Job title: Hate crime Officer

Salary: PO2 £39,862 to £42,839

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House, Leeds City Centre/home working

As a Hate Crime Officer, you’ll thrive on working with diverse communities to deliver positive outcomes against the council’s ambitions on the Hate Crime, Equality and Cohesion agendas.

The last few years have seen significant increases in reported Hate Crime. Recent international events have further exacerbated cohesion issues within sections of our communities. It is important that the council’s approach to hate crime evolves to meet this challenge. It’s not about box ticking. We work with real people in real communities across one of the most diverse council areas in the country. We have a real commitment to delivering an inclusive city and we want you to have that commitment as well.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Hate Crime Officer, you will bring to the role:

Understanding of hate crime, community involvement, community relations and cohesion
Understanding of equality diversity and inclusion issues which effect local communities.
Ability to engage with diverse communities which empowers, enables, and develops them to achieve results.
Experience of leading or contributing to multiple projects and pieces of work, maintaining a focus on delivery and quality, and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
Experience of working on complicated and challenging agendas where a range of stakeholders may have competing priorities and negotiating the best way forward.

About the role

As our dedicated Hate Crime Officer you’ll support the Senior Policy and Performance Officer (Equality and Hate Crime) in the development of policy around the council’s hate crime agenda. You will provide advice, guidance and support to the council’s services and partners on the hate crime agenda and support the promotion of hate crime awareness and prevention. You will support the delivery of the council’s hate crime oversight structures including Scrutiny and Strategic Boards and co-chair the Hate Crime Operational Group. You will also contribute to the development, implementation, performance management and review of the Council’s Hate Crime Strategy, ensuring it meets statutory and legal requirements while being firmly informed by community needs, lived experience, and local aspirations. In addition, you will support the development and delivery of the Council’s newly adopted, city-wide Cohesion Strategy, ensuring strong alignment with hate crime priorities and a focus on building inclusive, resilient communities.

The role is integral to our Community Relations and Cohesion Team who, alongside our work on Equality, Hate Crime and Cohesion, deliver on our ambitions on Migration and Resettlement, Third Sector Partnerships and Prevent.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements

a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Geoff Turnbull, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager. Email Geoffrey.turnbull@leeds.gov.uk or Andy Birkbeck, Head of Community Relations and Cohesion. Email Andrew.birkbeck@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

To contribute to the development of policy around the council’s hate crime agenda.
To provide advice, guidance and support to council’s services and partners on the hate crime agenda including ensuring legal compliance.
To assist Elected Members to deliver support to the Hate Crime agenda.
To support the council’s external facing engagement around hate crime including through the council’s Equality Assembly and Hubs and hate crime boards and working groups.
To build and maintain successful relationships with a range of partners on the hate crime agenda.
To support the council’s performance reporting and governance processes against hate crime.
To develop and support the council’s communication of the hate crime agenda both internally and externally.
To support the delivery of a range of awareness raising activities throughout the year on the hate crime agenda.
To support Safer Stronger Communities to deliver major service improvements with our partners and other Council services.
To ensure that project objectives are delivered on time, within budget and to expected levels of quality.

Responsibilities:

