Development Officer – Community Wealth Building

Contract: Funded until 2031
Reporting to: Development Manager – CRT Support (Wales)

This role forms part of the Inclusive Ownership project, a UK-wide partnership funded by The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities to take ownership of land and buildings.

Organisation Profile

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) is the only community wealth building charity dedicated to the regeneration of Britain’s coalfield communities. For over 25 years, the CRT has worked with communities to deliver a breadth of projects creating opportunities for people, strengthening the role of community organisations and identifying place-based solutions responsive to the challenges still experienced in former coalmining towns and villages. To support delivery, the CRT has developed an innovative community wealth-building model generating sustainable income to deliver both social and economic value. Enabled by engaging key stakeholders, partners and, most importantly the communities, activities delivered are personalised to meet the needs of the people, the organisations and the place.

About the Role

CRT is seeking a Development Officer to support communities in Wales to explore and secure ownership of land and buildings, strengthening community wealth building in former coalfield areas.

The role will provide practical support to community organisations, helping them navigate community ownership, develop sustainable economic models, and build long-term resilience. Learning from this work in Wales will also help inform community wealth building practice and policy development in deprived and minoritised communities across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality development support to community organisations seeking to acquire, manage and sustain community assets.
• Support organisations through key stages of community ownership, including feasibility, governance, financial planning and long-term sustainability.
• Help organisations become investment-ready through business planning, project development and support with funding, loan or investment applications.
• Deliver programme activity in line with agreed objectives, outputs, outcomes and funder requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with public, private and third sector partners, including coordinated work with Cwmpas and wider cross-nation learning partners.
• Capture community voice, lived experience and delivery learning to inform policy development and improve community wealth building practice.
• Ensure delivery in Wales supports bilingual access to services, materials and engagement opportunities in Welsh and English.

About You

We are looking for someone with experience of supporting community organisations, social enterprises or partnerships to develop sustainable approaches to community wealth building, community ownership and local economic development.

You will have a strong track record in partnership working, project or programme management, and supporting organisations with business planning, financial planning and funding or investment applications. You will also bring knowledge of regeneration issues affecting Welsh coalfield communities, strong communication and reporting skills, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Why Join CRT?

This is an opportunity to support community ownership and community wealth building across Wales’ coalfield communities, helping to protect valued local assets, strengthen local economies and create a lasting legacy of practical learning, resources and best practice.

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