Director of Income & External Affairs

Conflict is a normal part of life. When it’s handled well, it can be a positive part of human development, helping us to manage our relationships and contribute to our communities. But for many young people, conflict is becoming a real and significant problem: street violence, school exclusions and other sources of conflict are damaging young people’s lives and futures in cities (and increasingly in towns) across the UK.

Founded over 30 years ago, Leap works with both young people aged 11 – 25 and adult youth work professionals to positively and creatively manage conflict in everyday life. Our purpose is to give young people the skills to manage conflict in their own lives, reduce violence in their communities and help to lead our society. We’re putting young people in the lead, asking them how we can best support them: they tell us they want help with staying safe, social media, race, masculinity and identity. Perhaps most touchingly, they really care about the safety of their younger brothers and sisters.

Though we’ve doubled in size over the last five years (from a turnover of £1m to £2m), the growing need amongst young people means our work can’t be allowed to stall. As Director of Income & External Affairs, you’ll play a leading role in securing Leap’s future by increasing our income, profile and influence. You’ll oversee our major income streams, with a particular focus on building strong and sustainable donor / commissioner relationships across the full range of funding sources. Raising our profile and donor awareness will be inseparable from success in increasing our income, influence and effectiveness. You’ll develop our external affairs capacity, campaigning marketing strategy and deliverables, including overall responsibility for brand, messaging and visual identity. This will include our digital channels (both website and social media) as well as our annual awards to young people and our publications.

It’s a role in which you can make a massive and direct difference to the lives of young people who might otherwise face a bleak future. Leap is a respected, well-governed and values-led organisation, with a high reputation for quality. Our culture is an optimistic, open and learning one, and the personal rewards of working here are extensive. Candidates must have an impressive track record of both income generation and effective marketing, and you’ll bring an assured and welcoming leadership style that will enable you to rapidly gain credibility, engagement and support across the organisation. A deep understanding of how organisations like ours work, grow and thrive will be a distinct advantage, as will highly-tuned tactical and strategic communications skills.

In the context of Black Lives Matter, addressing racism and communicating authentically is a strategic priority for Leap. We believe that greater racial diversity in our senior management team would increase our effectiveness, and we would therefore encourage enquiries and applications from candidates who bring relevant life experiences and backgrounds alongside their full professional repertoire