Job: Youth Development Lead

Thank you for your interest in this role, we have now closed applications. If you still want to get involved and make a difference, why not find out more about becoming a volunteer mentor? Click here to get involved..

About the Role

We’re recruiting for a part-time (0.8 FTE) Youth Development Lead to join our team in Manchester!

ReachOut is a national youth development charity and a strategic partner for schools. Through collective mentoring and engaging activities, we build socio-emotional skills that transform outcomes for young people constrained by circumstance.

Our Youth Development Leads are the heart of our programme delivery and facilitate high quality and impactful sessions for our young people. Reporting to the Programmes and Impact Manager, you’ll work with autonomy to manage your school partners, develop your team of volunteer mentors and collaborate across our ambitious delivery team with a focus on evidence based continuous improvement.

Contract: Permanent, Part-time (0.8 FTE)  with a probationary period of 6 months

Salary: £26,227.50 pro rata (£20,982 for 0.8 FTE) in line with the real living wage

Location: Manchester

  • In-school project delivery Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday with travel costs covered
  • Hybrid working for the remainder of your time – choose to work from home or access co-working spaces across the city
  • Manchester team co-working days – currently twice a month but some team members choose to meet up more regularly

Hours: 30 hours per week, Tuesday – Friday

  • Standard hours 9:00-17:30with flexibility offered where possible
  • Working hours to shift, approximately 11:00-19:30, where schools prefer sessions in our later timeslot. We do not currently have any later projects and would not allocate more than 2 in a week

Annual Leave: 29 days plus bank holidays pro rata (23 days for 0.8 FTE) with a maximum of 4 days to be taken in school term time

For the full job description, person specification and background information, please download our information pack.

 

How to apply

To apply:

The supporting statement should be a maximum of 2 pages and address each point of the person specification (page 9), clearly describing how your skills and experience makes you suitable for this role. Give specific examples, drawing on past work and volunteering experience to demonstrate how you meet each criteria.

We recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT can be useful for applicants, for example to shorten an initial draft. However, we would caution applicants not to rely on AI as we want to hear your authentic voice. We will be looking for answers that use examples and experiences that are specific to you.

Key Dates:

Applications Close: 9am Tuesday 7th July 2026

Assessment Centre: 2.30pm-5pm, Friday 10th July 2026, Central Manchester

Second Stage Interview (online): Wednesday 15th July 2026

Start Date: Approx. 10th August 2026

Please note: We are unable to provide visa sponsorship. To apply you must have the right to work in the UK and the successful candidate  will be required to undergo an enhanced criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. ReachOut will cover the cost of the check and guide you through the process.

All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you the most relevant information. To find out more, read our updated Privacy Policy

CASE STUDY

“At first, I was really hesitant to take on the Project Leader role, despite having mentored with ReachOut. However, with the support of the team I’ve really developed my skills. For example, at the Mentee Graduation, I stood up in front of 200 people and presented an award which is something I would never ever have been able to have done before, and isn’t an opportunity I could gain in my other situations.”

Amy McCutcheon, Project Leader at ReachOut Academy, Dean Trust Ardwick, Manchester.

CASE STUDY 03

“Being able to spend the summer working at Rede Partners, was an amazing experience. Whether it was working in HR or Finance, I learned so much about the world of private equity, made great connections with fantastic people and I got to learn first-hand what it would be like to work there! I really believe that I can go onto build the career I want now I’ve been a part for a workplace for real”

Victor Adekunle, 18 years old, ReachOut Ambassador, London

CASE STUDY 02

“When I first my mentee, she was very reluctant to participate in the sessions. Now, I see a completely different person! Her confidence has grown and she is happy to join in! She still has some self-doubt when it comes to academic work, but that’s what I hope to help her overcome, because she is a very bright person!

Through mentoring, I’ve learnt I’m a lot more patient than I realised. There will be days where she refuses to participate and those are the days that I really see the importance of the character strengths, for both the mentees and the mentors. It also makes it easier for the mentee to understand the character strengths, when I use them myself”

Myrtle, ReachOut Club mentor at Tufnell Primary School, London

CASE STUDY 01

“There are more distractions than ever outside of school, and the commitment of our students to attend ReachOut sessions is testament to the value they place on the relationships they foster there, and the challenge and enjoyment they provide.

ReachOut’s focus on communication skills and character development has become an important aspect of our provision of support for these students. The opportunity to relate to a positive role- model other than their usual teachers is key to the programme’s impact, and the evidence of this has been seen in the students’ attendance, resilience and to their overall progress across all the subjects in the school.”

Thomas Janvrin, Assistant Vice Principal at the Petchey Academy London