Safeguarding and Risk Manager

Overview

INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Safeguarding & Risk Manager

Salary: PO6 £51,356 – £54,495

Hours: 37

Contract: Temporary 2 years

Location: Albion House, Rawdon, Leeds LS19 7XX

Would you like to be part of something bigger and join us in our ambition to become the Best City, working together as a Team for Leeds? Do your values match ours and do you have something to offer?

We are currently recruiting a Safeguarding and Risk Manager (SaRM) to the WNW Area Social Work Teams to support the delivery of statutory safeguarding duties and risk management.

As a Safeguarding and Risk Manager you will thrive to ensure the rights of adults with care and support needs are protected to live safely & free from harm, abuse and neglect.

As a Safeguarding and Risk Manager you will work alongside the area Neighbourhood Care Management & Rapid Response Teams to safeguard vulnerable adults.

You will have significant social work experience and be a confident practitioner who is able to make critical decisions and support the learning and development of our staff. You will take responsibility for the oversight & monitoring of safeguarding and risk screening & casework across the WNW area alongside the two Safeguarding and Risk Managers already in post.

As Team Leeds, our ambition is to tackle poverty and inequality and improve quality of life for everyone who calls Leeds home. Leeds City Council delivers over 500 different services to residents and is dedicated to bringing the benefits of a prosperous, vibrant, and attractive city to the people of Leeds.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Safeguarding & Risk Manager you will bring to the role:

• You will need to be a qualified and registered social worker educated to degree level with management experience.
• Extensive knowledge of safeguarding and legislative policy framework that underpin the adults social care services.
• Significant experience of managing risks and taking appropriate measures, with the individual and their representative, to minimise the likelihood of this to happen again.
• Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills with the ability to deal empathetically with service users, relatives, and carers alongside the multidisciplinary team.
• A flexible and adaptable approach.
• Good understanding of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as we are working to promote diversity and strive for equality of opportunity across our service.

We want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and encourage applications from ethnically diverse people to help improve representation at management levels.

About the role

As a Safeguarding and Risk Manager you will work across the teams in the WNW and collaboratively with our partner agencies and other organisations.

You will provide a consultative coaching and mentoring role, based on developing skills, experience and expertise in safeguarding and risk management among colleagues.

You will provide an expert resource to all staff in relation to risk assessment and management in terms of safeguarding and personalisation, up to and including the chairing of formal meetings convened to ensure the effective management and mitigation of risk.

You will use advanced expertise, knowledge and skills to take on the case management / co-ordination of the most complex cases.

You will work in close collaboration with team managers, to assist and support staff engaged in safeguarding and risk assessment and management.

You will ensure the local training and development needs of staff are met and participate in the formulation of individual and team development plans.

You will contribute to local quality assurance and service development plans, leading in relation to safeguarding and risk management.

(The role is split between casework; developmental work; and management support according to the needs of the service area at any time).

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Jason Downer, SDM, at Jason.downer@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children\’s or Adults\’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy .

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you\’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose: Take a consultative coaching and mentoring role in each Service area based on developing skill, experience and expertise in safeguarding and risk management among colleagues.

The role is split between casework, developmental work and management support according to the needs of the service area at any time.

Responsibilities

• Provide an expert resource to staff in relation to risk assessment and management in terms of safeguarding and personalisation, up to and including the chairing of formal meetings convened to ensure the effective management and mitigation of risk.
• Use advanced expertise, knowledge and skills to take on the case management of the most complex cases.
• Work in close collaboration with team managers, to assist and support staff engaged in safeguarding and risk assessment and management.
• Ensure local training and development needs of staff are met and participating in the formulation of individual and team development plans.
• Contribute to local quality assurance and service development plans, leading in relation to safeguarding and risk.
• Manage complex cases and authorise care packages at the request or direction of a Service Delivery Manager.
• Contribute to the development of the service, e.g. through research and development, and keeping colleagues updated in current practices, policies and procedures.
• Contribute to the development of the safeguarding operational policy and procedures, working closely with the Leeds Safeguarding Adult Board (LSAB).
• Act as a consultant providing expert advice, guidance, coaching and mentoring at the request or direction of a Service Delivery Manager.
• Responsible for induction of and identifying training needs of staff in relation to risk assessment, management and safeguarding.
• Deputise for the Service Delivery Manager, where appropriate, e.g. chairing adult safeguarding meetings and risk panels and complex care planning meetings.
• Lead and assist on specific projects including service development as required.
• Oversee, supervise and guide staff on specific cases as required by a Service Delivery Manager.
• Comply with the requirements of policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities as outlined with regard to Youth Offending and Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
• Actively promote and support Leeds City Council\’s and Directorate Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post acknowledging the changing nature of the internal and external environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in Social Work or equivalent, Social Work England approved qualification or Nursing qualification.
• Registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council or Social Work England

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Able to work flexibly as part of a team and travel throughout Leeds City Council boundaries, moving location within the service working at different sites /areas depending on need.
• Able to work effectively managing and working as part of a team demonstrating organisational and time management skills prioritising own and team\’s work to meet conflicting deadlines
• Able to respect sensitive and confidential information.
• Able to communicate and negotiate effectively with a wide range of people internally and externally including sensitive and complex information
• Able to use initiative to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of service objectives and adapting to changing circumstances
• Able to contribute to the improvement of the service including processes and procedures
• Able to deliver statutory responsibilities of agency and use them positively to assist service users
• Able to make decisions in complex situations on basis of uncertain information distinguishing between factual information and professional opinion
• Able to undertake professional consultation, direction and support.
• Able to exert personal authority
• Able to coach/mentor staff in a supportive manner, providing constructive feedback
• Able to address poor performance patiently yet assertively when faced with challenges
• Able to demonstrate professional skills to act as senior professional concerning complex casework:
• Able to work in situations in which risk taking in relation to decision making is inherent
• Able to work collaboratively acknowledging differing perspectives between professionals/agencies
• Able to identify service development opportunities and to initiate new ideas and activities
• Abe to work within delegated authority and recognises the parameters of accountability.
• Evidence of managing measurable quality outcomes for service users.
• Advanced knowledge of statutory framework procedures and policies.
• Thorough knowledge of research in this service area, and how this can inform practice and Service Development.
• Understand issues relating to the effective management of budgets.
• Understand requirement of performance management and use of performance indicators to maintain the quality of practice.
• Significant relevant post qualifying experience
• Experience of and ability to manage situations involving a high level of distress and emotion
• Experience of work within a statutory fieldwork setting.
• Demonstrate experience of carrying out assessments of need and risk in complex situations.

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Be aware of and be able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee\’s responsibility under Health and Safety.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.