Job Description

DAPO Project ManagerPosition: DAPO Project Manager
Reports to: Drive Partnership Programme Manager
Hours: 22.5 hours per week with flexible working hours and provision of an out-of-hours response as needed
Salary: xc2xa335,335-xc2xa336,713 pro rata
Location: Remote
Travel: You will be required to travel when the role requires it
Contract: Fixed term contract to 31st March 2026
Benefits: A generous package including 25 days holiday a year and public holidays, employee pension scheme with employer contribution, cycle to work schemeAbout SafeLives
We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.xe2x80x8bWe work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We want what you would want for your best friend. We listen to survivors, putting their voices at the heart of our thinking. We look at the whole picture for each individual and family to get the right help at the right time to make families everywhere safe and well. And we challenge perpetrators to change, asking xe2x80x98why doesnxe2x80x99t he stop?xe2x80x99 rather than xe2x80x98why doesnxe2x80x99t she leave?xe2x80x99 This applies whatever the gender of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the nature of their relationship.xe2x80x8bLast year alone, nearly 13,500 professionals received our training. Over 70,000 adults at risk of serious harm or murder and more than 85,000 children received support through dedicated multi-agency support designed by us and delivered with partners. In the last four years, over 2,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change by interventions we created with partners, and that is just the start.xe2x80x8bTogether we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.xe2x80x8bThis role is based within the Drive Partnership and be part of the pilot for the role out the positive requirement element of the DAPOxe2x80x99s.xe2x80x8bWe would particularly welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and across all protected characteristics, particularly from people from the following under-represented groups:

• Black and minoritised people
• Disabled people

xe2x80x8bWe always welcome and support applications from those who have personal experience of domestic abuse.xe2x80x8bAbout The Drive Partnership
The Drive Partnership, formed by Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance, is working to transform the national response to perpetrators of domestic abuse. We work to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together we have developed the Drive Project to address a gap in work with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse. We also work to advocate for systems and policy change- to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.Our vision
Our vision is that by 2026 there will be a consistent approach which sees agencies in all PCC and local authority areas across England and Wales xe2x80x93 backed by national leaders xe2x80x93 working together to disrupt abuse and change behaviour to increase safety for victimsurvivors, including children and families.Our way of working
Partnership is fundamental to our way of working. We are second-tier organisation focusing on the continuous improvement of service models, sharing best practice and supporting specialist service providers to deliver.We have three core strands of work:

• The Drive Project is our flagship intervention working with high-harm, high-risk and serial perpetrators of domestic abuse to prevent their abusive behaviour and protect victims. The Drive Project challenges perpetrators to change and works with partner agencies xe2x80x93 like the police and social services xe2x80x93 to disrupt abuse. It is currently being delivered in a number of police force areas nationally.
• Restart is an innovative pilot project providing earlier intervention for families experiencing domestic abuse. It brings together domestic abuse services, childrenxe2x80x99s social care and housing teams to identify and respond to patterns of domestic abuse at an earlier stage. Restart is currently being delivered in a number of London Boroughs.
• The Drive National Systems Change programme works across the domestic abuse specialist sector, public sector partners and beyond to develop sustainable, national systems that respond to all perpetrators of domestic

abuse. We identify systemic gaps and build solutions that keep survivors safer by addressing those causing harm.Background for the role
In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent. The Act introduces a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN) to provide immediate protection following a domestic abuse incident, and a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) to provide flexible, longer-term protection for victims. DAPOs can impose both prohibitions and positive requirements on perpetrators. Positive requirements can be in the form of interventions aimed at reducing and managing risk, meeting the needs of an individual (for the factors that are not the causation of abuse but impact on risk e.g. mental ill health, substance misuse) and behaviour change interventions.We were commissioned by the Home Office to design a triage model that will assess individuals for the suitability of these interventions, this triage model will be rolled out in the DAPO pilot sites which are going live in the autumn 2024 and will be tested and evaluated in order to prepare for national roll out in 2026.Purpose of the Role
The DAPO Project Manager will work closely with the DAPO Programme Manager and SafeLives Finance Manager to support the successful delivery of the programme and maintain effective commissioning relationships with service providers across each pilot area. Key responsibilities will include overseeing commissioning contracts, supporting programme implementation, managing stakeholder relationships, and providing regular progress reports to commissioners.Responsibilities:
1. Create detailed project plans, timelines, and resource allocation strategies.
2. Maintain oversight of the team project plan and overarching risk and issues register.
3. Lead regular project meetings, status updates, and stakeholder communications.
4. Monitor grant agreements given to service providers offering interventions for positive requirements across multiple sites.
5. Support Programme Manager to deliver timely and accurate project reports.
6. Work with the finance team to revise and update grant agreements and due diligence as needed throughout the length of the pilot.
7. Work closely with Drive Project Management Office to continuously manage, review and embed improved project, and contract management processes.
8. As required, assist in managing and maintaining relationship with key strategic stakeholders, commissioners and funders.Assist with overarching Drive Project management
1. As required, represent the Drive Partnership at local and national meetings and events.
2. Contribute to reports, presentations and discussions.
4. As required, assist with the Quarterly Contract and Performance Monitoring process.
5. Be flexible and available to work in all types of statutory and voluntary sector environments.
6. Any other duties commensurate with the general level of the role and as directed by the line manager.Person Specification:
Essential:
1. An understanding of the commissioning landscape within the Domestic Abuse sector, including for voluntary and statutory organisations.
4. Experience of working at a strategic financial level in partnership with voluntary sector and statutory sector organisations.
5. Ability to work on own initiative and set deadlines within projects to keep momentum going and motivate others to do the same.
6. A proven track record in building and managing internal and external relationships, negotiating deadlines/timeframes and managing work tasks and reprioritising as necessary.
7. Advanced computer skills on Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Word.
8. High attention to detail and accuracy.xe2x80x8bDesirable
1. Experience working in the charity sector.
2. Experience of managing and reporting against central government grants.
3. Experience of setting up new projects.
4. Experience conducting due diligence and auditing as part of governance processes.xe2x80x8bPersonal attributes
1. Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) and the ability to communicate effectively with different audiences, including non-finance staff.
2. The ability to manage a complex workload, across multiple geographic regions, and effectively meet reporting deadlines and the needs of a wide range of stakeholders.
3. Belief in the propensity for perpetrators to change their behaviour.
4. A demonstrable commitment to improving responses to domestic abuse across all agencies working in the sector.
5. Proactive, self-motivated and self-reflective, with a positive response to challenging situations and the ability to make effective use of support and supervision.
6. An engaged team member who works collaboratively and creatively to produce team outputs.

SafeLives