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New Horizon Youth Centre seeks a Head of Services to lead their Youth Work and Day Centre provision during an exciting strategic transition. The successful candidate will have extensive experience in youth work management, a strong ability to motivate a diverse team, and a flexible approach to service delivery. This pivotal role involves cultivating partnerships and ensuring high-quality services are provided to young people.
We are seeking a Head of Services to lead our Youth Work and Day Centre provision at NHYC. This is an exciting time to join the organisation as we prepare to launch our new five-year strategy. You should be a thoroughly organised individual with extensive experience and expertise in operational service delivery. You should be capable of balancing strong attention to detail with the ability to think strategically, and be flexible to respond to changing demands. You should be an inspirational leader, able to motivate a diverse staff team to deliver consistently high quality services to young people.
To develop and manage services and projects that will ensure the provision of high-quality services to young people. This will include:
Staff Management
To develop the Youth Work Team, ensuring they make a full and positive contribution to the achievement of NHYC’s mission. This will include:
1. Participating in recruitment and training of new staff, volunteers, students and locum workers.
2. Leading, managing and motivating team members including deputy managers and frontline staff through:
• Developing and implementing planned programmes of induction
• Setting and monitoring annual individual performance objectives and development plans in line with the overall strategy.
• Holding regular supervisions, annual appraisals and team meetings.
• Actively promote a learning and development environment.
3. Dealing with problems concerning staff conduct, performance and attendance in line with policies and procedures.
Sharing best practice
To proactively share best practice with internal and external stakeholders in order to maximise the impact of the work of NHYC. This will include:
Information Management
To produce and maintain accurate and useful information in a range of formats in order to promote effective service delivery and evaluation. This will include:
Safeguarding
To act as a Designated Safeguarding Officer for the organisation, working with the Designated Safeguarding Lead to implement relevant policies and safeguard staff, young people, and other relevant stakeholders. This will include:
Reviewing Personal Performance and Development Needs
To be proactive in reviewing and evaluating own performance and identifying and acting upon areas for improvement. This will include:
1. Reviewing and evaluating own performance to identify strengths and areas for development. Identifying own learning and development needs and opportunities.
2. Undertaking development and training opportunities and being responsible for obtaining maximum benefit through review, reflection and practice.
Other
To contribute positively and constructively to the development of the team, the service and NHYC. This will include:
1. Acting on behalf of the Director of Operations on day-to-day matters in their absence and contributing to the overall management of the organisation as requested.
2. Covering for other members of the team as necessary, including frontline delivery with young people.
3. Feeding into and following NHYC’s policies, procedures and performance expectations.
4. Undertaking, as required, any other duties compatible with the level and nature of the post and/or reasonably required by the Director of Operations or Chief Executive.
We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate the following competencies to a high level and want to use these to the full in their work.
Knowledge, Experience and Track Record
1. Experience of managing a diverse range of quality youth work services. (E)
2. A thorough understanding of the issues, barriers, and challenges which young people experiencing homelessness might be facing, especially at the point of accessing help and support. (E)
3. Experience of managing a staff team. A proven track record of providing high-quality supervisions, appraisals, team meetings and training, and dealing with issues around staff conduct or performance. (E)
4. Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners to achieve organisational aims and objectives. (E)
5. Experience of using IT systems (including databases) to support the achievement of personal and collective work goals. (E)
6. The ability to multitask, make decisions, and manage multiple priorities effectively in a pressured, fast-paced environment. (E)
7. Experience of working to performance indicators, including monitoring and reporting on service outputs and outcomes, analysing performance information, and identifying corrective action. (E)
8. Ability to maintain enthusiasm for a high level of contact with clients on a day-to-day basis and a genuine passion for supporting young people to move towards independent living. (E)
9. Knowledge of youth work principles and practices, or knowledge of homelessness, and an understanding of how these interact together. (D)
10. Thorough and up-to-date working knowledge of:
• Local and National Government policies and procedures in relation to the client group. (E)
• Relevant organisations and their role and responsibilities in providing support to vulnerable young people. (E)
11. A high level of knowledge of health and safety issues in a working environment, including experience of compiling and implementing risk assessments. (E)
12. A thorough working knowledge around safeguarding policy and procedures for children and vulnerable adults. (E)
13. A working knowledge of and commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as it applies to a service and in the workplace. (E)
Additional Job Requirements
14. Willingness and ability to work outside of normal hours on occasion (within New Horizon’s flexible working hour’s arrangements). This includes some work over the Christmas period. (E)
15. Willingness to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements. (E)
The contract is permanent. It is subject to the successful completion of a probationary period.
The post is based at: New Horizon Youth Centre, 68 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JR. Some travel across London will be required.
The role is full-time (35 hours per week), Monday-Friday. Some work over the Christmas period and occasional evenings will also be required.
The starting salary for the role is £46,800.00. The salary scale is: AP37 (£46,800) to AP41 (£52,000).
We do not consider incomplete applications.
You will be notified if you have not been shortlisted. However, we are unfortunately unable to provide each individual application with feedback.
Click here to see the job pack in PDF format or the job pack in Word format.
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a call to discuss the role, please feel free to email us at recruitment@nhyouthcentre.org.uk or call 0207 388 5560.