Description
We are committed to the principle of equality and equal opportunities in employment and have been accredited with being a Disability Confident Leader. We will actively promote equality and equal opportunities in our business to ensure that individuals receive treatment that is fair and equitable and consistent with their relevant aptitudes, potential skills and abilities.
West Ham United FC is committed to equality and safeguarding children and ‘adults at risk’. Positions that involve working with such groups are subject to safer recruitment protocols, including DBS Disclosure at enhanced level.
West Ham United staff enjoy generous benefits, including a contributory scheme, 25 days’ leave and life assurance. You can also take advantage of childcare vouchers, interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme and our employee wellbeing programme.
We believe that a diverse workforce strengthens our creativity and delivers the best commercial performance. We are, therefore seeking applications from high quality people, whose backgrounds, experience and identity broadens and enhances the diversity of our company.
As an employer we are committed to promoting and protecting the physical and mental health of our staff.
Cultural Competence
A failure to think about the range of individual or group needs could result in unintentional indirect discrimination. Thus, all work practices and engagements with others must be considerate of any additional support, learning and training needs will be identified.
Staff and volunteers will be reminded of their role in promoting a safe and Inclusive Club environment for children, young people and ‘adults at risk’. That staff are aware of their duty to safeguard and protect children and young people regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Job Purpose:
Reporting to the Foundation’s CEO and West Ham United Head of Safeguarding, as the Foundation’s strategic lead you will charter the organisations course and provide executive coaching around the safeguarding and well-being landscape, ensuring the implementation and delivery of relevant strategies is executed authentically and transparently. You will cultivate a culture which encourages high quality practices that are embedded across all levels of the organisation. You will inspire services that put people at the centre, promoting rights, choice, dignity and diversity, meeting all organisational and statutory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Policy
• Drive formal executive coaching and operational advice to CEO, Managing Director, Heads of Department and wider staff around safeguarding and risk management to foster a culture that encourages high quality practice at all levels.
• Mould an integrated safeguarding and wellbeing service and develop and deliver bespoke and innovative pastoral care strategies that align with wider organisational needs.
• Lead, develop and implement an effective and responsive Safeguarding Strategy and contribute to the Mental Health & Well-being Strategy.
• Ensure all policies, procedures and guidance remain up to date and develop new policies where appropriate, ensuring compliance with safeguarding legislation and guidance.
• Collaboratively shape safeguarding and well-being support that is consistent with local demands and priorities.
• Contribute as a member of the senior leadership team to promote a culture of inclusivity, transparency and confidence and demonstrate sustainable improvement across the organisation.
Operations
• Be accountable for ensuring audit recommendations are monitored, reviewed and implemented.
• Drive risk management to mitigate organisational, financial and reputational risk.
• Ensure safeguarding complaints are acted upon appropriately and outcomes are monitored, implemented and evaluated.
• Lead on investigating and managing safeguarding concerns and allegations and coordinate multi-disciplinary responses.
• Provide independent support to HR and managers with disciplinary processes and investigations and safer recruitment processes.
• Advocate for staff in crisis and conflict and respond proportionally and resiliently to urgent and critical situations.
• Support and promote a commitment to restorative systematic approaches to practice and draw on expertise to develop innovative solutions.
• On a rota basis, available to attend and oversee pre planning and match day safeguarding arrangements
Resource Management
• Ensure all safeguarding and well-being services within the Foundation adhere to the overall organisational strategy and inform future planning.
• Use Safeguarding knowledge and expertise to support funding applications and new business opportunities that contribute to the growth of the organisation.
• Identify the need to generate content and resources in order to implement training and awareness strategies across the Foundation. Influence workforce development and organisational resilience.
• Track data in relation to behaviour, incidents, and concerns to inform organisational direction.
• Ensure sensitive information is held securely and is GDPR compliant and all safeguarding and well-being concerns are logged appropriately on CPOMS.
