Safeguarding Manager Women's Game - 12 month FTC

The FA is looking for a Safeguarding Manager to join on a 12 month fixed term contract, to work as part of the Strategic Safeguarding Team developing policy, procedures, standards, guidance, education and resources to support fun, inclusive and safe football environments, specifically across the Women's Player Pathway including Professional Game Academies.

You will implement The FA's safeguarding policy, procedures, standards and practices across the women's leagues and talent and player pathway including supporting safeguarding work with England National Teams and other major events.

Please note that the successful candidate will be required to work two days a week on site at either St. George's Park or Wembley Stadium, and attend meetings at either venue, as needed.

What will you be doing?

• Drive operating standards in the women's football pyramid and talent pathway, embedding safeguards in licence agreements and regulations, ensuring compliance monitoring is owned at club and league level, working closely with colleagues within the Womens National League and Professional Game Academies (PGA's), and the Safeguarding and Welfare Manager within the Professional Womens Leagues - NewCo, to ensure alignment where appropriate.
• Further develop the approach to audit and compliance and support the process to audit the safeguarding provision and support colleagues and clubs to implement the required safeguards across the women's football pyramid, talent and player pathway, including PGA's.
• Continue to identify and support the learning and development needs of football's Designated Safeguarding Officers/Club Welfare Officers across the women's football pyramid, the talent and player pathway, including PGA's delivering training and briefings as needed.
• Develop and deliver safeguarding and welfare training to specific relevant FA staff, consultants and volunteers, communicating effectively safeguarding policy and procedures, and emphasising the process for reporting concerns.
• Provide support as needed in the management of safeguarding and wellbeing concerns, ensuring appropriate records are maintained, overseeing all referrals to The FA's Case Management and Integrity teams and statutory agencies as required, implementing learning from incidents and referrals.
• Support the development of safer event and match/tournament delivery processes across the women's football pyramid, talent and player pathway.
• Support the development and delivery of research and insight projects across the women's game and support the delivery of actions to develop a safer culture.
• Support the development and implementation of The FA's Safeguarding Policy, including developing new guidance.
• Identify and develop any specific resources and materials to support safeguarding and wellbeing for player and parent education, including bespoke messaging about relationships of trust in the leagues, clubs and talent pathway.
• Support the embedding of safeguards in the open age game, including in the women's football pyramid, supporting alignment where relevant with the men's National League System.
• Ensure complaints relating to safeguarding matters are addressed, and that complainants are updated throughout the process and/or are signposted to relevant sources of support.
• Attend relevant internal meetings and regularly report updates to relevant Managers, Project Groups and Boards.
• Be an influential advocate for safeguarding and player wellbeing, promoting, communication and representing this work effectively internally and externally.
• Executes additional tasks as required in order to meet FA Group changing priorities.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing can be maintained.
• As part of The FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.

What are we looking for?

Essential for the role:

Knowledge

• A professional safeguarding qualification and or relevant experience in a safeguarding / welfare role
• In depth knowledge of national child protection and safeguarding legislation, policy and implementation
• Knowledge of current issues that impact on the development of elite young players, particularly in the Women's game
• A sound working knowledge of data protection principles and practice
• Sound knowledge of equality legislation and inclusive practices as they relate to safeguarding and additional vulnerability

Experience

• Experience of implementing safeguarding policy and safer working practice guidance.
• Experience of developing digital resources
• Experience of supporting safeguarding and player wellbeing in elite sport pathways
• Experience of managing referrals with statutory agencies, attending strategy meetings and or case conferences
• Evidence of risk and crisis management experience

Technical Skills

• Ability to create inspiring presentations and present to a wide range of key stakeholders
• Advanced Reporting Writing skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office
• Excellent communication, management, presentation, and facilitation skills
• Reporting Writing skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office

Beneficial to have:

Knowledge

• An understanding of the case management processes, legislation and related statutory and voluntary infrastructure

Experience

• Experience of working in safeguarding in a sporting context
• Experience of developing tailored resources for different stakeholders
• Experience of differentiating learning materials and using a blended approach to learning

Technical Skills

• Basic Project Management skills

What's in it for you?

We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.

We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:

• Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and wellbeing.
• Free, nutritious lunches, at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
• Free private medical cover.
• A contributory pension scheme.
• An additional Thank You days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave.
• A hybrid working model offering greater flexibility.

For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page,

Our Organisation

The Football Association [The FA] is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.

The FA oversees England international teams across men's, women's, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, Barclays FA Women's Super League, FA Women's Championship, and Women's Adobe FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park, all with a purpose to Unite the Game and Inspire the Nation.

We currently work within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary.

The FA, For All, For You

Our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy forms an integral part of our long-term commitment to using our influence across English football to create a game free from discrimination.

A Game For All outlines three key strategic commitments - Lead the Change, Be the Change, and Inspire the Change - which will ensure tackling discrimination remains a core priority for English football for years to come.

We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.

As part of The FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.