At Base71 Youth Zone, we believe every young person deserves access to a safe, welcoming and inspiring place where they can have fun, feel supported and realise their potential. Since opening our doors, we have already welcomed nearly 8,000 young people, creating opportunities for them to build confidence, develop friendships and access life-changing experiences.

We are now looking for an outstanding Head of Youth Work & Partnerships to help lead the next stage of our journey. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and develop our universal youth work offer, inspire and lead our delivery teams and strengthen partnerships across Barnsley to ensure young people receive the very best support and opportunities.

About the Role
This is a rewarding senior leadership role for an experienced and passionate youth work professional who believes in the transformative power of youth work and the potential of every young person.

We are looking for someone who can lead with energy, creativity and purpose — someone who is ambitious for young people and motivated to create outstanding experiences that help them thrive. You will lead a dynamic team of Youth Workers, Managers and volunteers, creating a culture that is inclusive, supportive and focused on high-quality delivery. With a hands-on and solutions-focused approach, you will bring fresh ideas, drive innovation and ensure young people remain at the heart of everything we do.

No two days at Base71 are ever the same. You will oversee a wide-ranging youth work programme across Junior, Senior, Inclusion and Holiday Club provision, ensuring our offer remains engaging, safe and responsive to the needs of young people. Alongside operational leadership, you will build meaningful partnerships with schools, community organisations, funders and key stakeholders, helping to strengthen the impact and reach of Base71 across the borough.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will also contribute to the strategic development and future growth of Base71, helping to shape a Youth Zone where young people feel safe, valued, supported and inspired to achieve their full potential.

About You

We are looking for someone who is:

Passionate about empowering young people
An experienced leader within open-access youth work, community provision or a similar setting
Skilled in developing and motivating high-performing teams
Confident in leading safeguarding processes and responding to complex situations
Experienced in partnership development and stakeholder engagement
Organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities effectively
Committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and amplifying young people’s voices
You Will Have Experience Of:

Leading youth programmes for diverse young people aged 8–19, including up to 25 for young people with additional needs or disabilities
Safeguarding leadership, ideally as a Designated Safeguarding Lead
Building strong relationships and communicating effectively with a wide range of audiences
Managing staff performance, rotas, budgets and operational delivery targets
Understanding the challenges facing young people today and the role youth work plays in improving outcomes
Holding a relevant degree-level qualification or equivalent experience, ideally supported by a youth work qualification