Community engagement and volunteer support worker jobs

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Head of Change – Children’s Services  

Reports to: Assistant Director for Change – Children’s Services, Neighbourhoods & the Youth Sector

Salary: £67,900

Contract: 2 year fixed-term – potential to extend. Open to 0.8FTE for the right candidate

Location: Central London, Hybrid*  

Closing date:12pm on Wednesday 24th September 2025

About the Youth Endowment Fund

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even when violence doesn’t strike directly, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s lives.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives.

Key Responsibilities 

We build demand and interest in evidence across the Children’s Services sector 

This will include: 

• Running events, speaking at conferences and curating webinars to bring evidence to life for practitioners 
• We have great relationships with the people who can make change happen.  

This will include:

• Developing great relationships with senior policy makers, sector leaders and experts, including representing YEF in external meetings and speaking at events.
• Managing a Strategic Advisory Board of leading experts across the children’s services sector and keep members onside and excited about our work.

We deliver our children’s services system recommendations. 

This will include:

• Helping to identify the right recommendations at a system level (such as changes in policy, regulation, inspection, funding, or guidance) that make it more likely highly vulnerable children get access to the right support at the right time. 
• Work out the best way to make our system recommendations happen (due for publication in December 2026) and then do it – persuading the key people to make changes that make a difference.
• Tracking progress carefully, being thoughtful and creative about when and how to change the plan.

We work out the most effective ways to connect people with the evidence, then make those things happen. 

This will include:

• Helping children’s services leaders change how they plan or provide services to better protect children from violence, based on the YEF Children’s Services Practice Guidance – due for publication in May 2026. 
• Creating a plan to get people to follow our guidance, using what we know about how they think and behave. 
• Creating practical tools and resources that help leaders put evidence into action 
• Continuously testing and improving our approach to get better results. 

As a senior member of staff in the organisation you also: 

• Build a culture where it is natural to perform well and support colleagues brilliantly.
• Contribute to setting the strategy, delivering results, and building and modelling the culture that we need to succeed.

About You

You are this sort of person: 

• You know how to make change happen. You combine analytical sharpness with emotional intelligence and real-world experience. You understand why people resist change – and how to move them through it. You’re curious about human behaviour and what drives decision-making. 

• You bring deep experience of the children’s services system. You’ve worked at a senior level in or with children’s services – potentially commissioning support for young people at risk of or involved in violence. You understand how Directors of Children’s Services and other senior leaders think and know how to navigate and influence within the system. 

• You communicate complex ideas clearly. Whether speaking or writing, you break down complicated concepts in ways that make sense to different audiences – without oversimplifying. You bring clarity where others bring jargon. 

• You get things done. You’re organised, delivery-focused, and produce high-quality work, even under pressure. You work independently and to a high standard. 

• You build trust and connect with people. From government ministers to social workers, CEOs to 15-year-olds – you know how to listen, build rapport, and make people feel heard. You’ve led meetings, made strong introductions, and bring people with you. 

• You think big and adapt fast. You’re a strategic thinker who can see the big picture without losing sight of the detail. You’re logical, creative, and open to challenge – always testing and refining your ideas.  

• You understand young people. You get what life can be like for vulnerable young people and you understand the systems and organisations around them. Ideally, you’ve seen this first-hand, whether professionally or personally. 

• You’re committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Not just in theory – but in how you work, who you listen to, and what you prioritise. 

You must have this sort of experience. 

• Delivering concrete change in practice or systems that improved children’s lives. You have significant experience in leading behaviour, practice or policy changes within a children’s services setting. You can show how these have been effective in delivering tangible change.  
• Leadership experience in the children’s services system. You’ve worked at a senior level in or with children’s services - especially local authority children's services, commissioning and/or children's social care policy, and you understand how to navigate and influence within these complex systems.

• Firsthand knowledge of the system that supports highly vulnerable children, particularly those at risk of or involved in violence. You understand the barriers these children face and what it takes to get them the right support.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence.   

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.   

Hybrid Working Details 

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.     

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage. 

