor and challenge the far right, to engage in the communities that are susceptible to them and to address the issues and policies which give rise to them.

Over the last five years, we have grown steadily, with our research and intelligence work exposing and undermining the far right, even foiling a murder plot, our community engagement providing expertise to vulnerable communities and our work in schools growing to teach young people to recognise and challenge prejudice and hate.

HOPE not hate is seeking a new Community Outreach Officer to join our Policy team.

What you’ll be doing in this role

The Community Outreach Officer will deliver on helping the communities susceptible to the far right. As part of the policy team, they will have access to research and policy insights on the issues which are causing tension and divisions in communities and where these tensions are most acute, and use this to devise locally-led solutions in partnership with key figures in the community and relevant sectors.

They will have experience in community organising, whether through employment or voluntary work, and use this experience to develop an organisational strategy for addressing far-right organising and hate-based community tensions. Part of the strategy will include a plan to extend and deepen HOPE not hate’s existing relationships in key areas across the UK. It will also involve designing and publicising resources, developing and delivering training and writing regular briefings. 

Willingness to work with a variety of stakeholders is important. The role will include liaising with local authorities, national and local organisations and grassroots community activists to build and facilitate the design of locally-led community resilience strategies. There will also be access to our existing networks and relationships across relevant sectors e.g. migration and refugee sector, community cohesion and local authorities. An understanding that communities and community groups are the experts on their own needs is crucial – solutions should be developed with, not for, those most impacted.

This role requires travel around the UK to support areas where help is needed. Please get in touch if you have further questions about what this would mean.

Key responsibilities

• Working with the research team to distribute and explain information on local risks. 
• Working with relevant stakeholders to share solutions and best practice, including through meetings and events.
• Developing resources and guides to support stakeholders to build more resilient communities.
• Developing and delivering training to support key stakeholders in responding to rising tensions and responding to hate.
• Using data and polling to target areas and solutions locally.
• Travelling to meet key stakeholders in communities affected.

General responsibilities

• Maintain and promote the mission of HOPE not hate.
• Uphold HOPE not hate’s values when working with communities, stakeholders and colleagues.
• Participate in events and activities to showcase the work of HOPE not hate
• Attend agreed supervision and review meetings with your line manager.
• Contribute creatively to the future development of HOPE not hate.
• Identify and undertake other duties as appropriate to this role.

Skills required

• One or more year’s experience in community engagement.
• Experience of delivering training, or confidence in public speaking.
• Experience of working alongside partners to develop work. 
• Ability to work independently. 
• Highly organised and able to structure and manage workload.
• Strong communicator with ability to discuss sensitive and emotive issues in tense environments.

What else do you need to know?

We are looking for someone with the emotional resilience to work in a field that involves challenging content, good political judgement and awareness and the ability to work under pressure and reduced timescales.

We believe that our work will be at its best if it is created by people with a range of backgrounds and experiences. We are keen to interview people who will add diversity to our team. We are an antifascist organisation, which strives to be an effective ally in the wider fight against racism and inequity.

How to apply for this role

To apply, you’ll need to answer three questions.

1. List your relevant work experience over the last five years. Include the organisation name, your title and a brief summary of your responsibilities that relate to the responsibilities and skills for this role. You can also include any voluntary work. (500 words)
2. What are the key issues facing communities in the UK today and how can they be exploited by the far right? (300 words) 
3. Outline what works and doesn’t work when it comes to a national organisation like HOPE not hate addressing cohesion at the community level. (300 words)

Please attach a PDF or Word document of your completed answers with your name in the document title in an email to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Community Outreach Officer – Application’. Please note that we will not accept CVs or cover letters instead of the application questions.

Application deadline: 9.00am on Monday 1st July. We reserve the right to close applications should we have a reasonable number of shortlisted candidates early on. We will be holding interviews for the role online on the 9th and 10th July.