Job: Collaborations Lead (Infrastructure)

As our Collaborations Lead, you will be an integral part of our Local Infrastructure team.  You’ll be responsible for convening thematic spaces that leverage a variety of perspectives and sharing those insights to generate positive change.  You will foster trust, drive accountability and action through relationship building, creative facilitation and proactively sharing responsibility and resource. You will be leading on developing, facilitating and embedding a culture of collaboration, skills sharing and transparency across our diverse VCFSE sector.

Responsibilities and duties

• Support the development of thematic circles and networks – those spaces that provide opportunities for collaboration, discussion and support sharing between VCFSE partners. This may involve facilitating spaces where necessary, supporting groups to share priorities and develop effective ways of working. 
  
   
  • Share insights and broad understanding of challenges and priorities discussed at thematic circles and networks, using these to cross pollinate other discussions and collaborations. 
    
     
  • Where possible, those circles and networks will be facilitated by sector members. You will oversee a dispersed leadership model in conjunction with Infrastructure Lead, ensuring that opportunities are fairly distributed and all voices are heard. 
    
     
  • Ensure that representation of VCFSE partners at local and GM strategic spaces is fair, equitable and responsible, overseeing a representation framework and process, relationship building with sector partners and consistent exploration of opportunities for sector voice to be heard. 
    
     
  • Ensure that local infrastructure support is accountable to the local VCFSE sector in the borough by enabling ongoing feedback loops between sector partners and WBCF activities.
    
     
  • Provide support in celebrating and highlighting the role of the VCFSE sector.
    
     
  • Contribute proactively to organisational development using the insights and relationships created during the development of thematic circles and networks. 
    
     
  • Support the production of activity reports, highlight reports, impact reports and bulletins.

General duties and other responsibilities:

• Undertake any training required for the role.
• Take an active interest in ensuring Wigan Borough Community First operates effectively, according to best practice and fulfils its obligations.
• Work within the team to maintain and achieve high standards and understand the importance of time management and meeting deadlines.
• Help to ensure that Wigan Borough Community First embraces diversity, challenges discrimination, and reflects the communities of the borough.
• Comply with organisation policies and procedures.
• Undertaking administrative tasks necessary to achieve the outcomes.
• Engage in regular staff meetings, staff briefings, task groups and Board meetings where appropriate.

• The post holder will be expected to undertake other responsibilities and tasks as reasonably requested by their line manager.

   

Who are we looking for?

We are seeking a proactive and passionate individual who is dedicated to working collaboratively with partners across the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE), public and private sectors. 

This role is designed for someone who is comfortable bringing people together in  non-agenda’d discussion spaces, managing diverse priorities and ways of working, and being an advocate for community led approaches even when that seems difficult. You can draw on creative facilitation methods to identify shared values, nurture meaningful participation and drive effective conversations that focus on practical outcomes for the VCFSE sector. 

You’re going to be holding a lot of relationships and strategic insight in this role, so you need to be able to juggle multiple and interconnected priorities. 

Key Attributes

Community-centred mindset: You should have a strong commitment to empowering the VCFSE sector. A deep understanding of the VCSE sector and its impact on diverse communities will be essential.

Collaborative champion: We need someone who can convene a broad variety of effective spaces, who is adept at fostering relationships and working alongside diverse participants to co create shared strategies.

Strong communicator: You will be comfortable holding space for people, reflecting and analysing conversations to share insights and create action. Sharing information to make sure everyone can participate and benefit is really important to build trust, capacity and legacy. You will be able to work with our communications team to build a story of progress and make sure no one feels left out. 

Inclusivity advocate: A commitment to fostering diversity and ensuring that all voices are heard is critical. You will work to broaden the representation of leaders within the VCSE sector, supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds to take active roles in advocacy and decision-making. 

Connector: Establishing trusted relationships is key. You should be able to build your own social capital and connections to draw people together, facilitating opportunities for collaboration that build capacity within our VCFSE sector.

Our Values and Behaviours

At Wigan Borough Community First our values are at the heart of everything we do. 
We believe real change happens when people work together, so we build strong, honest partnerships and share knowledge openly. We’re passionate about equity and inclusion, making sure every voice is heard and valued, especially those who are too often overlooked. 

We act with integrity, doing what’s right with honesty and transparency. We’re always learning and growing, staying curious and open to new ideas. Above all, we care deeply about community impact and creating meaningful, lasting change alongside the people and communities we serve. 

We’re looking for someone who shares these values and brings them to life in their everyday work.

• We are open and transparent 

We share information freely and honestly, so everyone can see how decisions are made and resources are used

• We trust and empower people

We believe in people’s ability to lead, create change, and take action for their communities

• We listen and include

We hear all voices, value different perspectives, and remove barriers so everyone can participate fully

• We work together for the common good 

We collaborate across communities, organisations, and groups to create shared solutions

• We share resources fairly

We ensure time, funding and opportunities are distributed in ways that are equitable and meet real needs

• We lead with compassion and respect

We treat each other with care, kindness, and understanding, recognising the dignity of every person

• We embrace creativity and change

We welcome fresh ideas, adapt to changing needs, and act with courage

• We nurture wellbeing and sustainability 

We support people and places so communities can thrive now and, in the future.