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Employment Manager
key4life

Job Description

This is an exciting role with the opportunity to deliver a new initiative to support more young offenders into employment. Over three years, you will work with Key4Life to develop and implement a new ‘customised training’ programme at HMP Brixton, and to secure support and funding from businesses who recognize the benefits of employing young offenders. You will also oversee new Alumni-led employability initiatives, such as Key4Life’s pilot ‘Food Cell’ gourmet burger pop-up. As you progress in this role, you will work with the CEO and Board to refine Key4Life’s customized training, in a way that is replicable and scalable. You will not be ‘starting from scratch’ as the charity has built strong relationships with over 40 London businesses. You will be supported to succeed in your role by the CEO and a dedicated team in London comprising Caseworkers, behavioural change workers, the Mentor Manager and Alumni Manager.

Day to Day Activities

Partnership Development (50%)

  • Making targeted approaches to new organisations and addressing how Key4Life meets the CSR of each company (through Work Tasters, mentor schemes, workshops). 
  • You will be presenting Key4Life to prospective companies, using your existing connections with employers and pursuing leads.
  • Securing funding and donations from new Corporate Partners, attending pitches with Key4Life CEO.
  • Account manage a range of existing and new partners from sectors including City and insurance firms, construction, fitness, hospitality and hotels.

Employability (25%)

  • Overseeing Key4Life’s employability offering for ex-offenders; working with the Programme Manager to plan impactful employability workshops at HMP Brixton and post-release.
  • Responding to the skills, interests and needs of participants, you will research and secure permanent employment, work experience, training and education for participants (ex-offenders).
  • Brokering meetings between companies and Key4Life participants, co-ordinating successful 3-day work tasters and identifying further opportunities with the company.
  • Support to the Programme Team to ensure that employability KPI’s are being met, for example ensuring a minimum of 70% of participants have completed a successful Work Taster within one month of their release from prison.

General Duties

The following duties are ones which all staff are required to perform:

  • Observe health and safety procedures and work safely at all times.
  • To be responsible for your own continuing self-development, undertaking training as appropriate to the working environment and location, and developments in your role.
  • Conduct yourself with professionalism, tact and diplomacy at all times.
  • Key4Life takes its responsibilities relating to safeguarding seriously and expects its staff to be aware of and adhere to the policies and procedures in place.


Success Factors

  • Empathetic and non-judgmental individual with a passion for helping young people
  • Ability to work simultaneously on multiple tasks
  • Understands the business community, with experience working in corporate sector
  • Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to get on well with a variety of people; from a participant on the Key4Life programme (ex-offender) to the CEO of a leading City of London corporate
  • Good proven employment track record (3 years minimum in full-time employment)
  • Flexible attitude as working hours can vary owing to the client group
  • Experience managing corporate<->charity partnerships either in the CSR team of a business or in a charity that receives funding from corporates
  • Experience in Recruitment/HR or CSR
  • Experience in the Criminal Justice sector, for example understanding of challenges faced by an ex-offender upon release from prison.

How to Apply

Please send a CV* (2-pages max) and a Covering Letter (2-pages max) 

In your Cover Letter please tell us about:

  1. How your experience to date has prepared you for this unique role
  2. Your proven ability to work with individuals from the corporate sector (please provide evidence) in addition to individuals from the voluntary sector, and with disaffected young people who are hard to reach 

* Please convert your Cover Letter and CV to a PDF before sending to ensure we can open them on our system.

We look forward to hearing from you!
The Key4Life Team