Impact Hub London (IHL) and the Knowledge Quarter (KQ) are collaborating on the running of a new affordable workspace in Regents Place, near Euston. As a result, we are jointly seeking an energetic and highly motivated Community Engagement Manager (CEM) to join our team at this exciting time of growth.  The CEM will be employed by Impact Hub London but will work for both organisations, delivering to communities in London, particularly across the Knowledge Quarter (covering areas of Camden and Islington) and the London Borough of Camden more widely. 

The workspace, which will be known as IH London Euston, will open in February 2024 and comprises 11,000 sq ft of coworking, team desks, micro-offices, meeting rooms and a 100-person event space. The theme for the space is inclusive innovation. We are embedded within our local community and expected to deliver against requirements laid down by Camden Council (known as Section 106), including the provision of free space to underserved local residents and the delivery of inclusive engagement activities in the borough. 

The Community Engagement Manager will be responsible for leading this activity, to ensure IHL Euston feels welcoming and accessible to local residents and to build relationships in the local area.  The CEM will engage local people, introducing them to IHL and KQ, learning about their needs and working with our wider team to organise engagements across the neighbourhood. They will share information about services available at IH Euston and opportunities provided by KQ members to the local community. 

The successful candidate will report to Impact Hub London’s Partnerships Director, but also be part of the KQ team. They will also work closely with IHL’s Marketing/Sales Team and KQ to promote our organisations and what they offer to local people and with our Programmes Team to support the delivery of content in the local area. Externally they will work with a range of stakeholders including British Land (our landlord), Camden and Islington Councils, local community groups, schools, colleges, universities, residents’ associations, business clusters and other relevant groups. 

Our ideal candidate will have strong existing relationships with local community members, groups and networks in Camden and Islington. They would also have the potential to develop their insights into social innovation/enterprise and facilitation skills to increase the ways they can deliver locally. 

Contract: 

• Permanent with a 3-month probation period. 
• Starting Salary: £28-32k per annum + pension + health contribution plan + profit share 
• Annual leave allowance: 25 days per year plus bank holidays
• Full-time: 37.5 hours/week not including lunch breaks. Normal hours are 9-5, but with regular expectations of evening and occasional weekend working for which we offer time off in lieu. We are happy to consider candidates interested in working flexible hours or job share.

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and offer a working environment that has step-free access. We expect the majority of this role will involve being out and about in the local community, meeting people. Feel free to reach out to us if you would like to discuss specific accessibility needs.

The Role

As the Community Engagement Manager you will be responsible for: 

• Leading our engagement with local residents through building relationships with schools, colleges, universities, community groups, local authorities, housing associations, job centres, local press and others by creating and implementing a proactive engagement strategy
• Engaging with local and London-wide organisations, including KQ members, social enterprise network partners and others who might deliver value to the local community
• Promoting IHL and KQ member activities and opportunities, such as programmes, events, work experience, local funding, etc to the local community and assisting the IH Programmes Team to recruit participants and mentors for locally-rooted programmes delivered at IH London Euston, such as New Roots.
• Assisting the IH Marketing and Sales Team in selling memberships, meeting rooms and event bookings to local community members, charities, social enterprises and other local organisations. 
• Working closely with and reporting to the Regents Place Steering Group (which includes IHL, KQ, British Land and Camden Council) on delivery of our Section 106 requirements.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of our engagement activities and demonstrating learning and improvements over time

Person Specification

Essential Experience and Skills:

• At least 1 year of experience of community engagement or connecting people in your community with others as a volunteer or local resident
• An understanding of barriers to engagement and knowledge around how to build inclusive local relationships
• Experience of working successfully in partnership with multiple stakeholders
• Experience in prioritisation and reporting, particularly for community engagement activities
• Exceptional communication skills both in person and online, in writing and verbally
• Empathy and insightfulness within a range of contexts and ability to summarise complex information coherently
• Enthusiasm for social innovation and values-driven business

Desirable:

• Experience in using participative and co-creation techniques to engage with diverse communities and stakeholders
• Use of a database or CRM system to record and analyse community engagements
• Coaching skills for diverse individuals
• Experience of having run your own small business
• Contacts within social enterprise sector organisations and awareness of opportunities for social enterprises in London

You:

• Are a natural communicator – the person people turn to when they want local knowledge or connections
• Are deeply rooted in the community in Camden and/or Islington
• Are a confident self-starter, persistent and proactive
• Thrive in a small team with an entrepreneurial feel
• Have values-driven approach to your work
• Are a confident multi-tasker

How to Apply

We strive to be a fully inclusive organisation and benefit from diversity of thought and experiences, both in our staff team and within our programme participants. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who identify as Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic, LGBTQIA+, disabled, from a less advantaged socioeconomic background as well as any other under-represented groups. We also want this process to be as equitable and accessible as possible – all applications will be anonymised until the interview stage. Please help us by not including photos, marital status or other data that is not relevant to your qualifications for the job in your application. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to ensure you can fully participate in the application process.

To apply for this role please complete this form, and submit it before midday (12pm) on Wednesday 29th November.

First interviews will be held the week commencing 4th December. 

If you have any further questions, please email [email protected].

About Impact Hub London

Our purpose is to accelerate entrepreneurial action that benefits people and the planet. We do this through inspiring workspace, business support, and networks that enable changemakers to thrive in London and beyond. 

Impact Hub London is part of a global network of 110+ Impact Hubs in 65 countries whose mission is to catalyse inclusive and sustainable innovation at scale to create a regenerative economy where business and profit are used in the service of people and planet. Impact Hubs do this by creating impact communities and ecosystems and providing enterprise support. As a team we are connected, collaborative and entrepreneurial, acting with our values at the forefront. 

For more information see: http://london.impacthub.net | http://impacthub.net

About Knowledge Quarter

The Knowledge Quarter (KQ) is a partnership of over 100 academic, cultural, research, scientific and media organisations located in a one-mile radius around King’s Cross, Euston Road and Bloomsbury in London.

Collectively, the geographic area of the KQ contains possibly the greatest knowledge cluster anywhere in the world and is certainly the UK’s largest innovation district. The KQ’s partners range from internationally significant research institutes to emerging organisations across all sectors. Partners include the British Museum, Central St Martins University of the Arts London, Google, the Digital Catapult, Wellcome Trust and the British Library. The partners might be vastly different, but we all share one common purpose: the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

For more information see: https://www.knowledgequarter.london/