Are you a strategic senior leader who believes every young person deserves the chance to reach their potential?
Manchester Youth Zone (MYZ) is a unique and ambitious charity that punches above its weight, dedicated to improving outcomes for young people. MYZ is part of the national OnSide family and deeply rooted in North Manchester’s Harpurhey community – one of the poorest wards in England with 94% of MYZ’s youth members coming from the highest indices on the national poverty index scale. Under the leadership of the outgoing CEO, MYZ’s talented and committed team has developed, and is successfully delivering, a strong core youth offer that has an excellent reputation with young people, commissioners and funders alike.
MYZ is proactively inclusive and young person-centred, with the specific needs of Harpurhey’s young people always in mind. From vibrant, creative and diverse play work for younger members to evidence-based youth work including arts, sports and enterprise for young people up to 25 years. Running parallel to their universal offer, MYZ also delivers a range of targeted youth programmes for children and young people who benefit from intensive support, as well as addressing serious youth violence and criminal exploitation. Having recently won a capital expenditure grant, 2024 will see a full building refurbishment to reinvigorate the space and improve accessibility.
Salary: circa £65-75k, depending on experience with potential for negotiation for an exceptional candidate
Location: Mostly onsite, potential for 1 homeworking day. Includes some evenings and approx. one weekend per month.
Benefits: 5% employer pension; 33 days annual leave including bank + birthday day; free gym access; access to OnSide’s Talent Academy; bespoke training and mentoring.
Could you lead this established and highly respected youth charity, as it expands its youth and play provision through an exciting £1.4m capital redevelopment in 2024?
About the opportunity:
The dimensions of the role of Youth Zone Chief Executive defy definition in conventional terms. It is strategic and requires effectiveness at a high level, yet at the same time demands detailed and hands-on management. This is an incredible opportunity for someone eager to make their mark in their first Chief Executive role or for an experienced CEO hungry for the next big challenge.
You’ll have responsibility for a revenue budget of £1.9m per annum, leadership of a 60-person team and oversight of delivery for the upcoming capital redevelopment. There is a unique duality to being a Youth Zone CEO – you’ll need willingness to get stuck into the detail in an environment without corporate support structures, as well as ability to influence effectively at the most senior levels. The Chief Executive’s relationship with the Chair demands support and constructive challenge, enabling you to deliver on-going success for the Youth Zone.
About you:
We’re looking for an empowering leader who can create a meaningful, dynamic balance between supporting a strong, highly motivated team to feel valued and involved in strategic delivery and the output of high quality, open-access provision modelling reach, scale, quality and measurable impact.
To apply, you’ll need to be able to clearly demonstrate:
- Successful track-record of leading and growing charitable organisations with multi-faceted teams.
- Understanding of multi-agency framework operating within community-based settings.
- Financial literacy, with demonstrable knowledge and experience of good governance.
- Ability to identify, win and mobilise commission-funded services.
- Experience of managing highly regarded services within a nuanced political landscape.
- Ability to maintain safe practice and leadership within a fast paced, high-risk environment.
- Commitment to advocating and proactively championing ED&I.
It’s of vital importance that you are an emotionally intelligent communicator and relationship builder, able to work seamlessly with young people, youth workers and volunteers, stakeholders at all levels, and an ambitious, entrepreneurial board of trustees.
MYZ operates in a vibrant and diverse community, so we would especially welcome and encourage applications from individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds. It would be incredibly powerful for MYZ’s young people to see a leader of colour heading up the organisation.
If you are as excited by this unique opportunity as we are, you’ll want to get in touch ASAP for further details on how to make your application.
To apply, please send a copy of your profile or CV in the first instance to Amelia Lee at Charity People.
Deadline: 9am on 8th December
‘Open day’ at the youth zone on 18th December for shortlisted candidates
First stage interview: w/c 8th January
Second stage interview: w/c 15th January
Charity People actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We match charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the charities we work with.
