Project Manager (DigiDAD) for North East Young Dads and Lads Project

Contract Type: Fixed term
Role Type: Employment
Hours: Full time
Application deadline:
Based: Hybrid
Salary: £36,000 Per Annum
Salary Type: Fixed Salary
Location: Tyne and Wear
Role description: Senior Project Support
Job title: Project Manager (DigiDAD)
Closing date: Monday 10th February 2025 at 12 noon.
An exciting opportunity for a Project Manager to be at the forefront of a multi award winning digital learning project made by young people for young people, as we embark on a new phase of growth and innovation.
Are you passionate about working with disadvantaged young people?
Are you happy working both independently and as part of a team towards a common goal?
Do you possess skills and expertise in digital Project Management that can help us to reach, engage and support more young dads across the Country?
This is a fantastic chance to make a real difference to the lives of young people as part of a close, inclusive, and supportive team that actively supports our staff to develop their skills and expertise.
About DigiDAD
Attached to the charitable organisation North East Young Dads and Lads (NEYDL), DigiDAD (www.digidad.uk) which is the UK’s only digital platform that is specifically designed by and for young dads. It features digital content of all different types to help young dads in every way we can conceive. The platform has won numerous awards, and all the content is co-created by young dads. DigiDAD is also supported by a popular YouTube channel which has gained 42,533 views and 1,600 hours of viewing time since April 2021.
Thanks to new grant funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, over the next 3 years NEYDL will deliver against an ambitious and exciting strategic plan for DigiDAD. Our ambitions for the platform include:
The expansion of NEYDL’s geographical reach beyond the North East of England to include London, the Midlands, Salford/Greater Manchester, by recruiting young dads through professional delivery partners in these areas and the co-delivery of local and regional events and activities.
- Recruiting and supporting 150 young dads as volunteers in the co-creation of new educational content for DigiDAD. Volunteer young dads will benefit from learning new skills relevant to the creative industries (including scriptwriting, storyboarding, character development, acting, voice-acting alongside professional filmmakers and animators); peer support (youth work training and professional supervision from NEYDL staff); and project management.
- Developing new e-learning videos and certified courses to inform and upskill young fathers in Parenting skills; Mental health; Relationships with mum/child/wider family; Engaging with services/professionals.
- Launching a new peer moderated online video gaming initiative for young dads to connect with their peers, based on learning from our 2021 pilot which was the brainchild of three young dads.
- Increasing the diversity of young dads registered with and using the site.
As a result of this grant funding, we are recruiting for a Project Manager to work within our team and closely with our Digital Media and Marketing Officer to help us achieve these aims.
Job Description
In this role, you will work as a Project Manager working with the wider DigiDAD team and reporting to the Chief Executive Officer. This is a hybrid role which will be based out of our Gateshead office.
DigiDAD is a fully digital platform that includes but is not limited to the website, YouTube channel and other key outlets and it will be your responsibility to oversee and coordinate ongoing campaigns, communication and the overall development of our digital communication strategy in line with how we collaborate and develop it as a team. This is a unique and hands on role that covers every area of what we do, as a result you will need you to:
- Build relationships, consult and work with young dads across our geographic areas to identify key themes and issues that need to be addressed in our campaigns and ongoing digital content production for DigiDAD and work with them to co-create it as needed as well as increasing sign up/registration, user engagement and course completion rates in these areas.
- Manage creative and technical contracting and projects with our external partners as necessary that are relevant to the continued development of DigiDAD in a manner that is cost effective, timely, functional, and effective.
- Manage projects as needed across singular and ongoing campaigns and communications output on behalf of NEYDL and DigiDAD in line with our strategic goals.
- Line manage and support the work delivered by the Digital Media and Marketing Officer in their role in maintaining the DigiDAD online presence which includes but is not limited to website, content output, social media channels and other internal and external communications across digital and printed media.
- Identify opportunities for and manage delivery of training and upskilling of young dads in aspects of the content creation process.
- Work with young dad volunteers to establish and manage ‘virtual’ peer support groups online’ that connect young dads in a meaningful and engaging way, including via Discord based online video gaming.
- Undertake ongoing research with young dads to improve the charity’s understanding of young men’s use of new technologies supported by the Digital Media and Marketing Officer
- Manage the integration of DigiDAD with the charity’s bespoke and cloud-based data management system and overarching evaluation framework in a manner that can effectively capture and analyse data demonstrating the impact of DigiDAD overtime.
