1. Partnership Working

   • Build and maintain relationships with statutory and voluntary partners, including Adult and Children's Social Care, Police, Health, Mental Health, and Domestic Abuse Services, and counselling providers.
   • Coordinate referrals and information sharing, ensuring they are timely, appropriate, and well evidenced, and represent RABI in multi-agency discussions.
   • Keep knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance, best practice, and referral pathways across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland current, engaging with professional networks and partners.

2. Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement

   • Champion safeguarding across all departments, and maintain relationships with internal teams including Volunteering, Partnerships, Fundraising, and Campaigns, advising on new initiatives.
   • Manage referrals into RABI's counselling provision to agreed service standards, and support the management and monitoring of RABI's StaySafe lone working system.
   • Facilitate safeguarding supervision with Regional Support Officers and Managers as agreed, and work with colleagues to maintain continuity during absence or peak demand.
   • Undertake other duties commensurate with the responsibilities and grading of the role.

Decision Making and Autonomy:

You will manage a varied caseload, using professional judgement within legislation, guidance, and policy to assess concerns, determine actions, and coordinate interventions independently, working closely with the Safeguarding Manager, second Safeguarding Officer, Regional Support Officers, and Service Delivery colleagues. Concerns carrying significant organisational, legal, or reputational risk are escalated to the Safeguarding Manager, who retains strategic leadership, policy development, assurance, resource, and line management.

Person Specification:

Essential

• Degree level education, or equivalent knowledge and experience gained through professional practice.
• A recognised safeguarding qualification or evidence of substantial relevant training.
• Commitment to CPD, keeping knowledge of legislation, guidance, and best practice up to date.
• Willingness to undertake further training appropriate to the role.

Desirable

• Specialist safeguarding qualifications or accredited training.
• Mental Capacity Act, Domestic Abuse, MARAC, Prevent, suicide prevention, or trauma-informed practice training.
• Membership of a relevant professional body.

Knowledge - Essential

• Safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice for adults and children.
• Safeguarding principles, risk assessment, information sharing, multi-agency working, and the roles of statutory partners.
• Professional boundaries, confidentiality, consent, and information governance.
• Practice in complex family situations, domestic abuse, mental ill health, self-neglect, exploitation, and substance misuse.
• Equality, diversity, inclusion, and the impact of discrimination on vulnerability.

Knowledge - Desirable

• Safeguarding arrangements across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Safeguarding within charities or community-based services.
• Issues affecting farming and rural communities.

Experience - Essential

• Managing safeguarding concerns in a professional setting, undertaking risk assessments, and making defensible decisions.
• Advising and guiding colleagues on safeguarding.
• Working collaboratively with statutory agencies and partners.
• Maintaining accurate, confidential, and legally compliant case records.
• Managing competing priorities in a busy operational environment.

Experience - Desirable

• Voluntary or charity sector experience.
• Coordinating safeguarding referrals.
• Contributing to safeguarding training or awareness programmes.
• Using electronic case management or CRM systems.
• Supporting organisational service improvement.

Skills and Abilities - Essential

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, working effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds and producing clear, accurate reports.
• Able to build positive, credible relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Strong analytical skills, assessing complex information, identifying risk, and making timely, evidence-based decisions that balance risk, guidance, and organisational responsibility.
• Strong organisational skills, prioritising competing demands, managing a varied workload, and handling sensitive, confidential information appropriately.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office and electronic case management systems.

Skills and Abilities - Desirable

• Delivering presentations or training.
• Analysing safeguarding data and identifying emerging themes.
• Contributing to policy or procedural development.

Personal Attributes

You will bring integrity, professionalism, and ethical judgement; empathy and respect for beneficiaries' dignity; resilience in emotionally demanding situations; professional curiosity; confidence to challenge constructively; commitment to collaborative working and continuous learning; a proactive approach to problem-solving; and flexibility as priorities change.

Additional Requirements:

• Enhanced DBS clearance.
• Full UK driving licence, access to a vehicle, and flexibility to travel throughout England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as required.
• Commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality, equality, and professional standards.

This role profile is not exhaustive and is subject to review in conjunction with the postholder, as per future developments at RABI.

Early applications are encouraged as shortlisting and interviews take place on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to close this advert early if a suitable application is received.

Benefits:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (based on full-time working).
• Enrolment to Nest on joining, then the opportunity to join RABI's group pension scheme with Standard Life, where RABI contributes 10% of basic salary if you contribute 5%.
• Life assurance from day one.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Support with personal and professional development.
• On-site parking.

RABI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices secure equality of opportunity, and no employee or applicant receives less favourable treatment because of sex, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, belief, ethnic origin, disability, marital status, or any other unjustifiable reason. Selection is based solely on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities.

REF-230336