Projects and Engagement Officer

British Dyslexia Association

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

British Dyslexia Association (BDA) is a charity that represents the voice of people living with dyslexia. We aim to influence government and other institutions to promote a dyslexia friendly society that enables dyslexic people of all ages to reach their full potential. 

About the role

We are looking for someone who can build the relationships, partnerships and projects to make a real difference for people with dyslexia. This role will coordinate our community projects to increase awareness of dyslexia and improve outcomes for children and adults with dyslexia. We represent the voice of people living with dyslexia, and this role will work with volunteers to put lived experience at the centre of raising awareness of dyslexia. We are looking for a team player who can motivate volunteers, colleagues and partners to push forward our work.

The role requires someone with the passion to make things happen – to take our pilot Local Hubs project to the next stage of delivery, and work with a dynamic team of colleagues and volunteers to maximise the impact of our service offers. You may have a background in working with volunteers, on community projects, in education or service delivery, and are now looking for a new challenge in a varied and exciting role.

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) is a charity that represents the voice of people living with dyslexia. We aim to influence government and other institutions to promote a dyslexia friendly society that enables dyslexic people of all ages to reach their full potential. 
 
This is an exciting role for the BDA, which has been created with the purpose of coordinating our community projects to increase awareness of dyslexia and improve outcomes for children and adults with dyslexia. The role will focus on various projects that we run, including our Local Hubs, a volunteer-led project currently operating in Northern Ireland and South Wales, as well as other community projects. The postholder will work with existing volunteers to form links with schools and businesses in the local areas and support outreach activities. 

They will also support the development of the BDA’s wider offer for education settings and workplaces to increase our reach to support more people with dyslexia. This is a varied hands-on role that would suit someone with experience managing community projects and working with volunteers. We are looking for someone who is passionate about community-led projects to improve educational outcomes and life chances for people with dyslexia.  

Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinating the delivery of our Local Hubs project to ensure key deliverables are met.
• Recruiting, training and supporting regional volunteers.
• Providing supervision and guidance to volunteers to ensure a positive volunteer experience.
• Building relationships with partners and customers to increase impact.
• Gather information on the delivery of projects to help identify impact, strengths and areas for improvement.
• Coordinating with organisations and stakeholders at a national and local level.
• Reporting on delivery of projects.
• Supporting the development of projects, including through supporting fundraising colleagues to secure funding for continuation and expansion of the project.
• Support the coordination of other projects, as needed.
• Carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required from time to time.

Key Relationships:

• Marketing and Communications team
• Helpline Manager
• Fundraising Manager
• HR Manager

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Skills & Experience:

• Experience of engaging and including diverse groups, ‘hard to reach’ and vulnerable beneficiaries. 
• Experience of coordinating community projects to ensure key deliverables are met.
• Demonstrable experience of volunteer management, including the recruiting, managing, supporting, training and retention of volunteers.
• Able to develop links and relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
• Project management skills, including tracking the delivery of plans to ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget. 
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to influence. 
• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Competencies & Personal Attributes:

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• An ability to build effective relationships and networks that foster collaboration both internally and externally.
• Strong organisational and time management abilities, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
• Commitment to the mission and values of the BDA.

Working locations

• Home-based
• Travel to the BDA office in Bracknell (Berkshire) and around the UK as and when necessary. Additionally, travel to team days approximately 1-2 times a year is required.

How to apply

• Apply online

Policies

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at the BDA. We are committed to building a diverse organisation that represents the communities we serve and ensuring inclusion in everything we do.

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