University of Bristol
Community Accountability Partner Roles
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The role
We believe that the communities most affected by historical harm must also be part of the response and recognise that grassroots knowledge is essential to the programme's integrity and credibility.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute positively to the development and growth of a strategic Programme within the University of Bristol. In November 2023 the University announced its commitment to investing £10m over 10 years via the Reparative Futures Programme, to tackle racial injustice as a result of the legacies of chattel enslavement amongst
Following 18 months of a Programme mobilisation phase from February 2024 – September 2025, where our first cohort of Community Accountability Partners (CAPs) have supported us in developing the foundations of this programme, we officially entered a programme phase that is shaping the road map, action and delivery plans for this programme.
We are recruiting community members for this next phase of the programme, to enable us to keep shaping this important work, ensuring we remain accountable as a programme to what we commit to deliver.
We are looking to appoint eight Community Accountability Partner (Programme) roles who will provide ongoing support across the programme, and 12 Community Accountability Partner (Project) roles, who will provide more ad-hoc support and contributions to specific projects or workstreams.
What will you be doing?
You will work with the core programme team and participate in formal meetings, sharing your expertise, lived experiences, voices & wisdom from your communities to guide the direction and governance of the programme, its processes and ensure the work is authentic, informed, impactful and aligned with the needs of the people it aims to serve.
Advisory Role
- Bring specialised knowledge, lived experience, and expertise in reparatory justice practices to help shape the university's policies, programmes, and initiatives.
Ethical Oversight
- Ensure the university remains committed to its reparative goals, addressing past harms and promoting equity, justice and repair.
Bridge Between University and Community
- Representing the voices of those most affected by historical injustices, fostering collaboration and mutual understanding between the institution and the broader community.
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Promoters of Transparency
- Hold the university accountable for promises and goals related to reparatory justice, and programme commitments, ensuring progress is measurable and visible.
Agents of Change
- Involvement signals a commitment to partnership and change, where the university acknowledges its responsibility to listen to and act in partnership with those who bring valuable insights, lived experiences, and historical context.
You should apply if
You have expertise and relevant lived experience within one or more of the following areas: education, co-creation & partnerships, civic engagement at both a global and local level, community engagement, media and comms, fundraising, economic empowerment, mental health & wellbeing, creative expression, reparative justice, and developing historical narrative and memorialisation.
- You are enthusiastic about improving the outcomes for people of African and Caribbean descent, via our Reparative Future Programme and will be committed to helping us achieve success.
- You are skilled in influencing networks, bringing forward and listening to the views of others and communicating your expertise in a respectful way.
- Can commit approximately 6 hours per month, attend and contribute to formal meetings as a Community Accountability Partner (Programme).
- Can respond to particular demands of specific projects and workstreams on a more flexible basis as a Community Accountability Partner (Project). Notice will be given for each opportunity.
We recognise that institutional expertise (e.g. governance, budget literacy, policy knowledge) is often more visible on paper, while grassroots expertise (e.g. community memory, lived resilience, relational trust-building, deep place-based understanding) is embodied, relational, and harder to "evidence" in a traditional application. Both are forms of expertise, and an individual may hold both backgrounds simultaneously.
We therefore welcome applications in multiple formats, written, audio, video, or community testimony.
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If you wish to submit an audio or video application, please email this to recruitment@bristol.ac.uk for the attention of Matthew Ellis and Raveena Landa.
We particularly encourage applications from those with experience of community listening and engagement in relation to racial injustice, including young people aged 18 – 30, and those with Black-African/Caribbean or Black- African/Caribbean-mixed heritage.
Additional information
Please see the recruitment pack for the capabilities, experiences and skills framework we hope our CAPs can bring, our co-created ways of working documents and other key information included in our candidate brochure.
Details on how to apply can be found on our website: https://reparative-futures.bristol.ac.uk/
To apply, please submit:
- A covering letter or alternative format response (for example, video or audio) addressing the four application questions below:
- What is your motivation for joining the Reparative Futures Programme, and what does being a Community Accountability Partner mean to you?
- What is your vision for the Reparative Futures Programme?
- Which community or communities do you represent, and what are the key issues, challenges and opportunities within those communities?
- What skills, knowledge, relationships or networks would you hope to develop through your involvement in the programme?
- The names and contact details of two professional referees. References will only be requested if you are offered a position, and we will seek your permission before contacting them.
Application closing date: 23.59pm, Sunday 30th August 2026.
Accountability Partner interviews will be held during week commencing 21st September.
Informal enquiries: please email the Reparative Futures Mailbox - reparative-futures@bristol.ac.uk.
Our strategy and mission
We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.
Available documents
- Candidate Brochure CAP Role 2026 - SUPP113680.pdf
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