To Apply

To apply, please send a CV, your answers to the three questions below and complete the monitoring form by clicking on "Apply for this" button by 12pm on Wednesday 24th September 2025.

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:   

Improving practice or systems 
1. Can you describe a time when you successfully supported children’s services leaders to improve practice or systems? Please include the scale and context of your experience. (maximum 500 words) 

 Developing strategy 
2. Please provide an example of a strategy you developed from scratch and implemented independently. What did you do, what was the impact, what did you learn? (maximum 500 words) 

 Personal and professional experiences in violence prevention 
3. What personal and professional experiences have shaped your understanding of the children’s services sector’s role in preventing violence? (maximum 500 words) 

Interview Process 

This will be a 2-stage interview process. The first stage interview will take place on 9 and 10 October 2025

The second stage interviews are currently scheduled for the week commencing 13 October 2025. 

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Benefits Include 

• £1,000 professional development budget annually 

• 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support • Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

• Death in service - 4 times annual salary

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

• Financial support including travel and hardship loans

• Employer contributed pension of 5% 

Personal Data   

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.   

The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Chief Operating Officer to join our Executive Leadership Team.

Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £85,000 per annum
Remote: This role is homebased (within the UK) with occasional to meetings, events and conferences.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the 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.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work

About the Role

Responsibilities will include:

• The COO leads the day-to-day functioning of the organisation to ensure smooth, efficient, and effective delivery of services. This is vital for maintaining operational stability and achieving strategic outcomes.
• They design and execute strategies that align with the organisation’s mission and long-term goals ensuring resources are used effectively and priorities are clear.
• They promote a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement through supporting employee engagement, productivity, and organisational success.
• The COO collaborates closely with the CEO/CFO and other senior leaders to drive strategic initiatives and business growth, ensuring unified leadership and coherent decision-making.
• They partner with the CFO to manage budgets, forecasts, and resource allocation. Financial oversight ensures sustainability and supports informed investment in strategic priorities.
• Strengthen governance and risk management frameworks, aligned to regulatory expectations and best practice while proactively managing reputational and operational risks.
• The COO cultivates strong relationships with partners, clients, and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and reputation. These relationships are key to influence, collaboration, and impact.
• They lead efforts to improve processes and adopt best practices across the charity to enhance efficiency and keeps the organisation competitive and responsive.
• They ensure that daily activities support the charities long-term objectives.
• The COO mentors other directors and departmental heads and fosters leadership capabilities across teams.
• They establish and track KPIs to identify inefficiencies and guide improvements through data-driven decision-making to enhance accountability and results.
• They evaluate and refine workflows to boost productivity developing efficient processes to reduce waste and improve service quality.
• They act as a bridge between departments and the CEO to ensure cohesive execution of strategic plans preventing silos and promoting organisational synergy.
• The COO serves as a senior figure in national and cross-sector forums, conferences, and strategic partnerships to strengthens the organisation’s voice and influence.
• They demonstrate commitment to Equality, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in both internal culture and external programmes to foster a fair and inclusive organisation.
• They work with the CEO, CFO and Director of Growth to identify and pursue new revenue streams and strategic partnerships. This expands the organisation’s reach and sustainability.
• They engage in public speaking, media interactions, and external representation demonstrating clear communication, credibility, and stakeholder engagement.
• They develop and embed evaluation frameworks to assess progress against strategic goals. The measuring of our impact ensures accountability and informs future planning.
• They promote the organisation’s brand at events and through networking.

The COO takes on other responsibilities as needed to support the organisation’s mission.

About You

Essential competencies of the Chief Operating Officer:

• Extensive experience in senior leadership with a proven track record in operations, financial and risk management, and delivering high-performing teams, ideally in the charity sector.
• Strong understanding of business functions such as HR, Finance, Marketing, etc.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to think strategically and execute effectively.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Commercially astute, process-driven, and highly pragmatic in approach.
• Experience in driving performance and fostering a collaborative culture.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field; MBA preferred

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
• NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
• A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
• NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
• We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Monday 29th September 2025:

A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
A covering letter highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.

Please note: The covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 80% AI generated content will be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Youth Work changes lives

Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it.As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.

We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.

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