National Principal Youth Work Officer

**Location Home based/remote working**
**Contract Type: Full time, Permanent**
**Salary Band 2 £44,940 - 51,360**
**Benefits: Competitive**

The National Youth Agency is excited to be recruiting for a National Principal Youth Work Officer

**What we do**
All young people deserve a productive, fulfilling future. Society needs the spark and energy of young people to make it tick, yet somehow thousands of young people feel blocked by the complex, sometimes disheartening challenges the modern world throws at them.

Youth work is the best methodology to unlock young people's potential by providing high quality support and opportunities. Skilled youth workers build relationships that support young people to explore their personal, social, and educational development. Youth work enables young people to develop their voice, influence, and place within society.

As the national body for youth work, NYA has a dual function. We are the professional, statutory, and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

**About the Role**
You will promote the work of the NYA, help us to secure income, and increase our influence on national policy.

You will also work with the senior leadership team to provide information and insight into the needs and priorities of the public sector, that will guide the team to deliver future projects and services that support NYA's wider strategy.

You will develop a national network of youth work leads from local authorities, mindful of the role of our Regional Youth Work Unit partners. The NYA seeks to connect the voices of public sector youth work leaders, commissioners and young people to our work to influence future policy and investment.
You will lead and co-ordinate a national public sector strategic youth work improvement programme as the NYA seeks to strengthen the understanding of the statutory duty local authorities have in delivering youth work locally (s508B).

**You will**:

- Act as the strategic lead for local authority engagement and relationship management.
- Work with the Senior Leadership Team to develop and deliver engagement opportunities and partnerships with local authorities.
- Promote the work of the NYA with intelligence about the needs/issues of local government in relation to delivery of services.
- Embed a culture of effective partnership working throughout the organisation.
- Co-ordinate local reviews of youth provision with sponsor local authorities.
- Work closely with the LGA's improvement team to strengthen youth work locally.

This role sits within our Growth Directorate, and you will report to the Director of Growth

**About you**
- Have a strong track record of youth work management at a senior level within the public sector.
- At least three year's relevant experience of developing and creating successful partnerships and networks in a relevant sector and/or setting.
- Experience of influencing and engaging senior stakeholders in the youth sector, the public and/or voluntary sector.
- Developing a cohesive and focussed team approach with diverse partners to achieve shared goals.
- Experience of business development/sales in a relevant discipline.
- Strong knowledge and understanding of the youth sector, the current policy context and emergent youth issues.
- Extensive knowledge of local government structures and models.
- Knowledge and understanding of the local government context and of delivery.

**How to apply**

A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.

Please provide details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of their relationship to you and over what period they have known you. Referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.

Ref: 135 634