Head of Younger Generations

New Wine; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

New Wine London is seeking a Head of Younger Generations to provide strategic leadership for Engaging Younger Generations across Kids, Youth, Young Adults and Discipleship Year. You will shape a joined‑up vision, translate priorities into plans, and help teams flourish while aligning with New Wine’s wider strategy.

You will build strong networks, support Ministry Leads, and drive collaboration across the national church network, while ensuring accessibility and inclusion for diverse communities.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in children’s, youth, young adult or wider church ministry.
• Ability to provide strategic leadership while understanding practical ministry delivery.
• Experience in developing teams, ministries, projects or networks beyond current scope.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of Engaging Younger Generations strategy across Kids, Youth, Young Adults and Discipleship Year.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear plans, goals and measurable outcomes.
• Build strong relationships with Ministry Leads and teams; support visioning and prioritisation.
• Develop national and regional Kids and Youth leader networks; extend year‑round connections beyond festival.
• Champion accessibility and diversity; ensure participation across churches of different sizes and contexts.

Job description

New Wine Trust London, England, United Kingdom

42,000

45,000

Description of Job

Role Overview

The Head of Younger Generations will provide strategic leadership for New Wine’s Engaging Younger Generations priority and play an important part in our ambition to become a younger and more diverse movement.

They will work closely with the Ministry Leads and their teams across New Wine Kids, Youth, Young Adults and Discipleship Year, helping to develop a joined-up vision and strategy that is shaped through prayer, relationship, listening and shared discernment.

The role will not seek to replace the specialist ministry leadership already present within these areas. Instead, the Head of Younger Generations will support and work alongside Ministry Leads, helping them translate the vision emerging from their teams into clear priorities, plans and outcomes that align with New Wine’s wider vision and strategy.

A significant part of the role will be creating stronger connections between these ministries, our national events and the year-round life of the New Wine network, while developing our support for Kids and Youth leaders in local churches across the country.

The Head of Younger Generations will therefore lead primarily through influence, relationships, collaboration and strategic direction — creating the conditions in which Ministry Leads and their teams can flourish and deliver effectively

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership of Younger Generations

• Lead the development and delivery of New Wine’s Engaging Younger Generations strategy.
• Contribute significantly to New Wine’s ambition to become a younger and more diverse movement.
• Develop a clear and joined-up vision across New Wine Kids, Youth, Young Adults and Discipleship Year.
• Translate New Wine’s strategic priorities into clear plans, goals and measurable outcomes for Younger Generations.
• Identify emerging opportunities, needs and trends within children’s, youth and young adult ministry.
• Ensure Younger Generations ministry remains strongly connected to the needs of the local church.
• Act as a key voice for Younger Generations within New Wine’s wider organisational planning.
• Help ensure our approach is both spiritually ambitious and practically deliverable.
• Use data, feedback and relationships across the network to understand who we are currently reaching, where participation is limited and where new opportunities exist.

2. Supporting and Working with Ministry Leads

The Head of Younger Generations will work closely with the Ministry Leads and teams responsible for New Wine Kids, New Wine Youth, Young Adults Collective and the Discipleship Year.The role will:

• Build strong, trusting relationships with each Ministry Lead and their team.
• Create regular opportunities to listen to what God is doing, hear the vision emerging from each ministry and discern future direction together.
• Support Ministry Leads in developing their vision into clear priorities, plans and measurable outcomes.
• Help ensure each ministry remains aligned with New Wine’s overall vision, strategy, culture and values.
• Bring the different Younger Generations ministries together around a shared direction while respecting the distinct calling and expertise of each team.
• Provide encouragement, challenge, coaching and strategic input to Ministry Leads.
• Help identify opportunities for greater collaboration between Kids, Youth, Young Adults and Discipleship Year.
• Support Ministry Leads in building healthy, diverse and accessible teams and ministries.
• Help remove organisational barriers and connect Ministry Leads with colleagues, resources and expertise across New Wine.
• Ensure that agreed priorities are followed through and that learning is shared across the wider Younger Generations portfolio.

The Head of Younger Generations will provide strategic leadership and organisational alignment, while Ministry Leads and their teams retain responsibility for the development and delivery of their specialist ministry areas.

3. Developing Kids and Youth Leader Networks

A key priority will be extending New Wine’s Kids and Youth ministry beyond Festival and developing a strong year-round network for local leaders.

This will include:

• Developing national and regional communities for Kids, Youth and Young Adult leaders.
• Building relationships with leaders and churches already connected to New Wine.
• Intentionally developing relationships with leaders and churches who are currently underrepresented within our network.
• Creating new opportunities for leaders to connect, learn, pray and support one another.
• Identifying and developing emerging Kids and Youth leaders.
• Connecting practitioners with experienced leaders who can provide encouragement, mentoring and expertise.
• Developing a clear pathway for churches to engage with New Wine’s Younger Generations activity throughout the year.
• Listening to local churches and ensuring our activity responds to the genuine challenges they are facing.
• Ensuring the network is accessible to leaders from churches of different sizes, geographical settings, traditions and communities.

