Manchester YMCA

Project Manager – Inspiring Futures

Job Description

Job Title: Project Manager – Inspiring Futures

Supporting young people to achieve through employability skills, learning and personal wellbeing

Responsible to: Youth and Community Manager

Job Purpose:

This is a unique and exciting job role working with vulnerable and marginalised young people in Salford. The Project Manager will be responsible for the development and delivery of two projects, Inspiring Futures in partnership with Salford Young Carers and The Magnus Mowat Bursary.

The Magnus Mowat Bursary is a fund distributed by The Booth Charities, Salford for the benefit of young people from Salford. The Magnus Mowat Bursary programme is delivered by the Manchester YMCA and is now is its fifth successful year, offering a year long structured work experience placement to young people from Salford.

Young people from Salford (School years 10 and 11) are offered work placements with the Manchester YMCA’s Y Club, a health and fitness facility in Castlefield and will have the opportunity to undertake a choice of entry level or level 1 pre-apprenticeship qualification in health, fitness and wellbeing. This project will be working with five looked after young people and 12 young people with moderate to severe learning disabilities.

Inspiring Futures in partnership with Salford Young Carers is a new study and development project due to start in late October/early November. We wish to work with up to 75 young carers aged 16 and over who not accessing education, employment or training (NEET). Once established the project will aim to increase the confidence, social skills and employability of this target group, specifically those who are currently not accessing provision for because of caring responsibilities.

The young people will sign up to a choice of study and development programmes which will include a core offer of six one to one sessions and up to 10 individually accredited workshops around employability skills and personal wellbeing including – Health and safety awareness, principles of customer service, employment rights and responsibilities, behaviour in the work place, how to build relationships, work well with others, and personal effectiveness and self-development. We will also offer an accredited Level 1 Functional Skills qualification in literacy and numeracy. Additionally we will add value by building confidence around managing their own personal finance and their entitlement to benefits as carers.

Both projects have similar aims - to encourage young people to be self-efficient and better equipped to achieve positive outcomes in their education, physical and mental wellbeing, socialisation, future careers and eventual independence.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Project Management and Delivery

Manage and deliver both projects through the full cycle of project delivery.

Plan project delivery in order to accomplish the goals of each project within the timeline, budget and agreed quality standards.

In liaison with the Youth and Community Manager, monitor project budgets, ensuring that any significant issues are raised as appropriate.

Identify and manage potential and actual risks to the effectiveness and success of the project.

Monitor the project against outcomes and milestones.

Provide reports to funders, as required.

To work closely with other YMCAs as well as the local network of voluntary and community organisations.

Project Development

Contribute to discussions and ideas for new projects in collaboration with the Youth and Community Manager and Fundraising & Development.

Identify and participate in opportunities that could contribute to potential new projects, partners or funders.

Contribute to regular communication across all teams within the Manchester YMCA and within the Youth and Community Department.

Supervising a Team

The post-holder will have responsibility for supervising one or more project tutors, and small team of volunteers. The number of staff managed may change over time, depending on the needs of the organisation.

Lead the team through supervising and motivating the team members effectively.

Assign appropriate tasks to team members and provide support as required.

Assist the Youth and Community Manager regarding regular supervision and annual appraisal to individual team members, including performance management and development needs.

Working closely with the Youth and Community Manager and project team to ensure adequate cover is maintained at all times, for example, coordinating holiday and other absences.

Programme Administration

Effective maintenance of record-keeping processes, including a progress database.

Make use of YMCA protocols and systems to enhance the effective administration of the team.

To ensure that all electronic files follow the YMCA standard, are well organised, and easily accessible to those who need to use them.

To adhere to any relevant data protection principles when processing personal data.

To adhere to appropriate standards of confidentiality at all times.

This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list. Its purpose is to provide a broad outline of the role, within which the changing needs of Manchester YMCA’s work, and set objectives for the Inspiring Futures project, can be accommodated.

Scale and impact:

The post holder will be able to contribute to strategy development for the organisation. The post holder will be expected to work to individual targets agreed with the Y&C Manager S/he will be expected to initiate contacts across the YMCA and with external partners to develop

the projects and achieve the best outcomes for the young people involved.

Discretion to act: Within an agreed plan the job holder will act on their own initiative S/he will be responsible for developing and maintaining her/his own contacts

Environment:

The position will be located in the Manchester YMCA, Castlefield, Manchester city centre. There will be the expectation to work out in the community across Salford.

