ISVA (independent Sexual Violence Adviser) in Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary: Band 6 – £30,276 to £32,613 per annum (Please note it is Northumbria Police policy to appoint at the beginning of the salary band)

Location: Forth Banks, with agile home working

Hours/Contract: 37 hours per week, 2 year fixed term contract / secondment

The role enables you to support and advise all victims of rape and serious sexual offences who are identified as having needs. Based on their personal situation, circumstances and needs, you will develop personalised coping and recovery plans, co‑ordinating support for victims in accordance with the Victims Code of Practice.

What you’ll do:

• Support victims of sexual crime by creating, developing and updating personal care and recovery plans ultimately helping them cope and recover from the impact of the crime. This includes attending court, monitoring crime progress and maintaining effective communication with them to build trust and confidence.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders such as specialist staff, victim care partners, volunteer services and third‑party service providers, referring victims and co‑ordinating services to ensure a victim receives the practical and emotional support they need to cope and recover.
• Provide impartial advice and information to any victims thinking of reporting crimes to the police.
• Maintain and further improve services by supporting the research of local and national working practices and initiatives in relation to victims of sexual offences. This will also be assessing the outcome of NVWS services to ensure victim satisfaction.
• Maintain records of contact, information received, and action taken to ensure accurate and up to date information and statistics are available.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience and knowledge of working with and supporting victims of sexual crimes and violence including support throughout the criminal justice setting or court proceedings.
• Passionate about delivering the highest standard of care and service, remaining resilient whilst dealing with difficult circumstances.
• Excellent communications skills adapting your communication style to deal with a range of individuals and partners both internal and external.
• Experience of managing high caseloads, prioritising when needed, ensuring all systems and records are maintained accurately.
• Demonstrable ability to coordinate effective end to end case management experience including assessing risk, managing plans, accurate recording, professional judgement, and working to deadlines and timescales.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative and innovative solutions to ensure victim satisfaction.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

Just so you know, candidates with priority status will be given precedence for this role over other applicants.

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face‑to‑face interview. Interviews are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 23rd and Wednesday, 23rd September.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, working together to improve the lives of disabled employees. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

In cases of very high application volumes, we may prioritise those who most closely meet the criteria, applying the same fair approach for all candidates.

Use of AI in Applications: At Northumbria Police, we embrace innovative technologies to enhance our recruitment process. We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While AI can be a valuable resource, we encourage applicants to ensure their submissions accurately reflect their personal qualifications, experiences, and skills. Our selection process includes thorough evaluations to verify the authenticity and suitability of all applications.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management Vetting (MV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment: This is a fixed term role subject to a six‑month probationary period. If you are successful in your application, you will have a six‑month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.