Head of Pathways
Employer: National Youth Choir
Location: Remote (national), or based in our Durham office, with travel as required
Temporary: Fixed term, April 2026 to March 2027
Working hours: 14 hours per week (0.4 FTE)
Salary: £40,000 pro rata
Closing date: Wednesday 25 February
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Main purpose of the role
The Head of Pathways is a senior management role.
The post-holder will work closely with the Creative Director, Head of Creative Programmes, Project & Programme Managers and National Youth Choir’s wider freelance creative teams to develop, plan and deliver exciting programmes, projects and events to achieve our organisational vision, mission and aims.
The key responsibilities of the role are as follows:
• To oversee the planning, delivery and evaluation of National Youth Choir’s Pathways programmes;
• To provide strategic leadership for National Youth Choir’s approach to learning and engagement (Pathways);
• To develop National Youth Choir’s creative networks, partnerships and opportunities
• To work closely with the Creative Director to develop and deliver National Youth Choir’s creative vision and ensure consistently high standards across programmes.
The Pathways team currently consists of a Creative Producer and Programmes Manager, alongside the Creative Director. Our Creative Producer will be on maternity leave from May 2026 to March 2027; we are appointing a Head of Pathways for this period to support the strategic work which is currently being undertaken to develop a new creative strategy for National Youth Choir. The contract will start in April 2026 to allow for a handover period. Increased operational support will also be provided for this period. As this role is part of a maternity cover arrangement, it is offered on a fixed-term basis. The duration of the contract is expected to be 10 months.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
• Ensure that all National Youth Choir Pathways & Partnerships activities are inclusive, diverse and accessible;
• Ensure that youth voice is embedded in our Pathways work, prioritising the representation of young people’s voices, needs and ambitions within National Youth Choir.
Other:
• Work with members of all National Youth Choir teams to ensure joined up and effective working and provide creative input as required into all aspects of National Youth Choir operations;
• Ensure that all creative outputs and experiences are of the highest possible quality;
• Be prepared to work flexible hours, including weekends and evenings, and travel as the role requires.
Person specification
A proactive and collaborative individual, you will be a highly experienced arts manager with a passion for creating and realising innovative and relevant musical opportunities for young people from all backgrounds, and a commitment to widening access to creative experiences. You will be excited by the opportunity to contribute to National Youth Choir’s strategic vision, and to integrate our creative programmes, bringing high quality musical opportunities to many thousands of young people across the UK.
Our ideal candidate will have a proven track record of designing and delivering innovative create strategies and have an excellent understanding of the musical and educational landscape of the UK. You will be an inspiring leader with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage and develop relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You will be a creative, analytical and strategic thinker with excellent project management skills.
You will be excited by the breadth of the role within a national organisation that continues to grow its reach and profile, and passionate about promoting equality, inclusivity and diversity across all our work.
Education, Training and Skills
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, including the ability to multitask and prioritise workloads;
• Excellent communication skills, in spoken and written forms, and the ability to work confidently with young people and a wide range of stakeholders;
• Strong project management and evaluation skills, including IT, budgeting and reporting skills;
• Ability to use excellent interpersonal skills to develop and cultivate strong relationships with stakeholders.
Knowledge and Experience
• Extensive experience of developing and managing creative programmes and projects with and for young people at a significant scale and complexity;
• Experience of designing and delivering creative strategies;
• Experience of relevant widening access and
inclusion initiatives;
• Experience of working with a wide range of partners, and developing professional networks and stakeholder relationships;
• Experience of embedding youth voice and representation to inform planning, delivery and review;
• Experience of developing and implementing evaluation frameworks to measure quality and impact;
• Experience of creating, managing and reporting on project/programme budgets;
• Experience of line management and supervision of freelance contractual teams;
• Excellent knowledge of good safeguarding practice and experience of implementing this in settings with young people;
• Excellent knowledge of music and the choral sector (any vocal traditions or genres);
• Knowledge and understanding of current best practice and inclusivity in the music and education sectors.
Attributes and Behaviours
• Ability to inspire others as a leader, as well as the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team;
• Highly proactive approach – a self-starter;
• Ability to think strategically, analytically and creatively;
• Commitment to the principles of excellence and inclusion for young people in culture and the arts;
• Commitment to the highest creative and learning standards, particularly in relation to the development of youth and choral music;
• Passion for creating and realising innovative and relevant musical opportunities, and challenging preconceived notions of choral music;
• Commitment to principles of equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Ability to travel to support National Youth Choir activities and events as appropriate, and depending on the access needs of the post-holder;
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required.
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