Programme Manager in London

The Damilola Taylor Trust (DTT) is a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in May 2001 in memory of Damilola Taylor and registered as a charity in July 2001. Our founding mission is to provide inner-city youths with opportunities to play, learn and live their lives free of fear and violence, and with optimism for a future where opportunities abound. We develop the hope, optimism and self-esteem of young people so that they can lead healthy lives, stay in school, grow up to become independent productive adults, and have lofty aspirations to attain their innate potential.

For over two decades, we have supported young people through mentoring, education, employability, personal development, life skills, and community engagement programmes that inspire hope, aspiration, confidence, and resilience. As we mark our 25th anniversary this year, we intend to strengthen organisational capacity, expand partnerships, and scale programmes that positively impact young people and communities across London.

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and motivated Programme Manager to lead the Damilola Taylor Trust’s Executive Team, sustain and scale our core youth-focused programmes in South London, providing consistent leadership and operational stability.

As Programme Manager, you will:

• Manage delivery of the Career Pathway Programme for Schools (CPPFS) courses, which help young people at risk of involvement in criminal activity to engage fully in education by addressing barriers to positive engagement through workshops and career-mentor support at Harris Academies in South London, with a view to reaching 150 students a year.
• Support and supervise the Project Coordinator to implement the project “From Tragedy to Legacy” to celebrate the legacy of Damilola Taylor while highlighting the impact the Trust has made in 25 years supporting young people in inner-city areas of London.
• Lead the Trust’s collaboration initiative with YouthBuild UK, a South London based charity that trains young people to be work ready in a variety of industries including construction, hospitality, customer care and IT to enhance the impact of our Career Search and Skills Development (CSSD) programme.
• Design, develop and implement new programmes for delivery in-house or via third party delivery partners.
• Agree the Executive Team’s work plan, lead, and motivate staff to create a high-performing team that sustains and scales the impact of our core youth-focused programmes.
• Take the lead with day-to-day administration and management of the Trust’s programmes, maintaining a database, producing written communications and reports, information leaflets, website updates, budget monitoring, and negotiating with delivery partners.
• Contribute to organisational planning and development, including supporting our plan of building capacity to create the organisation required to achieve results that we are committed to.
• Support our fundraising team through providing feedback, reports and information to support bid writing activities.

Key working relationships:

• As leader of the Trust’s executive team, you will work closely with our finance service provider, line manage the Administration Officer and Project Coordinator, and be responsible for delivery of our programmes.
• You will develop good working relationships with our project delivery partners, while building in-house capacity for delivery of our main programmes as well as those developed in collaboration with other Social Providers such as YouthBuild UK.
• Be involved in sector networking and awareness raising on behalf of the Trust.
• Act as an ambassador for the Trust at all times.

Person specification - Specific experience or skill Key: (E) Essential; (D) Desirable:

• Experience of designing, developing and implementing charitable programmes especially to support development of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds (E).
• Significant experience managing delivery of youth-focused programmes in a small but growing charity (E).
• Strong leadership and team skills to motivate, support and work with a team of youth workers (E).
• An excellent understanding and a proven track record of relevant experience working with young people from inner-city areas of high deprivation (E).
• A positive attitude, high energy and enthusiasm for the work of the Damilola Taylor Trust (E).
• Excellent communicator, planner and problem solver, a strong team player and an exemplary role model (E).
• Self-directed, self-motivated with the ability to work on own initiative to plan and manage own and a team’s workload (E).

Knowledge, qualifications:

• Knowledge of situational leadership and general management practices (E).
• Knowledge of General Data Protection Regulations (E).
• An understanding of safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults (E).
• Current DBS certificate (E) but, for a suitable candidate, the post might be offered subject to DBS being obtained.
• Degree or relevant experience of working in the Social Sector, and or as a Youth worker (D).
• Experience of programme development processes and tools (frameworks, theories of change) (E).

Personal qualities:

• Commitment to own continuing personal and professional development.
• Commitment to the mission, vision and values of DTT.
• Flexibility to work in a hybrid job, place-based; school locations and virtual.
• Commitment to effective relationship building and collaboration.

The Trust is a Safer Recruitment organisation.