This is an excellent opportunity for you to join Scottish Book Trust as Early Years Community Engagement Manager. The position offers flexible fulltime working within our Early Years Team.
The Early Years (EY) Community Engagement Manager leads on the strategic development of our community engagement work; liaising with Local Authorities, Health Service professionals and other community groups to support families who need extra help to access the benefits of our Bookbug programme.
The role advocates for the programme by building and maintaining strong community-based networks with key stakeholders and partners, as well as taking a lead role in quality assurance, and the management of targeted projects and funding.
The role works closely with the Head of Early Years, and other EY Managers to ensure co-ordinated delivery and optimum impact of the EY programme. The post-holder is line manager for the two Project Managers within the Community Engagement Team.
Key responsibilities
· Leads and develops the EY community engagement work, advocating for the Bookbug Programme at local and national level, ensuring co-ordinated delivery and optimum impact of the EY programme
· Contribute to the strategic development of the Early Years programme, assist and deputise for the Head of Early Years, as required
· Implement a national strategy for engagement of harder to reach, more vulnerable families through the network of Bookbug for the Home practitioners, reviewing and developing as needed
· Develop and maintain strong working relationships with partner organisations and key stakeholders across Scotland (e.g. health, social work, education and library services, and third sector organisations), adapting delivery of key messaging and updates to increase and maintain continued engagement
· Develop tailored engagement plans for each local authority area, and work closely with the EY Training & Development Manager to identify and meet specific training needs
· Identify and establish relationships with new sectors to deepen the impact of Bookbug work (e.g. antenatal, perinatal infant mental health)
· Line manages the two project managers to ensure effective delivery of the programme as well as their training and development
· Oversee network support and communications with trained delivery partners (Bookbug Sessions Leaders, Bookbug for the Home practitioners)
· Oversee support for local Bookbug programmes and development of good practice sharing opportunities in person and online for Bookbug practitioners
· Collaborate with fundraising team to prepare and inform funding applications
· Develop guidance, resources and new initiatives in response to the emerging needs of families and/or practitioners, in collaboration with the EY Training and Development team.
· Work with SBT’s Research and Evaluation team, lead on evaluation of Bookbug to ensure effective reporting to stakeholders, and identify further research needs
· Maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of national Early Years policies and research, to inform the strategic development of community engagement priorities
· Manage and monitor the EY community engagement budget and specific project budgets
· Support and deputise for the Designated Child Protection Officer (DCPO) ensuring our compliance with child protection practices to ensure safety and wellbeing of children engaging with SBT events; regularly reviewing child protection policies, responding to concerns, and maintaining accurate records
· Lead authority within the team for generating (initiating) and supporting the development of innovative fundraising and commercial opportunities, with collective responsibility for supporting the promotion of SBT’s commercial offerings including paid learning, the SBT shop and other paid for events.
· Attend conferences, network meetings and events as an ambassador for Scottish Book Trust
