I don't suspect that many employers are thrilled about the idea of hiring someone in a manager or associate director role while on a temporary visa that requires them to leave the country when it's over. If you told an employer that your plan is to be in the country on a Youth Mobility Visa, they would be asking themselves why you aren't asking them to sponsor you for a real work visa. Asking them to sponsor you for a work visa shows them that you want to remain in the country indefinitely. Asking them to go along with your Youth Mobility Visa tells them you don't plan on sticking around. Even if told them you would be interested in converting to a work visa afterwards, the question would remain, why aren't you asking for a work visa now?
Thanks so much for your response, you raise a really great point. My line of thinking was the Youth Mobility Visa allows for a fairly quick turn-around (from what I’ve found the longest it normally takes for approval is 5 weeks) so there wouldn’t be potentially months between hiring and the actual move. Then would look to take steps once I was there to convert to a work visa. I would love to go long term and if I’m able to find a company to sponsor me for a work visa that’s all the better! Is there a way you would recommend I communicate this in my resume or applications? Or a specific recruitment agency that is considered reliable in the UK I should reach out to?