Youth Development Worker

Overview

Oswestry Town Council is seeking an enthusiastic and appropriately experienced and qualified Youth Development Worker to support the Council in supporting the Town's young people. As a strong team player you will work with colleagues, councillors, partners, community groups and other stakeholders to develop policies, ideas, initiatives and priorities into tangible outcomes. You will lead the town council's approach to youth work and be responsible for implementing, planning, commissioning and evaluating youth work.

You will be an experienced youth worker and will enjoy the challenge of being involved in strategy and policy development and delivery.

Lead Officer for Youth Work

• Work in close partnership with councillors, staff, external bodies, agencies and contractors to develop and implement youth work.
• Set policy, strategy and commission youth work.
• Provide advice in relation to youth work.
• Assist in overseeing the delivery of external contracts entered by the Council.
• Develop and deliver policy, co‑design youth work that meets the needs of the town's young people.
• Research project options, commission surveys, assess public and interest group support, write specifications and tenders, advertise them, support site visits, carry out tender evaluation and award contracts.
• Manage delivery including monitoring, commissioning and post‑completion evaluation.
• Co‑ordinate youth work in the town with elected members, colleagues and partners.
• Prepare, in consultation with the Town Clerk, reports for meetings of the Council's committees, sub‑committees, working groups and other meetings as and when required.
• Responsible for health & safety of own actions and risk management within youth work process.
• Prepare, monitor and manage budgets for relevant projects and work streams; monitor relevant contracts on behalf of the Council and advise other staff on whether contract terms and SLAs are met, and whether contract variations are properly authorised.
• Oversee all contracts that fall within key areas of delegation and ensure compliance with statutory requirements and good practice.
• Carry out any other duties reasonably required by the Council.
• Condition of your appointment: you must provide a suitable vehicle for the performance of your duties and it must be readily available during normal working hours.

• Experienced youth worker.
• Understanding of commissioning processes.
• Contract management experience.
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking abilities.
• Planning, evaluating and evidencing youth work.
• Engaging and working with partners and stakeholders.
• Basic knowledge of financial planning and management.
• Developed professional knowledge and understanding of best practice and relevant statutory requirements relating to the post.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Minimum Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice.
• Self‑motivated.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to engage with a range of people in a professional and courteous manner.
• Committed to ongoing CPD.
• Flexibility for occasional evening and weekend working.
• Excellent IT skills, with particular competence using Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Committed to accuracy with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

• Good understanding of, and commitment to, equal opportunities.
• Ability to operate impartially in a political environment.
• Experience of working in a collaborative way with other organisations within a local community.
• Experience of engagement and consultation.
• Level 4 Certificate in Professional Development.
• Awareness of health and safety, equal opportunities, safeguarding and other legislative requirements.
• Understanding of UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

• Satisfactory employment references.
• Medical report.
• Evidence of the qualifications required for the post, as listed on your application form / CV.
• Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (including details of cautions, reprimands or warnings and…