- Manage the ongoing project we have established with software engineers at Newcastle University, to oversee the design, build and implementation of a Discord based video gaming platform that meets the needs and aspirations of young dads in a manner that is inclusive, safe, accessible and GDPR compliant.
- Oversee a rebuild of www.neydl.uk and future innovations to DigiDAD to improve its design and functionality.
- Network effectively and build strong relationship with key stakeholders.
- Continue to build the case for continuation and expansion of services to meet the self-identified needs of young dads and young men.
- Be a strong advocate for digital communication and inclusion and support the charity in leading innovation and best practice in this field.
- Support the rest of the NEYDL/DigiDAD team across associated requirements for the charity including but not limited to collating data, contributing copy, reporting progress, grant and funding proposals, increasing our partnership opportunities etc.
About you
Our ideal candidate will be educated to degree level or above in a relevant subject and hold a minimum of GCSE equivalent in English Language and Mathematics. It is desirable that you have experience of:
- Multi-agency team working, contracting and wider project management.
- Delivering digital projects and overseeing the creation of digital content of different forms and lengths
- Event planning and management
- Consultation and co-production with community groups
- Coaching, mentoring, and supporting others to develop their skills.
- Recruiting, motivating, supporting, and managing volunteers.
- Evaluating, monitoring and report production to funders and other key stakeholders
It is desirable that you have skills in and understanding of:
- Project management and organisational skills, with the ability to organise and plan own work, manage budgets, and deliver objectives on time.
- Social media channels, trends, practice and innovations relevant to young people/young men/young dads
- Online video gaming using Discord based servers, chat rooms and voice channels.
- Researching, writing and editing content suitable for the DigiDAD e-learning platform.
- Excellent administrative and data inputting skills
- Excellent all round IT skills
- Data analysis around social media analytics, registered learner journeys, course completion records, surveys, questionnaires etc
- Safeguarding, Data Protection, and risk assessment relevant to digital media projects and young people
- Devising, dissemination and implementation of policy and strategy relevant to online media, marketing, and VCS organisations
- Maintaining positive working relationships
- Sourcing and developing new ideas, problem solving and identifying was in which we can improve services and resources.
- Working with marginalised young men and boys experiencing multiple and complex issues
- Working with voluntary sector and community networks
We understand that this is a role that comes with a diverse set of responsibilities and requirements. We know that we’re asking a lot of one person here but if you’re a good all round project manager, experienced in working in the digital world with a desire to diversify your skills, knowledge and expertise then we want to hear from you.
We’re looking for someone who’s committed to helping the young dads who will engage with our service in a supportive, sensitive and respectful way. We want someone who can thrive in a fast-paced environment who can focus on multiple projects and keep them on track. We’re a small team but we’re a supportive one, so we need someone who can work both on their own but also as part of our group. You will need to be flexible and adaptable, open and non-judgemental, have the right to work in the UK, committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and able to relate to young men, their children and their families. This role will involve some travel locally, regionally and possibly nationally to build relationships with key stakeholders and to raise the profile of the charity so having a clean and valid UK driving licence is important.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Fixed term until at least 19th November 2027, based on a salary of £19.78 per hour equivalent to £29,430.00 gross pay per annum (less any deductions).
Hours of work are 35 hours per week (full time). Our normal operating hours are Monday to Friday from 9am - 5pm, with some evening and / or weekend working expected to meet the needs of the charity and the young people we support. For this reason, there is some flexibility over working hours.
You are entitled to 7.2 weeks’ holiday in the holiday year which runs from 1st January until 31st December inclusive of statutory and public holidays which you may be required to work according to the company needs.
As this role requires regular car use, as a condition of your employment you will always hold a current full UK driving license.
Place of work will be BALTIC, Gateshead with some homeworking permitted. Due to the nature of your role, you may be asked to drive to and work at alternative premises to carry out your duties.
This Job Description & Person Specification are subject to review to reflect changes to internal and external factors.
Exemptions: Enhanced DBS clearance is required.
Application Process:
Please send your CV (no more than 2 pages including two references that can be contacted if successful) plus a covering letter (no more than 2x sides of A4 Arial font size 12) outlining why you want this job. By email to: dannii@neydl.uk specifying the subject title as ‘Job Application –
Project Manager (DigiDAD)’
To discuss this role please email: dannii@neydl.uk
Shortlisting is due to take place on Tuesday 11th February with interviews held at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts, Gateshead on Tuesday 18th February 2025.
Job document 1