Job Description

County Safeguarding Officer

Hours: 18 hours per week to include work on evenings and weekends as well as during the day on weekdays as required.

Salary: 13,104.00 - Plus expenses and pension

Contract Type: Part-time role

Location: Working across both Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (NCCC) and Steelbacks Foundation (SF)

Responsible to: NCCC Board Safeguarding Lead/NCCC & Steelbacks Foundation Lead Officers

Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 First Class counties forming the England & Wales Cricket Board. The organisation is a fully professional share holder owned sporting body competing in major ECB competitions. The club has an academy and talent pathway for both boys and girls.

The Steelbacks Foundation is the Governing Body for recreational cricket in Northamptonshire, delivering services in support of the cricket community across the county. It is one of 39 County Cricket Boards/Foundations in England & Wales and works in partnership with several key stakeholders to develop the recreational game locally in line with the strategy developed by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

JOB SPECIFICATION

The County Safeguarding Officer role leads on all aspects of safeguarding with a specific responsibility for setting the standard on safeguarding and embedding a culture of good practice throughout recreational clubs and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, so that Cricket Regulator safeguarding standards are met.

YOU'LL LOVE THIS ROLE IF YOU LIKE

Being the lead person in setting the standard on safeguarding and embedding a culture of good practice throughout the recreational game, the Steelbacks Foundation and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

Managing proactive safeguarding across all areas of business within the county including the Talent Pathway, NCCC and Steelbacks Foundation where appropriate.

Setting NCCC and SF policies and procedures for Safeguarding and maintaining supportive relationships with the Club's Directors, Staff and Volunteers and maintain relevant databases to ensure they are up to date and current.

Establishing, building and maintaining a supportive relationship with their network of Club Safeguarding Officers, county staff, volunteers and stakeholders acting as their first point of contact in safeguarding matters.

Providing guidance and support to Club Safeguarding Officers on best-practice proactive safeguarding.

Managing the process of reporting low-level concerns (LLC) using ECB systems.

Completing referral forms in a timely and effective manner with appropriate detail to ensure a prompt and factual process going forward.

Ensuring CPA minimum standards are complied with whilst striving for "leading organisation" status within the County Partnership Agreement (CPA) standards for safeguarding.
Establishing building and maintaining a good working relationship with their County Safeguarding Advisor (CSA) from the Cricket Regulator Safeguarding Team on behalf of the ECB.

YOU'LL BE

Attending quarterly meetings face to face with their CSA to discuss action plans and track CPA progress. Regularly update the Smartsheet, including as much detail as possible and attach documents to support the statements.

Providing a detailed report to their Board Safeguarding Lead (BSL) ahead of a Board meeting to promote discussion with check and challenge at Board level around safeguarding.

Periodically participating in Board meetings when required to provide updates (recommended 1-2 times per year) and other meetings including NCCC Staff Welfare Group as required.

Delivering Board Safeguarding Training to their Board of Directors every 3 years, or sooner as and when Board members change.

Expected to complete training to be an ECB Safe Hands tutor, within 12 months of appointment, to deliver the ECB's Safe Hands Workshop across the county ahead of the season each year to support recreational cricket club staff and volunteers, to understand and adhere to their safeguarding responsibilities at club level.

Driving compliance within safer recruitment practices throughout the county and cascading the safer recruitment messaging and practices to club level working closely with the HR Manager at NCCC.

Supporting clubs and the county in ensuring roles within regulated activity are ECB DBS & barred list checked, and requirements around overseas players/coaches are understood.

The Primary County Wide 'Safeguarding Recruiter,' and ID verifier, using the ECB Online system.

Delivering / co-delivering the Safeguarding Considerations in the Talent Pathway course every 3 years face to face with talent pathway staff.

Visible and provide operational safeguarding within the County's Talent Pathway, including County Age Groups, Academy and EPP, as well as the men's and women's senior set up (where applicable).

Completing, or have oversight of, a Training Matrix so training for staff can be monitored and checked appropriately.