Established in 1846, Manchester YMCA is one of the oldest YMCAs in the world. Initially its brief was religious – offering bible studies and support to young professional workers arriving in the rapidly expanding industrial centre of Manchester. Over the years our services and facilities have adapted to the changing needs of the community and the main emphasis is now on health and fitness within a Christian philosophy of care and concern for others.

The Manchester YMCA operates the Y Club, a health and fitness facility and the Castlefield Hotel (a subsidiary company) on the same site in the Castlefield area of Manchester City Centre.

Relationships: -

There will be considerable contact in person, by phone and in writing with internal and external Must present a professional and helpful attitude in all dealings with other YMCA’s, partner

organisations and also to external bodies and individuals. The post holder will become an integral member of the Manchester YMCA Youth and

Community team which works exclusively with young people and local communities in the field of health and wellbeing and personal development. Other team members with whom the post holder will work closely include the Chief Executive, health club team and our team of volunteers and coaches.

Person Specification

Essential Skills and Experience

Proven track record of project management and delivery and a good understanding of the project life cycle, including planning, budget responsibility, managing and monitoring and evaluation.

Evidence of excellent knowledge and experience of the employment, education, training and enterprise landscape

Evidence of excellent knowledge and experience of relevant employment opportunity pathways for young people (e.g. apprenticeships, training, paid internships and volunteering).

Proven track record of ability to supervise and delegate tasks to team members, and to work constructively and positively in a team.

Excellent communication skills and confidence to communicate clearly with a wide range of internal and external contacts.

Demonstrable understanding of NEET issues and related social policy.

Demonstrable understanding of working with young people who are young carers, looked after or have disabilities.

Demonstrable understanding of the importance of safeguarding issues around working in youth and disability settings.

Proven track record of facilitating and leading group discussions, workshops and seminars

Proven track record of managing more than one project area at a time.

Proven track record of working to deadlines and completing tasks on time.

Demonstrable understanding of human resource issues and experience of using policies and procedures (for example: supervision, annual appraisal and performance management), along with proven ability to supervise and delegate tasks to team members.

Demonstrable experience of recruiting project participants from a wide variety of backgrounds (particularly young people with complex needs such as a learning disability, carers status or looked after).

Demonstrable experience of delivering outputs in accordance with specified targets and time periods.

Demonstrable experience in the preparation and delivery of reports, funding applications and presentations.

Demonstrable experience and confidence in using computer / digital media technology, including word processing, website content, spreadsheets, internet, social media and e-mail.

Demonstrable experience of providing information, advice and guidance (with reference to career development).

Demonstrable experience in the area of employment, learning and wellbeing support, including:o Knowledge of Needs Assessments and individual action planningo Experience of giving career or training adviceo Experience of giving CV or interview adviceo Experience of giving advice on personal wellbeing

Ability to work outside normal working hours, as required by the job.

Desirable:

An interest in health, fitness and wellbeing

Experience or qualifications in delivering accredited qualifications (e.g. Level 3 PTLLS)

Skills/Personal attributes: A creative, energetic and flexible approach with a problem-solving ‘can-do’ approach.

Tenacious and resourceful in achieving goals and targets. Excellent and proven ability to self-start and work with minimum supervision. The person must be well organised and reliable, able to take on and handle two projects at the

same time with excellent time management skills. Ability to spot and develop opportunities.

A strong empathy with the work and aims of YMCA and the ability to work within its values. A strong commitment to diversity and the equalisation of opportunities for young people

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people at all levels.

Ability to gain results working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and on own initiative.

Good negotiating skills and the ability to inspire confidence in the organisation.

Working experience of computers/databases and the ability to be self-servicing.

The person should have a clear understanding of both the voluntary and public sectors and the opportunities for and issues surrounding partnership working.

Ability to grasp and assimilate rapidly the very wide range of YMCA work and the surrounding policy frameworks and their implications.

Able to respect the Christian ethos of the YMCA and uphold its values

Hours of Work: 40 hrs per week

Salary: £18,000 per annum (Fixed Term Contract for 12 months)

Benefits:

Car parking

Free use of gym facilities

Discounted treatments at the Castlefield Spa

Discounted hotel rooms subject to availability

To apply, request an application pack from Sarah Axford, Youth and Community Manager

saraha@yclub.org.uk 0161 837 3538

Manchester YMCA, Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4JR

Closing date: 04/09/14