A unique opportunity has arisen to join the Epping Forest team in a brand new post as Engagement and Volunteering Officer. We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, engaging, and self-motivated individual who is passionate about encouraging others to help us care for this unique ancient woodland.

Do you have excellent knowledge of community engagement and participation methods? Do you have a strong ability to develop, deliver, and evaluate volunteering programmes? Are you an excellent communicator, able to effectively influence and gain trust?

About Us

Epping Forest is one of a number of open spaces, parks, and gardens in and around London owned and managed by the City of London as part of its commitment to sustaining a first-class city. Each open space is a unique resource for the use and enjoyment of the public and for the conservation of wildlife and historic landscape.

Epping Forest stretches from London's East End for 14 miles out into Essex and covers over 6000 acres along with a further 2000 acres of 'buffer land' and receives over 10 million visits each year. Two thirds of the Forest is designated as SSSI and SAC and is home to over 50,000 veteran trees, ancient pollards, over 100 ponds and lakes, two registered parks, ancient monuments, and listed buildings.

The Role

The successful candidate will lead and coordinate the public and stakeholder engagement, consultation, and communication activities for Epping Forest. The role will suit someone who is forward looking, ambitious and with a commitment to continuous improvement. It will require you to be people focused with a can-do attitude and strive for excellence in delivering and supporting volunteering activities.

The Ideal Candidate

You will have a good understanding of public and local authorities including ethical and legal requirements for consultation, engagement, and communication activities. You will have demonstratable experience in public consultation and stakeholder engagement in open spaces or similar environments. Superb communication skills are required to be in a position to effectively explain policies and technical issues to a range of different audiences. You have demonstrable history of recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers. You have exceptional interpersonal skills, are a creative thinker, have excellent numerical, analysis and interpretation skills. You remain calm under pressure, are able to manage projects and competing deadlines well, and have a 'can do' approach to all aspects of the role.

Benefits Include:

Competitive salary starting at GBP38,670 (including London weighting) depending on experience (clear incremental progress points). 28 days annual leave plus public holidays (or time in lieu where applicable). Pension scheme is operated in accordance with Local Government Pension Scheme. Hybrid working options. Employee assistance programmes including mental well-being support. Bicycle Loan scheme. Travel card scheme. Closing date: Noon, 05 January 2024.

To apply online please click the apply button.

Alternatively, please contact (24 hr answerphone) quoting reference number OENV0222. A minicom service for the hearing impaired is available on .

The City of London Corporation is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.