Completing, or have oversight of, the Risk Assessment process for the county.

Attending various inductions with Cricket Regulator Safeguarding team on commencement of role, signs up to webinars, attends regional meetings and / or any other training and CPD opportunities as provided by the Cricket Regulator on behalf of the ECB.

Supporting Club Safeguarding Officers with their induction and role compliance requirements i.e. Safe Hands, Safeguarding for Specialist Roles (SSR) and DBS including verifier status.

Providing regular updates and training via newsletters, webinars, club visits, CSO cluster network & support meetings.

Logging all low-level concerns (LLC) within the ECB system.

Ensuring there is a clear referral pathway for sharing, reporting and recording concerns, in line with ECB policy and guidance; and club staff know how to access them.

Identifying where Safeguarding concerns may also be potential breaches of the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code, and ensuring these are referred to and managed through the appropriate process.

Attending Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or other statutory agency meetings.

Liaising with the Cricket Regulator Managed Participants Officer and having a process in place for the managed participants in the county.

Attending webinars and regional meetings and / or any other training and CPD opportunities as provided by the Cricket Regulator on behalf of the ECB.

*Leading Organisation status is a grading achieved through Smartsheet's and / or an audit process to show the county has gone above and beyond in their duty of care within the safeguarding space. Your CSA will work with the CSO to achieve this through the aspirational guidance working document at each CPA meeting, by doing this, the CSO can effect change within the culture of safeguarding in the business.

YOU'LL HAVE

Essential:

Professional experience of safeguarding gained through relevant experience of casework (e.g. Police, Social work, Education or Designated Safeguarding Lead) including an understanding of current legislation, best practice and national frameworks

Excellent presentation and training skills

Enthusiasm and commitment to safeguarding

Excellent IT skills including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and other IT platforms

Experience of building relationships with key stakeholders

Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills

A person-centred approach with an understanding of the rights, needs and best interests of children, young people and adults

Experience of working to high levels of confidentiality including the storage of confidential documents

Understanding and experience within Mental Health

Ability to challenge poor practice and effect change

Understanding the Cricket Regulator on behalf of the ECB's role and responsibilities to safeguard the welfare of children, young people and adults, including policies relating to safeguarding children or adults in cricket

Understanding of local arrangements for managing safeguarding children and reporting procedures

Highly motivated with a positive solution focussed attitude and the ability to make decisions

Sound judgement on complex matters, knowing when to escalate concerns

Ability to influence and challenge people in positions of authority

Analytical skills to be able to identify and present key themes/trends emerging from case data

Access to a car and a full driving licence is essential

Desirable:

Experience of multi-agency working

Experience of volunteering or working in cricket, other sports or a similar activity

Experience and training within Mental Health to support staff, themselves and wider cricket community

Mandatory training to be completed by CSO:

1. ECB Induction to Safeguarding

2. Safeguarding for Specialist Roles (SSR) + bolt on

3. Safer Recruitment within Cricket

4. Safeguarding Adults within Cricket

5. Safeguarding in the Talent Pathway

6. Prevent Training

Areas of business CSO should attend:

1. Cricket Regulator Safeguarding Team Conference

2. Regional Meetings

3. Free training provided through webinars or meetings

Safeguarding Statement

The Steelbacks Foundation are committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our services

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Values

We will ensure that every section of our community is included in the club and the game as a whole, and that their views are taken into consideration in our decision-making processes. and we will ensure that EDI is at the heart of our agenda as an organisation, from board to pitch. We will strive to make our organisation, teams, and workforce

representative of our community as a whole. We will facilitate methods of reporting discrimination from within the organisation and externally, and ensure all reports are investigated

Please take time to read the and only apply if you can demonstrate you have the relevant experience and can meet the requirements of this role. If so, please submit your CV and the application form to HR@nccc.co.uk

The closing date for applications is Friday August 22nd with interviews taking place during the week commencing September 8th & 15th.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 14.00 per hour

Expected hours: 18 per week

Benefits:

Flexitime Work from home
Work Location: In person