Assistant Director for Youth and Communities

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking an Assistant Director for Youth and Communities to provide strategic leadership across youth services. This pivotal role involves shaping the vision for Family Hubs and community support, with a focus on early intervention and collaboration with schools and health partners. The ideal candidate will demonstrate leadership abilities and a passion for empowering communities. Join us to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families across the region.

Qualifications

• Experience in adolescent services or youth justice valued.
• Integrity, strategic vision, and a passion for prevention required.
• Confidence and energy to innovate in community support.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across Family Hubs and youth services.
• Shape Suffolk's Youth and Communities model with evidence-informed practices.
• Implement Family Hubs and deliver Suffolk's youth strategy.

Skills

Experience in youth work methodology

Strong leadership abilities

Collaborative approach

Visionary thinking

Excellent communication skills

Job description

• Location: Endeavour House, Ipswich, with flexible / hybrid working options
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent

Reimagine the possibilities

At Suffolk County Council, we’re entering an exciting period of transformation to strengthen youth services, community support, and early help across the county. With national reforms, including the government’s Youth Strategy and Family Hubs, we’re rethinking how we engage with children, young people, and families and how we bring support directly into communities. This is early help in its truest sense, and we’re looking for a leader to shape this vision and make it a reality.

As our Assistant Director – Youth and Communities, you’ll provide strategic leadership across Family Hubs, Youth Justice, youth work, and wider youth-facing services. In this brand-new role, you’ll shape Suffolk’s developing Youth and Communities model, creating a coherent, evidence-informed, partnership-led offer that delivers prevention, early help, and community-based responses.

You’ll oversee services supporting adolescents across the full continuum of need, including child exploitation, missing children, and targeted interventions for vulnerable young people. Some of the key priorities include implementing Family Hubs, delivering Suffolk’s youth strategy in line with national policy, driving the early help strategy, and preparing for the upcoming Youth Justice inspection. You’ll also play a key role in collaboration with children’s social care colleagues, ensuring an integrated approach that considers care leavers, housing, and community impact - helping the “front door” to respond effectively.

You’ll work closely with schools, health colleagues, police, and voluntary sector partners to integrate youth, safeguarding, and early help functions, reducing fragmentation and improving continuity for young people. Your leadership will ensure services are designed around the lived experience of young people, embedding participation, inclusion, and co-production, while representing Suffolk locally, regionally, and nationally to shape youth policy and practice.

We’re seeking a visionary, collaborative leader with the confidence, energy, and curiosity to innovate. Experience in youth work methodology, adolescent services, or youth justice is valued, but above all, we’re looking for someone with integrity, strategic vision, and a passion for prevention, early help, and empowering communities.

This is a pioneering role with real influence and career-defining potential. With national reforms underway and a strong Children’s Services leadership team supporting you, you’ll shape the future of youth and community services in Suffolk.

Join a supportive, ambitious, and collaborative leadership environment and make a lasting difference in the lives of children, young people, and families across Suffolk.

To find out more please contact our retained recruitment consultants at Tile Hill: Anita Denton on 07725 554802 or Chris Barrow on 07437 839048 or visit https://www.careers.suffolk.gov.uk/home/careers/leadership/assistant-director-for-youth-and-communities

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 19th April 2026