Safeguarding Officer - Apprenticeships

FTE: 1FTE (Working 37 hours per week)

Duration of Contract: Permanent

Annual Leave: 30 days, plus standard public holidays and an additional 4 days including the closure of our office between Christmas and New Year

Location: College Lane Campus, Hatfield

Main duties and responsibilities

The Safeguarding Officer - Apprenticeships will act as the primary point of contact for safeguarding and wellbeing concerns relating to apprenticeship learners, ensuring that issues are managed sensitively, professionally and in line with relevant policies and procedures. They will assess and manage risk, coordinate timely and proportionate responses, and maintain accurate and confidential case records.

Working collaboratively with learners, employers, academic colleagues, professional services and external agencies, the postholder will ensure that appropriate support mechanisms and referrals are in place to promote learner safety and wellbeing. They will provide expert advice, guidance and training on safeguarding, Prevent, wellbeing and British Values, helping to build awareness and confidence across the apprenticeship community.

Skills and experience required

You will possess proven experience of managing safeguarding concerns or complex wellbeing cases within an education or training environment. You will be able to demonstrate experience of applying safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and organisational procedures in practice, alongside a working knowledge of Keeping Children Safe in Education and safeguarding vulnerable adults legislation.

You will have an understanding of the Prevent Duty and British Values within education and training, as well as knowledge of mental health difficulties, available support pathways and external referral processes.

You will be able to assess risk effectively, maintain accurate records and handle sensitive information appropriately. Strong oral and written communication skills are essential, together with excellent organisational abilities and the capacity to manage a varied caseload.

Qualifications required

You will be educated to degree level or have equivalent relevant professional experience. A Level 2 safeguarding qualification is essential.

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE

The University requires that the successful applicant who is offered employment may require a DBS at a later date due to the nature of the work involved.

Overseas applicants and UK applicants who have lived abroad

Successful applicants from overseas will be required to produce a criminal records check, or 'Certificate of Good Character', from any country in which they have been resident, consecutively or cumulatively, in the previous 10 years.

Please view the job description and person specification for a full list of the duties and essential criteria. Please attach a personal statement showing clearly how your skills and experience match the Person Specification.

Internal applicants – please ensure you apply via your employee self-service portal.

Please apply early. We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the published closing date if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications. All applications received before the vacancy closes will be assessed consistently against the published person specification.

We regret that we are unable to offer UKVI sponsorship for this post; applicants will either hold UK Right to Work or demonstrate access to UK Right to Work before an offer is made.

Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: Geraldine Ward, Dean of Students, at g.1.ward@herts.ac.uk .Viju Patel, Deputy Director of Student Wellbeing, at v.patel38@herts.ac.uk

Closing Date: 28 September

Interview Date: 14 October

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