4. Diversity, Accessibility and Participation

Champion New Wine’s commitment to becoming younger and more diverse within all areas of Younger Generations ministry.

This will include:

• Helping ensure our teams, programmes, platforms and leadership pipelines increasingly reflect the diversity of the churches and communities we serve.
• Identifying barriers that may prevent children, young people, leaders or churches from engaging with New Wine.
• Working proactively to widen participation where particular communities or groups are underrepresented.
• Working closely with the Accessible Church team and leaders to develop accessible and inclusive approaches to Kids, Youth and Young Adult ministry.
• Ensuring accessibility is considered from the beginning of programme and event planning rather than being treated as an additional provision afterwards.
• Championing good practice around disability, neurodiversity and additional needs.
• Helping ministry leaders and volunteers grow in confidence in creating environments where people with different needs are able to participate meaningfully.
• Considering financial, cultural, geographical and practical barriers to participation alongside physical accessibility.
• Developing leadership opportunities for people from a wider range of backgrounds and experiences.
• Modelling New Wine’s commitment to creating space for everyone, so that people are welcomed, valued and able to participate fully while remaining rooted in New Wine’s Christian vision and theological convictions.

This responsibility will be shared with colleagues across New Wine rather than sitting solely with this role, but the Head of Younger Generations will be expected to provide visible leadership in this area within their portfolio.

5. Training, Leadership Days and Gatherings

• Develop Kids and Youth Leader Training Days and other gathering points throughout the year.
• Wherever appropriate, integrate these opportunities into New Wine’s wider Leadership Days and network activity.
• Develop training which equips leaders practically, spiritually and theologically.
• Ensure accessibility, diversity and participation are embedded within the training we provide to Kids and Youth leaders.
• Equip local church leaders to create ministry environments where children and young people with a wide range of needs and backgrounds can participate and flourish.
• Build a network of practitioners and contributors who can support the delivery of training nationally.
• Explore opportunities for online learning, resources and community alongside in-person gatherings.
• Ensure that training and gatherings are accessible to churches of different sizes, traditions and contexts.

Take responsibility for developing the Kids and Youth Leaders Stream at the New Wine Leadership Conference.

This will include:

• Developing the overall vision and content for the stream.
• Identifying speakers, practitioners and contributors who bring a breadth of experience and perspective.
• Creating a programme which combines practical equipping, spiritual formation and opportunities to build relationships.
• Ensuring the stream connects with the wider Leadership Conference programme and New Wine strategy.
• Using Leadership Conference as a key gathering point for the growing national Kids and Youth leaders network.
• Ensuring accessibility and diversity are intentionally considered in programme development, contributors and participation.

7. Kids and Youth Minister Project

Provide leadership for the next stage of the Kids and Youth Minister Project.

This will include:

• Leading a second pilot of the project.
• Reviewing learning from the initial pilot and developing the model accordingly.
• Working with participating churches and ministry leaders.
• Developing clear measures of impact and learning.
• Exploring how the project could become sustainable and scalable.
• Helping build the longer-term case for investment in Kids and Youth ministry within local churches.
• Considering how the project can serve churches in a range of contexts and increase access to high-quality Kids and Youth ministry.

8. Fundraising and Partnerships

Work collaboratively with the Fundraising and Partnerships team to develop funding opportunities for Younger Generations ministry.

This will include:

• Helping shape the funding case for the Kids and Youth Minister Project.
• Contributing to applications, proposals and conversations with potential funders.
• Identifying stories and evidence that demonstrate impact.
• Developing relationships with potential partners where appropriate.
• Helping identify funding opportunities related to children and young people, leadership development, accessibility and widening participation.
• Working towards a growing proportion of Younger Generations activity being supported through dedicated external funding.

9. Events and Festival

While the role is intentionally broader than Festival, New Wine’s national events remain an important part of our Younger Generations ministry.

The Head of Younger Generations will:

• Support Ministry Leads in developing strong teams and programmes.
• Ensure Festival ministry connects with our wider year-round strategy.
• Encourage Festival volunteers and leaders to become connected to New Wine beyond the event itself.
• Work closely with the Events team to ensure strong planning, communication and delivery.
• Work with the Accessible Church team to ensure Younger Generations venues and programmes are increasingly accessible and barriers to participation are identified and addressed.
• Help create pathways through which children and young people can remain connected to New Wine as they move between different age groups.
• Work closely with colleagues across Networks, Events, Marketing and Communications, Fundraising and Partnerships and Operations.
• Build a strong working relationship with the Accessible Church team and leaders.
• Ensure Younger Generations is integrated into New Wine’s wider strategic planning and communications.
• Develop strong relationships with church leaders and New Wine network leaders.
• Represent New Wine appropriately with external organisations and partners working in children’s and youth ministry.
• Build relationships across denominations and the wider Christian sector where these support New Wine’s mission.
• Learn from organisations and churches demonstrating good practice in diversity, accessibility and ministry with younger generations.

