Senior Consultant Lead for communities, participation & co-creation

Deadline for applications: Friday 4 April 2025 at 5pm
Full time salary: £40,000

We also specialise in supporting community and participatory arts, activities with a strong focus on social value or furthering cultural democracy, and on helping organisations betters serve people furthest from privilege. In all cases, your experience in community engagement and skills in co-creative facilitation will be valuable.

You will lead on projects which call for this insight and knowledge, and will support others in the organisation to ensure we deliver this aspect of our work to a high standard across all 5 of our activity pillars. 

You will get to play to your strengths in research, facilitation, strategic thinking and supporting others to recognise and achieve their goals. You will use your experience and creativity to make a difference to a wide range of communities, organisations, agencies and local authorities, and will be able to influence both policy and practice. 

You will enjoy a varied working week, from designing and facilitating co-creative or consultative sessions, delivering evaluation, developing strategy in an advisory capacity, devising and delivering workshops and presentations. 

You will champion a “with, by and for” approach, and be a spokesperson for more inclusive, people/user-centred practices in the sector. This includes thought-leadership - for example by writing blogs, reports and delivering presentations to external audiences as well as developing our own practice as consultants. 

Working from home, and on-site with clients as required, you will be able to organise your time flexibly, you will be part of a supportive, welcoming and experienced team of consultants and researchers, and encouraged to develop your own practice and learning.

• Design, manage and deliver research-based consultancy: including evaluation, consultation, training, facilitation, strategy development. 
• Working with clients and colleagues, shape work programmes and research plans to meet client goals and maximise their learning.
• Analyse and interpret research and findings in ways clients can apply.
• Provide well-communicated, high-impact reporting and recommendations
• Ensure projects are managed effectively - within an agreed framework, within budget, on time, and following all record-keeping processes.
• Ensure an excellent client experience, include gather feedback. 

• Devise, write and pitch proposals for new work.
• Generate leads for new work through networking, and effective use of the CRM.
• Maintain relationships with key clients and stakeholders.

• Contribute to development of the consultancy service.
• Model best practice in your area of expertise, and coach others in it.
• Represent The Audience Agency to clients, partners, funders and policy makers. 
• Contribute to internal and external events by supporting colleagues.  
• Provide occasional content for website, newsletters and other channels.  
• Keep abreast of trends and changes in the sector – especially in your lead area.
• Model our values, including good practice in diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Contribute to the development of team resources, systems and processes.
• Help create a supportive, nurturing and creative working environment

• Experience delivering programmes or projects involving community engagement, co-creation and creative participation in a cultural context. 
• Experience of facilitation, consulting and/or training – or similar.
• Understanding of research methods, quantitative and qualitative, consultation and creative
• Experience/understanding of evaluation frameworks, including and measuring social and learning impact 
• Track record of working with people furthest from privilege, and/or those often excluded from mainstream culture
• Track record working with groups with specific needs: such as young people, families, older people, refugee communities etc.
• Knowledge/ experience of applying co-creative practices, such as Asset Based Community Development, human-centred design etc.

• Strong facilitation and presentation skills. 
• Ability to analyse and present research findings from a range of sources.
• Demonstrable skills in written communication including report writing which presents clear and accessible findings and narrative. 
• Critical thinking skills and ability to develop and present reasoned insights. 
• Active listening. 
• Ability to manage and prioritise workload across a number of different projects and demands, in a busy environment. 
• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team.

• Adaptable and open to change. 
• A collaborative approach to working – especially cross team.
• Demonstrable attention to detail, accuracy, rigour and thoroughness.
• Willingness to continue professional and personal development. 
• Interest in The Audience Agency’s work and mission.
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• An interest in arts, culture and heritage, and social justice through culture.