• Oversee support for staff, volunteers and participants who have reported a well-being concern, ensuring appropriate risk assessments and support plans are implemented, creating a psychologically safe workspace.
• Build organisational resilience by expanding safeguarding and well-being resources and manage Safeguarding Volunteers, Internships and Student Placements.
Partnership & Stakeholder
• Build and maintain positive relationships with statutory agencies and safeguarding partners, attend and contribute to local network meetings and forums.
• Contribute to successful relationships with Premier League, EFLT, FA and support collaborations with key partners such as UEL, Schools and Education, Met Police and YOT.
• Chair Safeguarding Steering Group and support Foundation Safeguarding Champions. Attend SLT forums and report to Board of Trustees.
• Develop creative relationships and influence cohesive working between key internal departments, inclusive of HR, EDI and Safeguarding in the management of safeguarding and well-being matters.
Equal Opportunities
1. To ensure that all departments are provided within an anti-discriminatory framework and take account of such issues as race, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, sexual orientation and age.
2. To carry out work in a manner which promotes equality of opportunity for both staff and clients.
Employees will be recruited and selected, promoted and trained on the basis of objective criteria.
Person Specification
he ideal candidate will have skills and experience in the following areas: –
Essential (E) Desirable (D)
Education, Qualifications, Experience
• A track record of driving strategies to ensure safeguarding is highly effective (E)
• Recent experience of working effectively with external agencies, local community and a governing body (E)
• Evidence of leading and implementing change (E)
• Strong safeguarding and pastoral experience (E)
• Experienced in managing safeguarding concerns and keeping clear and comprehensive records of incidents, allegations, details of progress and investigation outcomes. (E)
• A highly visible and leading role in overseeing safeguarding arrangements for children, young people (D)
• A track record in overseeing safeguarding arrangements for ‘adults at risk’ (D)
• Ability to contribute to the implementation and regular updating of policies and procedures for the safeguarding of children and ‘adults at risk’ across all areas of the club (E)
• Keep up to date records of disclosures, reporting of concerns and required staffing qualifications (E)
•
Skills, Abilities, Behaviours
• Commitment to collaborative and consultative working (E)
• Proven ability to design and implement innovative support strategies which are driven by the needs of children and young people(E)
• Demonstrable experience of strategies to raise standards; an aptitude and enthusiasm for effective analysis of data and its use in setting targets for improvement (D)
• Evidence of working in partnerships and effective collaboration with other organisations and agencies. (E)
• Strong strategic abilities that translate into clear and coherent plans and holding others to account (E)
• An innovative and collegiate leadership style with the ability to motivate staff towards that vision and to build on the existing high standards in the organisation (E)
• An understanding of the importance of, and the desire to engage with and inspire young people whatever their challenges. The ability to deal sensitively with complex problems that can arise in child protection issues and/or similar matters (E)
• A commitment to working in partnership with an enthusiastic, stable and experienced Governing Body and to ensure that they have the information and materials required for the proper discharge of their roles and responsibilities (E)
• The ability to cope with the pressures of the Safeguarding Lead and to ensure that the demands of the post do not preclude a full and balanced life (E)
• Ability to lead and inspire staff and managers to communicate high expectations across all areas (E)
• A proven ability to manage change and to establish and maintain good working relationships with staff, children, young people, parents and ‘adults at risk’ – ability to work well with others is vital (E)
• Recent involvement in providing training and development for staff (D)
• Strong written communication and presentation skills; high order administrative and management skills (E)
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to effectively manage competing priorities and adhere to a range of tight deadlines (E)
• Strong emotional intelligence that is attuned to supporting participants, parents and staff (E)
• Experience of using data for improvement (D)
• A creative and innovative thinker, able to engage in debate with all stakeholders (E)
• High degree of professionalism and integrity, who will uphold the values of West Ham Foundation (E)
Applications Close Date: 01 Mar 2021
