Community and Growing Spaces Development Worker

 Community and Growing Spaces Development Worker

Temporary for 36 months, 21 hours per week

Queens Cross Housing Association has a vacancy for a Community and Growing Spaces Development Worker. This excellent opportunity is a challenging and rewarding role within our Social Regeneration Team and is key to delivering our progamme of activities which are key to our commitment to challenging poverty and creating vibrant communities.  This fixed term role will run for 36 months from March 2025.

 Job Purpose: 

The successful candidate will be tasked with leading our community growing activities. The purpose of this role is to support local community members to maximise their engagement with our community gardens and growing spaces including allotments.  The job will involve engaging with the local community, providing horticultural support at gardening sessions and helping with the upkeep of the associations growing spaces.  

The role will involve managing the effective use of a newly created allotment site in Woodside, including managing the waiting list and being the main point of contact for allotment holders. The role will also involve allocating raised beds at Woodside garden and coordinating effective use of community raised beds at all garden sites. The post holder will be a member of the social regeneration team and will work with the team on a range of interconnected projects.

You will:

• develop and deliver growing themed activities through a combination of direct delivery and partnership working. The post will also involve identifying, accessing funding opportunities to support this work, with the assistance of the Social Regeneration Manager. 

•  be experienced in assessing and managing risks associated with the delivery of outdoor community work and should also be comfortable problem solving in a fast-moving environment, in community settings. You must also be comfortable working in partnership with external organisations including schools, community organisations and members of the community.

• be fully aware of GDPR and commit to upholding these regulations in the interests of growers, children, parents and Queens Cross Housing Association. The successful candidate will also be fully aware of the Child Protection system in Scotland and the reporting mechanisms in place locally. 

Essential Criteria:

Applicants should have a minimum of two years’ experience in community-based growing activities and should have excellent horticultural knowledge and expertise. Proven experience of delivering services and activities is essential. Experience of supporting sessional staff is desirable. Experience of working in a Housing Association environment is also desirable, but not essential. The post will require occasional evening and weekend working.

Please find the full job description/ person specification attached below for further information on the role. 

We will:

Provide a generous pay and reward package, including 40 days leave per year, 7% or 4% employer pension contribution, agile working options, green initiatives, family friendly policies, health & wellbeing commitment and much more.  Read all about our benefits and commitments here.

How to apply:

Download an application and return it via the email detailed on the form by the relevant closing date.  Alternatively, you can complete our  online application  form by the closing date specified.

Internal applicants should submit a completed expression of interest form.

CVs will not be accepted. 

Further information about our recruitment process can be found in our recruitment guidance note.

Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday 20th February. 

If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, please email Recruitment@qcha.org.uk