Youth Engagement Manager

Our Fellowship Team is looking for a dedicated leader to champion youth voices and drive meaningful social change for vulnerable children and families.

Salary: £39,512.06 (£42,898.80 with London weighting), plus competitive pension

Location: Flexible, required to attend the London office twice a week if London based, once a fortnight if based outside of London

Deadline: 14 November 2024

Download job pack

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A little bit about the role 

This role will be closing at 12pm on Thursday 14 November.  

This role will sit within the Fellowship team, within the wider external relations directorate, and be managed by the Fellowship and engagement lead, supported by our chief social worker and a steering group of staff and trustees. This will ensure that we are connecting fellows – social workers who have completed one of Frontline’s programmes – to our young people’s work. The postholder will also have strong links with our communications and fundraising teams, which also sit within the external relations directorate.

The postholder will shape and grow all our work with and for young people with experience of social work, ensuring all involved have a positive experience. Our goal is to improve social work by listening to the needs of children and young people with lived experience. By involving them in all aspects of our work, we can make social work more effective and responsive for vulnerable children and families across England

We are seeking a dedicated professional who excels in youth-centred social work, with hands-on experience supporting young people aged 14-25. You will understand the unique challenges they face, especially those with care experience, and have insight into relevant social care policies. Working collaboratively with senior leadership, you will support inclusive, cohesive programme delivery.

The successful candidate will be an effective communicator and strategic relationship builder who prioritises youth voices and partnership. Skilled in managing complex workloads and securing funding, you will also bring a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and using technology to enhance impact.

Some key responsibilities include:

• Bringing individuals with care and social work experience together, helping them to have a bigger influence on Frontline’s mission to create social change for vulnerable children without a safe and stable home.
• Leading and growing the young people’s advisory board, recruiting and inducting new members.
• Developing a programme of activities for the young people’s advisory board and other experts by experience which includes quarterly meetings, day sessions and residentials each year.
• Collaborating with the Fellowship team to aid the development of future opportunities available fellows, using insights, voices and experiences from young people directly.
• Developing a mentoring programme for all of Frontline’s experts by experience through our Fellowship.

Please see job pack for full list of role responsibilities

A little bit about you 

This role will suit an experienced leader who is passionate about empowering young people with lived experience and integrating their perspectives into impactful social work. The hiring panel will be looking for candidates who demonstrate a deep commitment to inclusive leadership, strong coordination skills across diverse teams, and a proven ability to build meaningful engagement with young people and stakeholders.

We have a fast-moving culture within the team and organisation, so we’re looking for someone who is who is well organised, details-focused and can use their initiative to do what works. You will have excellent communication skills, be able to build relationships with people and be willing to learn. There are lots of opportunities for growth and development in this role – and for the right candidate to make the role their own. 

If you feel you have the skills to make a real impact and contribute to creating lasting social change for children and families, we would love to hear from you. 

Important information

We have increased the diversity of Frontline’s workforce in the last 12 months, but we need to do more to have greater racialised minority representation in our senior roles. We know the value racialised minority voices bring and therefore, we are strongly encouraging applicants from these backgrounds to apply. We are also a disability confident employer and welcome applicants with disabilities.

Please let us know how we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you by emailing people@thefrontline.org.uk.

We recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) such as ‘ChatGPT’ etc can be useful for applicants e.g. to shorten an initial draft, so we do not attempt to have an absolute ban on AI in applications. However we would caution applicants not to rely too much on AI in drafting answers to application questions. We want to hear your authentic voice arising out of your experience, and we will be looking for answers that use examples and experiences that are specific to you. You are more likely to be able to produce that kind of content yourself than an AI will.

We reserve the right to close this role ahead of the deadline once we reach a suitable number of applications, so please apply as soon as you can!

You will need to have current right-to-work in the UK prior to application and for at least the first six months (for permanent positions) or for the full duration of the contract (for fixed-term positions). Visa sponsorship is not guaranteed.

If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact Jackie Sanders, External Relations Director jackie.sanders@thefrontline.org.uk