11. Culture, Safeguarding and Spiritual Leadership

• Model New Wine’s vision, values and Christian ethos.
• Contribute actively to the spiritual life and culture of the staff team.
• Build healthy, empowering and accountable teams.
• Promote a culture of safeguarding, accountability and best practice throughout Younger Generations ministry.
• Ensure safeguarding is embedded within the planning and delivery of all relevant programmes and activities.
• Champion New Wine’s value of creating space for everyone.
• Create environments where people are valued, developed and able to contribute.
• Model curiosity, humility and a willingness to listen to experiences different from their own.
• Help develop cultures in which emerging leaders from different backgrounds are identified, encouraged and given meaningful opportunities to lead.

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Person Specification

Leadership and Ministry Experience

• Significant experience of leadership within children’s, youth, young adult or wider church ministry.
• A strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Kids and Youth ministry within the UK local church.
• Experience of leading, managing and developing people.
• Ability to provide strategic leadership while also understanding the practical realities of ministry delivery.
• Evidence of developing teams, ministries, projects or networks beyond their existing scope.

Strategic and Organisational Skills

• Able to turn vision and strategy into clear plans and deliverable priorities.
• Strong organisational and project leadership skills.
• Comfortable working across several interconnected areas of responsibility.
• Able to establish goals, monitor progress and evaluate impact.
• Able to use insight and e
• Able to manage competing priorities while maintaining a clear strategic focus.

Diversity, Accessibility and Participation

• A demonstrable commitment to creating ministry environments in which people from different backgrounds and with different needs can participate and flourish.
• An understanding of the importance of accessibility within children’s and youth ministry.
• Able to listen well to experiences and perspectives different from their own.
• Able to identify barriers to participation and work collaboratively to find practical solutions.
• A commitment to widening leadership opportunities and developing a diverse range of emerging leaders.

Network and Relationship Building

• A natural relationship builder with the ability to connect with a wide range of church leaders and ministry practitioners.
• Experience of building partnerships, communities or networks.
• Able to influence and lead people beyond direct line-management relationships.
• Comfortable representing an organisation publicly and building relationships nationally.

Communication and Training

• A strong communicator in both written and spoken contexts.
• Confident facilitating meetings, training and gatherings.
• Able to communicate vision and inspire others to participate.
• Able to work effectively with senior church leaders as well as grassroots practitioners.

Personal and Spiritual

• A practising Christian with a strong personal commitment to Jesus and the local church.
• A commitment to New Wine’s vision, values and Word and Spirit DNA.
• A collaborative and empowering leadership style.
• Emotionally intelligent and able to build healthy working relationships.
• A commitment to developing others and releasing leadership.
• Demonstrates integrity, humility and good judgement.
• A strong commitment to safeguarding and creating healthy ministry cultures.
• A personal commitment to New Wine’s ambition to become younger and more diverse and to create space for everyone.
• Experience of leading children’s or youth ministry at a significant local, regional or national level.
• Experience within a church network, denomination or para‑church organisation.
• Experience of developing leadership networks or communities of practice.
• Experience of designing and delivering conferences, training programmes or national gatherings.
• Experience of developing new ministry initiatives or pilot projects.
• Experience of working with fundraising teams, trusts, foundations or major donors.
• Experience of managing budgets.
• Knowledge of current research and trends relating to faith development among children and young people.
• Experience of developing accessible ministry for children or young people with disabilities, neurodiversity or additional needs.
• Experience of widening participation or developing leadership among underrepresented groups.

Full time (35 hours a week), including weekly in-person team meetings in London. The rhythm is as follows: All-staff meetings on 1st and 3rd week of the month, and individual Operational team days on the 2nd and 4th week of the month. The nature of this role means that some travel and working away from home will be required, as agreed in advance. Specifically, the Head of Operations must be available for the annual leadership conference and the New Wine summer festival.

Places of Work

This role is eligible for hybrid and flexible working, with a minimum of 1 day in the London office a week.

This post is subject to an occupational requirement that the holder be a practising Christian under Part 1 of Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.

This job description is intended to summarise the primary responsibilities and qualifications for this position. The job description is not intended to include all duties an individual in this position might be asked to perform or all capabilities that may be required now or in the future. New Wine reserves the right to revise the duties outlined in this job description at its discretion.

New Wine is a Christian charity based in London operating all over England actively working with local churches to change nations.