Job details

Job title: Community Engagement Officer

Reporting to: Community Engagement Manager

Responsible for: N/A

Based: Our Head Office is based in London, but we have an agile working policy enabling people to work at another UK location up to 4 days/week. Permanent remote working in the UK is possible and we welcome applications from people based in other parts of the UK. 

Terms: Full time (35 hours per week), 12-month fixed term contract, with the possibility for extension. Requests for flexible working will be considered​

Salary: £28,600 - £34,424 per annum

Download the candidate pack for this role as a pdf or view our text-only version of the pack here.

About the role

The British Science Association's mission is to transform the diversity and inclusivity of science. We want more people, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in science, to feel that science is relevant to their lives. The BSA’s community engagement programmes focus on reaching these groups.

The Community Engagement Officer will provide support in delivering the BSA’s community engagement programmes. This role would suit someone with experience of supporting community engagement programmes.

This role is offered as a 12-month fixed term contract.

Key responsibilities: Community Engagement programmes

The main responsibilities are to: 

• Support the delivery of the British Science Week Community Grant Scheme and the creation/dissemination of the British Science Week Community Activity Pack​
• Provide support for the delivery of the Community Buddies programme, the Community Lead Research Pilot and a Community Grants scheme for a new funder. ​
• Manage the BSA Communities social media accounts, working with Communications team colleagues​
• Coordinate and help to grow the Community Engagement Network​
• Manage communications for, and support development of, the Community Engagement Network members including writing newsletters, email updates and working with Comms colleagues to develop blog content​
• Support with writing of funding proposals that lead to the growth of the community engagement portfolio​
• Support projects delivered by other BSA teams as needed and undertake other duties as reasonably required by the line manager ​
  

Person specification

Below is a summary of essential and desirable criteria needed for this role, as well as how we will assess a candidate’s suitability.

Essential criteria 

Essential Criteria	CV	Cover letter	Interview*
Experience of working in the community, voluntary, science engagement or a related sector	Y	Y	Y
Experience of coordinating project work and working on multiple projects at the same time		Y	Y
Ability to build good working relationships with internal colleagues, external partners & stakeholders		Y	Y
Excellent organisational and time management skills		Y	Y
Clear communication skills, including the ability to write for a range of audiences		Y	Y
Experience of working in an inclusive way with community groups	Y	Y	Y
Resilience – adaptable with the ability to remain calm and effective when working on fast-moving, high-pressure projects			Y
Experience of Microsoft Office applications	Y

*The interview may include a task relevant to the role. If so, candidates selected for interview will be given more information nearer the time. 

Desirable criteria

Desirable Criteria	CV	Cover letter	Interview
Knowledge of science/public engagement theory or practice	Y	Y	Y
Experience in organising accessible community workshops ​		Y	Y
Experience of events management	Y	Y	Y
Experience in using Salesforce (training will be provided)	Y
Experience of administering grant schemes and analysing data	Y	Y	Y

Benefits 

• Agile Working policy enabling you to work at home or in another UK location up to 4 days per week, if office-based, and to vary your working hours outside our 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm core hours, subject to the needs of the BSA;
• 27 days holiday per annum plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees); 
• Up to two days paid leave per year for significant voluntary commitments in support of professional and personal development, such as being a trustee of a charity or a school governor;
• Auto-enrolment pension scheme (4% paid by employer) after 3 months in role;
• Up to five days’ unpaid leave per year (this is down to the Manager’s decision and ensuring it does not affect work); 
• Life assurance for death in service benefit from your first day, (subject to scheme rules). Complementary access to 24/7 online GP service;  
• Occupational sick pay: up to six weeks’ full pay per year (pro-rata for part-time employees); 
• Confidential telephone counselling service, offered by our legal insurance;
• Interest-free loan for season ticket, bike to work, and assisted study;
• Discounts may be offered on Science Museum tickets and in the shop.

To apply

Please send a CV and covering letter (each of no more than two A4 pages) that summarises your interest in the role and details your ability to match the criteria.

Applications should be made via this link: https://recruit.smb.co.uk/vacancy.aspx?id=ku6t358c66tQVed6

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on Sunday 15th September 2024.

First interviews are due to take place 30 September and 2 October. 

You will be informed as soon as possible after the application deadline whether you have been selected for interview.

As part of the British Science Association’s commitment to being a Disability Confident employer, all disabled* applicants who meet the ‘essential criteria’ for this vacancy will be offered an interview under our guaranteed interview scheme.

If you wish to apply under the guaranteed interview scheme, you will be asked to indicate this when you submit your application by selecting ‘yes’ in the relevant box when asked during the application process. Applicants do not need to state any further information or declare their disability at the application stage.

Whether you are applying under the scheme or not, if you are successful in being shortlisted, we will ask candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions to let us know if they need any adjustments during the recruitment process. 

If you have further questions or would like this information in a different format, please contact: recruitment@britishscienceassociation.org

Terms & conditions

From time to time the job entails working extended hours and occasional weekends, for which no overtime payments are made. The BSA operates a time off in lieu policy for weekend working and some other out-of-hours instances.

Only applicants who have a legal right to work within the UK will be considered. You will be asked to bring along proof of nationality and/or proof of ability to work in the UK.

You will also be asked to declare any previous convictions in line with your rights under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975.

This is a description of the job as it is presently constituted. It is the practice of the Association to examine job descriptions from time to time and to update them to ensure they relate to the job as then being performed, or to incorporate whatever changes are reasonably required, in discussion with the postholder.

It is the policy of the BSA to offer starting salaries at the bottom end of the salary band where appropriate.

A copy of our Privacy Notice is available on the vacancies page of our website.

*The Disability Confident scheme’s definition of disability is in line with the Equalities Act 2010: “a physical or mental condition which has a long-term and substantial effect on your daily life”.

Further information about our Disability Confident commitments can be found on the Disability Confident page of our website.