Head of Advocacy & Safeguarding
Employer: EQUISS
Location: Homebased - There will be a requirement to travel for this role.
Working hours: Full Time
Salary: £55,000 - £70,000 per annum
-
This is a senior leadership role and a key early appointment within EQUISS.
As Head of Advocacy and Safeguarding, you will lead the development of our advocacy and safeguarding work, shaping how EQUISS supports individuals navigating abuse, misconduct and safeguarding concerns across the equestrian sector.
You will establish and oversee the organisation’s advocacy service and support line, including recruiting and managing advocacy caseworkers, and ensuring individuals receive safe, informed and survivor-centred guidance. You will also lead the development of safeguarding frameworks, case management systems and organisational safeguarding practice.
As a founding leadership role, you will help shape the safeguarding framework of a new independent organisation, providing strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme and contributing safeguarding expertise to the development of our standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring learning from advocacy informs sector practice.
Working closely with the leadership team, you will help establish EQUISS as a trusted organisation driving stronger safeguarding, clearer reporting pathways and greater accountability across the equestrian sector.
As a developing organisation operating with a small and collaborative team, this role requires someone who is comfortable balancing strategic leadership with practical delivery. We are looking for a compassionate and inclusive leader who can support and develop others, foster a culture of trust and reflective practice, and contribute positively to building the organisation as it grows.
Key responsibilities
Strategic leadership and safeguarding oversight
Provide strategic leadership for EQUISS’ advocacy and safeguarding work
Establish safeguarding frameworks, case management processes and risk management structures across the organisation
Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, providing oversight of complex safeguarding cases and ensuring appropriate referrals and partnership working
Ensure EQUISS maintains robust safeguarding governance, confidentiality and data protection standards
Advocacy and support services
Lead the development and delivery of EQUISS’s advocacy service and support line.
Recruit, manage and support advocacy caseworkers, ensuring high-quality, survivor-centred support and safe case management practice
Shape how EQUISS supports individuals navigating reporting processes, organisational complaints and statutory systems
Oversee case management systems and triage processes to ensure safe, consistent and effective responses to safeguarding concerns
Safeguarding training and sector learning
Provide strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme, ensuring training reflects the realities of safeguarding within equestrian environments and aligns with best practice across sport and safeguarding sectors
Lead the recruitment, management and quality assurance of safeguarding trainers, including freelance trainers, consultants and subject-matter experts delivering EQUISS training programmes
Work with trainers and external partners to develop and refine training content, ensuring consistency, accuracy and high standards of delivery
Establish processes for trainer induction, guidance and quality assurance to ensure training is delivered in line with EQUISS safeguarding principles and standards
Ensure learning from advocacy work informs training content, sector guidance and safeguarding practice
Contribution to standards and sector improvement
Contribute safeguarding expertise to the development of EQUISS standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring safeguarding expectations reflect best practice
Use insight from advocacy and safeguarding work to inform sector learning, standards development and organisational guidance
Support the development of sector resources that help organisations strengthen safeguarding practice
Sector engagement and partnerships
Build relationships with safeguarding professionals, statutory agencies and specialist support organisations
Represent EQUISS in sector conversations relating to safeguarding, welfare and organisational accountability
Contribute to knowledge-sharing, policy discussions and initiatives aimed at improving safeguarding standards across the equestrian sector
Culture, learning and survivor-centred practice
Ensure EQUISS’s work remains grounded in survivor-centred principles, independence and transparency
Embed learning from lived experience into service design, safeguarding practice and training development
Foster a culture of reflective practice, safeguarding vigilance and professional integrity within the organisation
Person specification
Qualifications
A relevant professional qualification or degree in safeguarding, social work, psychology, law, education, criminology or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
ISVA, IDVA or CHISVA qualification, or willingness to work towards one
Advanced safeguarding training, including Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training and Safeguarding Level 4 or Level 5 training, or equivalent senior safeguarding training
Evidence of continued professional development in safeguarding practice
Essential experience and knowledge
Significant professional experience in safeguarding, advocacy or victim-survivor support, ideally within violence against women and girls (VAWG), sport, welfare or related sectors
Strong understanding of independent advocacy models, including ISVA and CHISVA frameworks, and how these operate alongside statutory services
Experience overseeing complex safeguarding cases, including risk assessment, referrals and partnership working within multi-agency safeguarding environments such as police, social care and safeguarding hubs
Experience leading and managing teams, including providing supervision or reflective practice support to staff working with complex safeguarding or advocacy cases
Experience recruiting, supporting or overseeing trainers, facilitators or external practitioners, ensuring quality and consistency of delivery
Experience supporting or working with individuals affected by sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, modern slavery or related forms of abuse
Demonstrable understanding of trauma-informed and survivor-centred practice
Strong knowledge of UK safeguarding legislation and guidance, including responsibilities relating to children and adults at risk, and experience contributing to organisational safeguarding policies, procedures or governance frameworks
Ability to exercise sound professional judgement in complex safeguarding situations, maintaining confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries
Leadership and personal qualities
A compassionate and inclusive leadership style, with the ability to support staff working with complex and sensitive safeguarding issues.
Ability to work effectively in a small and collaborative team, contributing to the development of systems, processes and culture as the organisation grows.
Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust with colleagues, partners and those seeking support.
A collaborative mindset and willingness to work flexibly in a developing organisation, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on delivery where required.
Desirable
Experience working within sport, equestrian environments or athlete welfare contexts.
Experience contributing to sector standards, accreditation frameworks or safeguarding policy development.
Membership of, or engagement with, a relevant professional safeguarding body or network.
About EQUISS
EQUISS is an independent organisation working across the equestrian sector to improve safeguarding, welfare and accountability. We support individuals affected by abuse and misconduct, work with organisations to strengthen safeguarding practice, and drive systemic change through training, standards and advocacy.
Our work brings together three key areas: supporting individuals navigating concerns, strengthening safeguarding practice across the sector, and campaigning for meaningful reform where systems are failing.
As a developing organisation, EQUISS is building the structures, services and standards needed to ensure safeguarding and welfare are prioritised across the equestrian world.
Please note: There will be a requirement to travel for this role.
Employment package:
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
A personal pension plan provided through NEST after 3 months
Private Healthcare insurance after successful completion of probationary period
Reporting to CEO
The Work From Home Hub is dedicated to finding and sharing remote and hybrid job opportunities across the UK. The content available on theworkfromhomehub.co.uk is intended for general informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the information provided is accurate and reliable, we make no guarantees or warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the information presented on our site.
A step‑by‑step guide to finding and securing a remote or flexible job outside the classroom. Learn where to look, how to position yourself, how to identify your transferable skills, and how to navigate a new job market. Includes an editable CV template and cover letter example to support your transition.
Created by The Work From Home Hub.
This page may contain adverts for products and services tailored to those seeking homebased roles or already working remotely. These adverts help The Work From Home Hub source and share more job opportunities to our community. Support our mission - become a partner today.