Vacancy – Designated Safeguarding Officer – Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall

Organisation: Argyle Community Trust

Position: Designated Safeguarding Officer

Location: Trustwide (Plymouth and Cornwall)

Offices: Home Park, Outland Road , Plymouth PL2 3DQ or

Carn Brea Leisure Centre, Station Rd, Redruth TR15 3QS

Opportunity for some hybrid working

Salary: £27,000 to £30,000 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Head of Human Resources

The successful candidate for this post will champion safeguarding at Argyle Community Trust by modelling best practice and proactively promoting and raising safeguarding awareness. ACT’s Board of Trustees has a strong commitment to safer working practices meaning that the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) will be highly valued and supported by an informed and engaged leadership team.

The role of Designated Safeguarding Officer is to be the nominated person within ACT with primary responsibility for promoting and upholding our safeguarding strategy and ethos – supporting children and vulnerable adults who participate in our programmes and activities. Supported by the Senior Safeguarding Manager (SSM), the post holder will work alongside the Leadership Team to ensure full compliance and adherence to ACT and FA safeguarding strategy. This is a full time post and cannot be fulfilled in conjunction with another role.

The primary purpose of the role will be to implement ACT and FA policy as well as DfE guidance for all Argyle Community Trust activities, ensuring that there is a Trust-wide awareness of procedures, responsibilities and practices designed to keep participants safe from harm. As such, the DSO will manage, record and report concerns about children and liaise with all relevant stakeholders including Local Authority Services, Local and National FA contacts, external support agencies and schools. ACT also provides a range of provisions for adult participants and therefore the post holder will take responsibility for managing safeguarding concerns related to adults at risk and individuals over 18 who are considered to be vulnerable.

Having received a grading of ‘Exemplary’ in our recent safeguarding audit, ACT has a sound foundation and a clear safeguarding action plan that will give the post holder an opportunity to focus upon the more proactive aspects of safeguarding such as educating and empowering individuals. Consulting through focus groups and the creation of support materials, self-help strategies and awareness-raising sessions will also form a part of this role. 

How to apply

If you can meet the specifications and would like to become part of the Argyle Community Trust team, please complete our online application form https://forms.gle/Lr5x7kHHEndy7jAL6.

You will be given the opportunity to upload a covering letter and CV should you wish to do so however, for safer recruitment purposes, we do not accept application by CV only.

If you would like further information or wish to discuss the post contact ACTrecruitment@pafc.co.uk. For more information about the work of Argyle Community Trust and our strategic aims visit https://argylecommunitytrust.co.uk/about-us/. 

Download the Designated Safeguarding Officer Job Pack as a PDF.