Give advice, guidance and support for council services in supporting and engaging with the hate crime agenda.
Provide advice, guidance and support to the Equality Hubs on the hate crime agenda.
Support the development and review of the council’s hate crime strategy ensuring it is focused on legal requirements but also community needs and aspirations.
Support the production of performance reporting throughout the year.
Support the promotion of hate crime awareness and prevention through the annual calendar of International weeks and months focusing on hate.
Support the delivery of the council’s hate crime oversight structures including the Hate Crime Strategic Board and Hate Crime Operational Group.
Provide advice, guidance and support to Directorate Equality Boards.
Develop and maintain good relationships with amongst others: West Yorkshire Police including Hate Crime Coordinators and Strategic Engagement Officers, Stop Hate UK and other third sector partners, The rest of the criminal justice system, Third Party Reporting Centres and Signposting Centres in delivering key aspects of the hate crime agenda.
Respond to key challenges in the city around hate as they arise.
Highlight poor service delivery performance with the council’s Senior Policy and Performance Officer and EDI Manager.
Support the work of the Hate Crime Operational Group and the hate crime/ASB reviews and hate crime/ASB MARAC meetings.
Support the delivery and an annual programme of events for Hate Crime Awareness Week and other hate crime related campaigns.
Represent the council on outside bodies and at events including partnerships with faith leaders, local government peers, other public sector bodies, national government and third sector partners.
Support the development of and content review of the councils external facing hate crime content on leeds.gov.uk and hate crime social media accounts as required.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equality policy of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
To keep abreast of policy developments and changes to government guidance and be able to adapt to emerging changes to the delivery of service.
To undertake and contribute to organisational and service process reviews.
To contribute to the delivery of change through analysing current practice and recommending improvements.
To manage competing priorities, ensuring consistency of approach with a key focus on delivery and quality.
To prepare briefings, reports, policy documents, publicity and other materials, and to deliver these in ways that meet the needs of different audiences.
To lead, contribute to and support meetings, including daily stand-up meetings, strategic boards, working groups, as required, including agenda planning and preparation, attendance at meetings and minuting where appropriate/required.
To keep abreast of developments, internal and external, which have implications for Safer Stronger Communities, and the Council as a whole.
To carry out all assignments with minimum direct supervision and in accordance with specified work programmes, project briefs, and timetables.
To maintain a high level of confidentiality.
To work within all relevant policies, procedures and systems established corporately by the Council or locally by Safer Stronger Communities and, in particular, to support the Council’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
To carry out duties in accordance with the Council Values and Culture.
All other duties considered commensurate with the post.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Method Of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.

Skills Required

Ability to engage with diverse communities which empowers, enables and develops them to achieve results
Ability to develop new areas of work, providing challenge and support to colleagues
Ability to manage and monitor performance effectively and set clear objectives
Ability to make an effective contribution to internal and external meetings
Ability to take forward initiatives and policies from development to implementation
Ability to prepare clear and objective reports for a range of audiences
Ability to improve service quality and support a culture that drives up standards and performance.
Ability to deliver training to a range of partners as required.
Ability to resolve conflict
T. competencies to undertake a range of tasks.
Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities

Knowledge Required

Understanding of equality and diversity issues which effect local communities
Knowledge of the issues and challenges associated with the delivery of the Council’s Hate Crime Strategy Knowledge of Community Safety issues locally and nationally
Understanding of community involvement, cohesion and community relation issues.
Understanding of local government political systems
Understanding of the Third Sector
Understanding of the criminal justice system
Knowledge of Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
Knowledge of Confidentiality Policies and GDPR framework

Experience Required

Experience of working on the equality and or hate crime agendas and or locality based issues.
Experience of working on community safety/neighbourhood issues and with diverse communities.
Experience of community development, using a range of different techniques, which build the confidence and capacity of communities.
Experience of contributing to a variety of projects relating to transformation and service improvement, and delivering them on time, within budget and to agreed quality standards and reporting through appropriate governance structures.
Experience of database systems, analysis and reporting.
Experience of identifying and managing risks associated with projects or programmes.
Experience of leading or contributing to multiple projects and pieces of work, maintaining a focus on delivery and quality and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
Experience of writing reports and delivering presentations to a very high standard. And communicating clearly with diverse audiences.
Experience of delivering change through analysing current practice and recommending improvements.
Experience of working on projects that have delivered customer focused outcomes.
Experience of dealing with matters which are highly sensitive and confidential.
Experience of taking forward initiatives from development to implementation.
Experience of contributing to partnership working involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
Experience of working on complicated and challenging agendas where a range of stakeholders may have competing priorities and negotiating the best way forward.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.