Good Relations Officer

Location: You will be based in the Council Offices, 7 Connell Street, Limavady, BT49 0HA. However, you will be asked to work flexibly throughout the Council areas, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively and in order to respond to service priorities and to facilitate professional development.

Responsible for: The following functions and services, in accordance with the organisational structure to deliver these services.

·       Good Relations

Work pattern: 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday

By its nature the post will require flexible working, for example, work outside normal office hours, including evening meetings and weekends as required

Tenure: This is a permanent post.

Main Purpose of Post

To provide wide ranging support to ensure achievement of the aims and objectives contained within the Good Relations strategy and action plan.

To carry out the day to day co-ordination and delivery of identified priority areas and associated programmes within the Good Relations Strategy ensuring that all actions are fully implemented, results monitored and evaluated, maintaining effective, efficient service delivery.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.       Under the direction of the Good Relations Manager, implement the Good Relations Strategy and Action Plan for the Borough. This strategy should make provision for cross-community issues, cultural diversity issues, and include actions/activities addressing all Section 75 groups.

2.       Assist and input into appropriate research and consultation with relevant individuals, bodies and organisations with a view to assisting in the preparation of the Good Relations Strategy and Action Plan for the Borough in accordance with current guidelines provided by The Executive Office and with the approval of Council.

3.       Provide a Good Relations perspective to other Council Departments and to promote the mainstreaming of Good Relations throughout the Council’s functions and in its strategic planning process.

4.       To seek, where necessary, avenues of internal and external funding to implement projects.

5.       To directly engage with key stakeholders, including representatives and groups, to develop and undertake projects which will improve good relations and to organise activities which seek to broaden awareness of cultural diversity through innovative approaches.

6.       Establish and maintain appropriate links between Council and other Community and statutory stakeholders to establish effective relationships and working structures, in order to identity and prioritise Good Relations issues and opportunities for collaboration.

7.       To identify, design, deliver or arrange training opportunities for local community representatives, groups, elected members, staff and other interested parties to enable them to examine values, attitudes and beliefs within a good relations context.

8.       To either facilitate directly or provide third-party training, support and advice on reconciliation, good relations, and community relations.

9.       To develop and promote new and innovative experimental approaches to Good Relations work/programmes.

10.   To implement Council’s Good Relations grant aid programme, provide advice to groups on the funding process and assist in the assessment of applications from groups wishing to deliver good relations projects within the Borough.

11.   To report to the Good Relations Manager and any relevant Council group and to prepare reports as necessary.

12.   Support the Good Relations Manager to develop and manage the Council’s Good Relations Programme budget, preparing estimates, monitoring expenditure and preparing financial draw down claims for submission to Funding Bodies.

13.   Administer programmes and put in place systems to record information for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

14.   Supervise and co-ordinate the work of staff and volunteers at events where appropriate.

15.   Make suggestions, organise and market events, conferences, dialogues and exhibitions which seek to broaden awareness of cultural diversity within the Borough, focussing on religious, political and racial differences.

16.   Contribute to corporate management through participation in meetings with Councillors, Council Officers and other working/consultative groups or specific project teams as necessary to promote good relations policy and activity throughout Council.

17.   Network and meet with other Good Relations Officers to provide and discuss issues of mutual and regional interest to identify possible regional projects and initiatives.

GENERAL

18.   By its nature the post will require flexible working to meet the needs of the service. Attend meetings of the Council and any relevant working groups as required.

19.   Act in accordance with the Code of Conduct for local Government employees.

20.   Comply with and actively promote the Council’s policies and procedures, including those relating to Fair employment, Equal Opportunities, and Health, Safety and Wellbeing.

21.   Comply with and actively promote the appropriate standard of record keeping and information governance practices in conducting duties of the post.

22.   Undertake any other duties as deemed appropriate to the achievement of the purpose and function of this post. Undertake any management duties in relation to recruitment and selection, staff induction, learning and development, performance management, absence, investigations or panels in connection with discipline, grievance, dignity at work, customer complaints and any other staff management responsibilities as deemed necessary for the post.

The list of duties/responsibilities must not be considered comprehensive nor exhaustive. They are simply a summary of the main duties/responsibilities that the post holder will be required to undertake. No Job Description can cover every issue that may arise within the post at various times and the post holder is expected to carry out other duties from time to time which are broadly consistent with those in this Job Description.

If the post holder has any form of disability, every effort will be made to supply all the necessary employment aids, equipment or adaptations to enable him/her to perform the full duties of the job. If, however, a certain task proves to be unachievable then job redesign will be given full consideration.