SARC Team Leader

Location: Swindon (May be required to attend other offices for an interim period of time)

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

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

About the Role

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.

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.

Please note: For a list of the full job responsibilities and details, please click the list below.

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 (1 April to 31 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.

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.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for First Light, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.