Social Value Manager
2 days ago
Southampton
About the Role Stepnell is looking for a Social Value Manager to take ownership of project social value delivery and lead our local community engagement. In this role, you will bridge the gap between our high-level corporate Sustainability and Social Value (SSV) Strategy and policy and practical site-level action. While compliance and metric tracking are key elements of the job, the core of this role is about people - building genuine relationships with local authorities, schools, charities, and supply chain partners to create meaningful local impact. Beyond your regional focus, you will act as a Specialist Lead in a key area (e.g., Education Engagement, EDI, or Apprenticeships), sharing best practice across the business alongside two other Social Value Managers who champion other specialist areas. What You’ll Be Doing • Community & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain long-term, engaging partnerships with local authorities, charities, VCSEs, employment hubs, and educational institutions., • Pre-Construction & Work Winning: Act as the subject matter lead during bid stages - writing high-quality tender content, authoring tailored Project Social Value Action Plans, and conducting Local Needs Analyses., • Interpreting & Delivering S106 Obligations: Advise on and support the delivery of Employment & Skills Plan (ESP) components within S106 agreements, translating specific client requirements into clear, workable project delivery plans., • Site & Supply Chain Integration: Work directly with site teams, commercial teams, local suppliers, and SMEs to embed sustainable spend. Support project teams preparing for Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) audits by providing up-to-date community engagement evidence and case studies to drive continuous improvement in CCS Social Value performance., • Specialist Subject Lead: Act as Stepnell’s subject champion for a designated SSV specialism, developing practical resources and supporting peers to ensure consistent delivery across the business., • Data-Driven & Accurate Reporting: Oversee the collection, analysis, and verification of project social value metrics. Maintain absolute accuracy using client methodologies and consolidated business frameworks (e.g., Social Value TOM System) to report progress to Directors and feed into the annual corporate SSV report. What We’re Looking For • Relationship Building Skills: Proven ability to communicate, negotiate, and build trust with diverse stakeholders - from site operatives and subcontractors to clients, local councils, and community leaders., • Strong Bid & Content Writing: Excellent written communication skills, with demonstrated experience writing clear, compelling social value responses for competitive bids and tenders., • Data Integrity & Attention to Detail: Hands-on experience using social value measurement frameworks (such as the Social Value Portal) with a diligent focus on technical accuracy and audit-ready reporting., • Strategic & Practical Execution: Ability to translate our overarching corporate Sustainability and Social Value (SSV) Strategy into practical, site-level deliverables., • Pro-Active & Mobile: A self-starter with the flexibility to travel regularly across regional sites and business hubs, managing priorities across multiple project lifecycles., • Driving Licence: Full UK driving licence required for site visits. Why Stepnell At Stepnell, we’re passionate about empowering our people to thrive. We believe in building fulfilling and rewarding careers by investing in talent, nurturing growth, and inspiring innovation. With the prestigious Investors in People Gold accreditation, we’re proud to place our people at the heart of everything we do. Every team member is valued, and curiosity and collaboration are central to our team culture. We’re committed to enabling our people to make a real impact and drive meaningful change throughout our business. To show our appreciation, we offer generous and competitive benefits including, an enhanced pension scheme with a Stepnell contribution of 7% to help secure your financial future, annual leave that increases with service and the flexibility to purchase more, a market leading employee referral scheme, and for eligible roles comprehensive health coverage, adjustable start and finish times and a car allowance or company car. Join us in a collaborative and inclusive environment where your well-being is our priority, and your contributions are truly valued. About Stepnell As a family-owned business with over 155 years of history, Stepnell is built on stability, trust, and long-term thinking. We make decisions with the future in mind for our people, our clients, and our communities. Our capabilities span construction, property development, energy solutions, joinery, and concrete repair, allowing us to offer integrated services that meet a wide range of client needs. Operating through six regional offices in Rugby, Nottingham, Liverpool, Wantage, Bristol, Southampton, Exeter and across three core business units, we maintain a strong local presence while delivering consistently high standards. Today, repeat clients account for 75% of our turnover, a testament to our reliability and the quality of our relationships.