Job Title: Caring Community Connector (Merton)
Salary: £26,400 per annum
Contract: Fixed term until 30 June 2026
Hours: 37 Hours per week
Location: Merton - working flexibly from home and in the community
Carers First is a charity that works directly with, and for unpaid carers, providing personalised information, advice and tailored support making it easier for those caring for someone else to continue living their lives to the fullest.
We have a committed, dedicated staff team and you could be just the person we are looking for to join us to make that valuable difference in carer’s lives. We live and work through our values in all that we achieve by being positive, collaborative and ambitious and we have clear plans to scale our reach, support and impact for carers.
About this role
As a Caring Community Connector your responsibilities would include: -
- Build relationships with local organisations, networks and professionals to raise awareness of unpaid carers.
- Deliver training and awareness sessions to improve carer identification and confidence among community facing staff.
- Support local partners to understand and use referral pathways to Carers First and other support.
- Develop and test innovative approaches for embedding carer awareness in community and frontline services.
About you
To be successful in this role you will need -
-
Community Engagement and Partnership Working
- Proven experience of working in outreach, engagement, or partnership development roles, ideally within the voluntary, community, health or social care sectors.
- Ability to develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and community organisations.
- Experience of delivering presentations, training or awareness sessions to professional and public audiences.
- Confident in representing organisational values in external forums, with the ability to influence and advocate effectively.
Communication and Project Delivery
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present information clearly and engage others in learning or behavioural change.
- Excellent organisational and project coordination skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver to agreed plans.
- Experience of using databases or digital tools to record activity, monitor outputs, and contribute to reporting.
- Comfortable working independently and taking initiative, while also contributing to team learning and shared outcomes.
Knowledge and Values
- Understanding of the needs and experiences of unpaid carers and/or people facing disadvantage in community or health settings.
- Knowledge of safeguarding, data protection, and the importance of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in community-facing work.
- A creative and curious mindset, committed to innovation, continuous learning, and making a positive difference.
We are looking for passionate people who are committed to the overall aims and objectives of the Charity. Carers First is committed to providing a supportive, vibrant, diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.
Carers First Can Offer You
In return for your contribution, we have an amazing package of staff benefits including 26 days annual leave entitlement which increases with length of service, flexible working options, paid carers leave, access to our work-place pension, staff discount scheme, employee assistance programme and a Benenden Healthcare package.
Whatever you are aiming to achieve in your career, we are here to encourage, help and support you grow, through our excellent training and development programmes.
How to apply
To apply for our exciting opportunity and make a real difference to the lives of carers, please download our Candidate Pack and click on the ‘Apply Now’ button to begin your application.
Applications can only be assessed if they clearly state how you meet each of the requirements in the Personal Specification.
Appointments are subject to Carers First receiving an appropriate disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable.
Interview Process:
- All successfully shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Microsoft teams interview.
- Closing date for applications: 21 September 2025- we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
- Interview date: week commencing: 01 October 2025
Carers First is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Positive Collaborative Ambitious
There are currently 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK, however carer charities estimate that number could be as high as 10.6 million. Their huge contribution saves our economy £162 billion each year - the cost of a second NHS. Each carer’s needs and situation are unique, but many face similar challenges. They can struggle to balance employment, finances, or their own wellbeing and time for themselves with their caring role. They may not be aware of the help and support available to them - and that is why we are here.
Carers First works directly with, and for, thousands of carers, providing personalised information and tailored support in the way that suits them: online, on the phone, or face to face in their local community. With the help of our supporters and volunteers, we can continue to be there for carers, helping them find balance, and to live their lives to the fullest - today, and for years to come.
Last year, we reached over 376,000 carers through digital services and face to face activities. We have been able to make a material difference in carers’ lives and we can evidence that carers feel more confident, informed and resilient in their caring role.
We are growing, and currently have over 50,000 carers registered with us.
When you join Carers First, you join a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive team who all have a shared interest in supporting unpaid carers to continue living their lives to the fullest, across the country. In a community dedicated to caring, we believe that our employees and volunteers really do make a difference, therefore, we emphasise the importance of learning and development, as well as actively encouraging them to develop their skills with our fantastic learning and development programme. This means that all of our team become the best that they can be, whilst helping others do the same.