Member Job Opportunity: Action for Children - Principal Safeguarding Manager

Circa: £55,000
Department/Division: Practice Improvement
Location: Home-based with travel across the UK​
Contract Type: Permanent Full Time
Closing Date: 9 May 2021

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Giving children and young people the foundations they need to thrive.

The role
We are looking for a Principal Safeguarding Manager who, along two others, will be responsible for the promotion of best practice in safeguarding children and families and ensuring that Action for Children is able to respond to safeguarding demands across the organisation and in response to enquiries from external bodies.

The role will be home-based with the expectation of travelling once or twice a week to another location and to stay overnight approximately once every 2 weeks.

You will make a difference by:

• Ensuring that children and young people and vulnerable adults are safeguarded through leadership and advice provided to managers and practitioners.
• Reviewing and auditing the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements across the whole of the charity's functions. 
• Ensuring that relevant reports are provided for the Director of Safeguarding, ELT and trustees as required in respect of safeguarding matters, attending relevant senior management and trustee meetings to provide expert advice as required.
• Building effective relationships with managers and staff to provide leadership, support and challenge through these relationships to ensure that safeguarding of children is paramount.
• Undertaking case reviews and whistleblowing and other investigations where there is a need to review the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, including representation of the charity in external multi-agency reviews.
• Establishing and leading multi-disciplinary project teams to improve safeguarding of children.
• Designing and delivering safeguarding learning events both face-to-face and online where required by the children's services training plan or safeguarding strategy.
• Representing and promoting Action for Children in relevant external relationships concerned with safeguarding and acting as an Action for Children media spokesperson as required.

You will need:

• A qualification in Social Work, a registered social worker with social work regulatory body.
• At least 2 years' management experience in a statutory children's services setting.
• Detailed knowledge of children's services legislation, guidance and regulations in at least one UK jurisdiction and knowledge of Charity Commission safeguarding expectations. 
• An understanding of issues in the provision of children's social services and social care services in each jurisdiction and region.
• At least one area of specialist knowledge and expertise in respect of children's services delivery.
• Excellent knowledge of guidance and best practice in responding to allegations and concerns about those working with children.
• The ability to influence and create change regardless of hierarchies and without direct line management of staff.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to analyse and produce reports.
• The ability to work from home but able to travel regularly across UK, including staying overnight, when required.

The way we work
We work to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Have a look at our behaviours and values to understand more about the way we work here.

Rewards
We want our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, a comprehensive employer-matched pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts on our dedicated benefits portal. Find out more about our exclusive Action for Children benefits here.

For safe and happy childhoods

At Action for Children, we protect and support children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard, and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives. Last year, we helped more than 387,000 children and families across the UK.

For more information please contact Emma Goodwin on 07741 742013 or email recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk

Please note: Interviews are planned to be held the week commencing 24th May 2021.

We are committed to safer recruitment practices to protect our service users; therefore, all applicants are expected to have an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding best-practice.

Action for Children is passionate about promoting equality, valuing diversity and working inclusively. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons particularly people with Disabilities and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.

Full details and application documents here