Senior key worker jobs in Belfast

The National Youth Agency is looking for a Programme Governance Lead.

Programme Governance Lead
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.

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

We are looking for Programme Governance Lead to manage and oversee the successful delivery of all programmes/projects within the Programmes Directorate by establishing and leading consistent governance and assurance. The postholder will strengthen programme governance, reporting and risk management ensuring programmes are delivered by agreed methodologies and in a consistent manner.

Key Responsibilities

As our Programme Governance Lead, you will:

• Define, implement and maintain an agreed methodology for programme/project lifecycle governance.
• Chair programme/project boards and ensuring decisions, and actions are documented and actioned.
• Identify risks, issues and dependencies which are not captured by Programme Portfolio Leads. Ensure consistent risk management across projects and programmes. Proactively identify cross-programme/project risks and issues (including those not visible to project/programme leads), implement mitigations, and escalate risks/issues to the Director of Programmes and COO as required. Assess programme/project risks against the NYA risk register and update the register accordingly.
• Produce and present monthly programme governance reports at the Directorate Programme Board, providing clear portfolio-level insight (milestones, deliverables, RAG status, KPIs, benefits, and financial/resource assumptions) to enable effective senior decision-making and assurance.
• Design and run governance routines (e.g., project start-up, weekly/monthly reviews, decision logs, change control) and support high-quality papers and actions for directorate governance forums; ensure timely escalation of material risks, issues and decisions to the COO.
• Support teams to evidence compliance with funder/contractual requirements; ensure appropriate documentation, approvals and version control are in place and accessible.
• Implement and maintain a robust lessons-learned process (during and post-delivery) and ensure findings are integrated into future programmes/projects through updated standards, templates, training and assurance checkpoints.

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-focused 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.

Closing date: 23:59 Friday 3rd July 2026.
N.B. We would encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may close the vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.
Interviews: W/C 13th July OR W/C 20th July

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

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.

Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may 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.

No agencies please.

• 37 hours per week
• £40,000 – £42,000 per annum plus 6% pension contribution
• Remote

Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW) is the national campaigns and membership body for a network of independent, community-based Rape Crisis Centres working to end child sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence.

The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is a national service led by Rape Crisis England & Wales and funded by the Ministry of Justice.

We are looking for a values-led professional with strong digital project skills and a deep commitment to survivor-centred, high-quality services.

Job Summary

As the Digital Project & Product Lead for the 247 Support Line, you will lead the transformation and continuous improvement of the organisation’s digital support line infrastructure, ensuring the technology and processes that underpin survivor support are effective, resilient, and user centred.

This role sits at the intersection of project delivery, product management, and a genuine commitment to the survivors RCEW serves. The right candidate will understand that technology is only as good as the humans who use it and will bring both rigour and empathy to everything they do.

You will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery which, includes defining the product requirements, technology evaluation, procurement, implementation, onboarding, and ongoing optimisation. Working closely with operational teams, suppliers, and stakeholders, you will ensure that our support line products enable support workers to deliver high-quality, accessible services.

Key Responsibilities

 Programme Delivery

· Own and drive the support centre improvement programme from procurement through to live operation, ensuring delivery on time and within budget

· Manage supplier relationships, coordinate and input into the evaluation of bids, and identify, track, and mitigate risks throughout the programme

· Maintain clear, accessible project documentation and provide regular progress updates to senior stakeholders

· Coordinate across internal teams (services, technology, legal, finance) and external partners to keep work aligned and moving

Product & Solution Ownership

· Act as product owner for the support centre platform: defining requirements which meet the needs of support workers and service users

·  As part of a team you’ll evaluate technology options against a set of agreed criteria, with a focus on fitness for purpose, data security and value for money

·  Oversee the bespoke configuration of the chosen platform, working closely with the supplier

· Collaborate with the Head of Service to and I.T Lead to onboard and train the team, ensuring support line workers feel confident and prepared from day one

· Following go-live, take responsibility for the continued health and development of the support centre platform and identify improvement opportunities

·  Champion best practice in digital service design and products across the organisation, building internal capability over time

Information Governance & Data Protection

· Work closely with RCEW's Data Protection Officer and Senior leadership to ensure all aspects of the programme comply with relevant data legislation

Person Specification*

· A proven track record of successfully delivering digital or technology projects on time and within budget

· Able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities

·  Ability to assess complex situations, identify blockers, and develop pragmatic solutions

· Ability to gather and translate user needs into product requirements; comfortable working with service design principles and working iteratively to develop or improve digital products

·  Experience and understanding of contact centre software, CRM, and/or case management platforms

·  Proven ability to work across diverse teams and communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences

·  Thorough knowledge of UK GDPR and able to handle highly sensitive personal data and engage with difficult subject matter with care and professionalism

· A team player who builds trust quickly and works effectively across organisational boundaries

· Self-starter who can work autonomously, flag problems early, and drive work forward without constant direction

· A genuine commitment to RCEW's mission to end sexual violence and support survivors

Personal Attributes

We are looking for a skilled and versatile digital professional who combines strong delivery skills with product thinking. You do not need to be a technical expert, but you do need to be confident working with technology suppliers, communicating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and making sound decisions under pressure.

Above all, we are looking for someone who understands the importance of the work RCEW does and has a strong track record of delivering digital projects effectively.

Success in the role of Digital Project & Product Lead for the Support Line is determined by the ability to lead and coordinate the successful delivery of digital projects that enhance the effectiveness, resilience, and user experience of the national 24/7 Support Line. Working collaboratively with suppliers, internal teams, operational colleagues, and key stakeholders, the role will ensure that digital solutions are implemented safely, on time, and in line with service requirements.

Key measures of success include:

• Strong supplier engagement and stakeholder collaboration result in agreed solution designs that meet the operational needs of the Support Line.
• A robust project plan is developed and managed in partnership with suppliers, with key milestones achieved within agreed timescales.
• Virtual Contact Centre (VCC) upgrades are configured and delivered in accordance with agreed specifications, supporting improved service delivery and performance.
• Integration testing with existing systems is completed successfully, with issues identified, resolved, and signed off before implementation.
• Operating procedures, user guidance, and supporting documentation are developed or updated to reflect new processes and system functionality.
• Comprehensive training materials are produced, enabling Support Line staff and delivery partners to effectively use new systems and features.
• Training is delivered to relevant colleagues and stakeholders, ensuring operational readiness and confidence ahead of implementation.
• A structured Go Live readiness review confirms that technical, operational, governance, and business readiness criteria have been met before deployment.
• The VCC upgrades are launched successfully with minimal disruption to Support Line operations, supported by effective implementation planning, monitoring, and post-launch issue resolution to maximise adoption and service benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit a CV and a covering letter (no more than two pages) explaining why you are interested in this role and how your experience meets the person specification.

RCEW is committed to equal opportunities and actively encourages applications from people with lived experience of sexual violence, and from people from communities which are under-represented in our workforce, including Black and minoritised communities, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ people.

All roles at RCEW are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The post-holder will have access to sensitive data relating to survivors of sexual violence and must demonstrate the highest standards of discretion and data security.

Eligibility

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Evidence of this will be required prior to appointment.

Additional Information

Please note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a sufficient number of applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.