DadVocate Programme Manager

Salary: £36,000–£39,000 per annum, dependent on experience
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, with some evening and weekend working expected to meet the needs of the project
Location: Hybrid, with travel across North East England, including Middlesbrough, Gateshead, and County Durham
Contract: Fixed-term, 4 years, with potential to extend dependent on funding
Start date: As soon as possible
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 6 September 2026
Interviews: Week commencing 14 September 2026
Reports to: CEO

About NEYDL

North East Young Dads and Lads (NEYDL) was founded in 2017 and has grown rapidly to become one of the UK’s most recognised organisations supporting young dads and men aged 25 and under in a fathering role. Our vision is for young dads to be valued and supported as parents.

We provide intensive 1-to-1 support and peer group activities to young dads, run DigiDAD, a free co-created digital platform for young dads and the professionals who work with them, and work across the sector to improve father-inclusive practice.

About DadVocates

DadVocates is a new four-year project funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. The project will train, mentor and supervise young dads with lived experience of young fatherhood to act as volunteer peer advocates for young fathers going through children’s social care proceedings, including Child Protection, Child in Need and Public Law Outline.

Over four years, the project will train 40 volunteer DadVocates, support 100 young dads through children’s social care proceedings, and deliver father-inclusive practice training to 160 social workers and other professionals across five local authorities.

About the role

The DadVocate Programme Manager will lead the project from the outset. The role will involve recruiting, training, mentoring and supervising volunteer DadVocates; chairing and managing the project Steering Committee; leading the development and delivery of professional training for social workers; overseeing monitoring, evaluation and funder reporting; and managing the project budget.

This is a programme management role rather than a casework role. Cases are held by NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers, while the DadVocates provide peer support within those cases.

We are looking for someone with substantial experience and knowledge of children’s social care/social work, alongside experience managing projects in the voluntary sector. The successful candidate will need strong people management, facilitation, partnership-working and programme management skills, as well as an understanding of children’s social care proceedings and the specific needs of young dads.

Benefits include:

-7.2 weeks’ annual leave per year, inclusive of statutory and public holidays
-5% employer pension contribution
-Flexible hybrid working arrangement
-Regular supervision and fortnightly team meetings
-Funded professional development and training
-Mileage paid at 55p per mile for business travel
-Opportunity to lead a nationally significant project at the forefront of father-inclusive practice

Application process: Candidates should submit a CV of no more than four pages, including two references, alongside either a covering letter of no more than two sides of A4 or a video of no more than four minutes explaining why they want the role and how their experience meets the person specification.

Application link:
https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=1912536528f0bb6e&from=shareddesktop_copy

Alternatively, candidates can apply directly by emailing their CV and covering letter/video to caitlin@inspired-hr.co.uk, using the subject line ‘Job Application - DadVocate Programme Manager’.