Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Team Leader

Salary: £28,944 per annum rising to £29,579 per annum after successful probation.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Holiday: 25 days annual holiday entitlement increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service per annum plus bank holidays

Base: Local SARC: Swindon SARC, The Gables, Shrivenham Road, South Marston Swindon SN3 4RB. Sister SARC: Gloucester SARC, Hope House, Great Western Road, Gloucester, GL1 3NN. May be required to attend other offices in Swindon for an interim period of time.

Area Covered: see above

Contract: Permanent

The Swindon and Wiltshire SARC Team Leader is responsible for leading, developing, and line managing the Crisis Worker Team to deliver a high-quality, responsive front-line service to victims and survivors of sexual violence. The post holder will ensure the team provides proactive, short-term support throughout the forensic medical examination process and facilitates appropriate onward referrals, based on individual needs and risk assessments. They will oversee case debriefs and audit processes to ensure staff are well supported and that records are accurate, comprehensive, and maintained to a high standard.

The Team Leader will play a key role in the ongoing management and development of the Crisis Worker Team, ensuring a consistent and high-quality service is delivered. They will establish and strengthen multi-agency partnerships, developing clear protocols and referral pathways to enhance collaborative working. Contributing to the operational direction of the service, the Team Leader will ensure that client feedback and experiences inform service development and continuous improvement. They will support key organisational initiatives and accreditations; including the Forensic Science Regulator Accreditation and Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors.

The role also includes providing professional advice, risk assessment, support, and guidance to colleagues, partner agencies, and the wider public. The Team Leader will support crisis situations and offer expert advice on safeguarding matters and information-sharing concerns relating to both children and adults. In addition, the Team Leader will lead on engagement and outreach activities for the SARC, coordinating strategic approaches to raise awareness and accessibility. They will represent the organisation at key stakeholder forums and develop service user engagement opportunities, such as focus groups, to better understand barriers to access and improve the overall client experience.

This role requires a highly motivated, flexible individual who can work autonomously, demonstrate strong leadership, and contribute effectively to the ongoing development of a trauma-informed, client-centred service.

Key responsibilities:

• Support and develop the operational service delivery of the Swindon and Wiltshire SARC service, with the SARC Team Manager.
• Manage and supervise a team of crisis workers in line with First Light policies and procedures, and forensic integrity standards.
• Manage the recruitment, on-boarding, training, supervision of staff and be responsible for delivering training and awareness across the service.
• To contribute to staff development and professional practice through the staff review and development process.
• To ensure staff understand key risk management policies and procedures and implement them as required so that staff and client safety are kept central to any process.
• Quality assure SARC practice and reporting by ensuring that accurate recording processes are implemented and maintained to a high standard.
• Actively review and audit SARC referrals across the service to ensure crisis workers are supported and working within policy and procedure.
• Develop protocols and referral pathways in and out of the service by working with all key referral organisations.
• Co-ordinate the referral pathway for SARC clients and ensure that incoming and onward referrals are processed in line with contractual obligations.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive and accurate information database of external signposting and referral pathways to ensure that staff in the SARC service can signpost clients and professionals to the most appropriate agency to meet their needs.
• Work in partnership with Forensic Clinicians to promote and maintain sterility at the SARC.
• Support the SARC Manager in ensuring the service meets the requirements of the impending Forensic Science Regulator Accreditation.
• To develop effective monitoring and evaluation systems which provide data for output and outcome analysis for the contract KPI indicators.
• To provide management reports to contribute to the analysis of effective practice and to contribute to and inform service development.
• Support the development of funding applications to enhance the SARC service.
• Participate in fundraising activities to promote our cause and brand.
• There will be a requirement to act as a crisis worker during periods of staff absence.
• Lead on the development and delivery of a 12-month engagement and outreach strategy at SARC.
• To write quarterly and annual reports on progress of engagement.
• Provide training and represent the charity with a broad range of organisations.
• Engage with the general public and key stakeholders to promote and improve access into the SARC pathway.
• Coordinate SARC strategy for key events such as Sexual Violence Awareness Week and the White Ribbon Campaign.
• Develop focus groups with ex-service users to gather qualitative feedback to identify and deliver service improvements.
• To develop the accessibility of the SARC service for all people from protected characteristic groups to ensure the service is available to all.
• Ensure that the service meets the needs of male service users, in line with the “Quality Standards for Services Supporting Male Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence”.
• To deputise for the SARC Manager in their absence.
• To undertake any duties as may be required from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.

Essential requirements:

• The successful applicant will be required to provide a DNA sample for our staff elimination database (SED). This will be held by our Forensic Service Provider under the Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA), which governs how Law Enforcement Agencies handle DNA samples taken from individuals. This is a national requirement under the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR).
• Confident use of digital systems, data and technology to support service delivery, reporting and communication.
• Ability to travel across all areas of Swindon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
• Exceptional leadership and management skills.

Added benefits:

• A comprehensive induction and training programme, with a hybrid working policy for a better work/life balance.
• A wellbeing day per financial year (1st April to 31st March).
• Access to external supervision to discuss personal or emotional responses to traumatic cases, to ensure emotional and psychological wellbeing.
• Health and wellbeing resources including our staff Wellbeing Group, Staff Consultation Committee and active participation in our employee engagement platform.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which includes a 24/7 telephone helpline offering medical, emotional and financial support.
• Working for an organisation committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We encourage applications from all sections of the community, and all backgrounds regardless of age, race, faith, disability, neurodiversities, genders, gender expression or sexuality.
• First Light are a Disability Confident Committed Employer and have an LGBTQIA+ Staff Network.
• Annual pay review and employer contribution pension scheme.

Additional Information:

The successful applicant will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring check, and a social media check conducted by a third party organisation as part of our Safer Recruitment process. Any future offer of employment is contingent on the satisfactory completion of these checks, as well as the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, with one being from your current or most recent employer. Please note that in some roles staff may be required to work from a home/office base in accordance with our Hybrid Working policy.

Deadline for receipt of applications: 09:00 on 23rd June 2026

Expected date for interviews: To be confirmed with applicants

If you do not hear from us within 10 working days of the deadline for receipt of applications, please assume you have been unsuccessful at this time. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert early for the right candidate, so we encourage early applications.

To apply: Due to Safeguarding requirements we are unable to accept CVs as part of your application, or employ any candidate who has been a client of First Light within the last two years. Please complete the application form on the top right of the advert on our website. Ensure that you outline your relevant experience and evidence suitability for the role against the role profile, which is a combined job description and person specification. Alternatively, you can email [email protected]