Governance and Safeguarding Manager

Organisation: Bowls England
Salary: £34,000 - £38,000
Location: Hybrid - Victoria Park, Leamington Spa, Homeworking and some travel may be required
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 3 November 2025
Interview date: 10 November 2025
Job Description: Role Overview
Reporting to the Head of Sport Development, this role is crucial in ensuring Bowls England navigates its responsibilities as a National Governing Body. With flat green bowls exploring coming together as one organisation, it is an exciting time for this person to lead the way in role modelling good governance and developing exemplary safeguarding practices across our sport. With integrity and inclusivity at their core, this person will be motivated by creating a safe, enjoyable environment for people to participate in lawn bowls.

Key Responsibilities
Governance and Safeguarding Manager
• Champion the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding and act as Bowls England’s Lead Safeguarding Officer
• Work with the Bowls Development Alliance to manage the sport’s safeguarding action plan, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and relevant frameworks.
• Acting as Bowls England’s safeguarding expert and central point of contact to ensure we deliver high-quality safeguarding standards and practices.
• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of complaints, grievances and disciplinary cases notified ensuring regulations are followed. Liaising effectively with the National Disciplinary Panel members and county disciplinary personnel.
• To ensure the Code of Ethics and related codes of conduct comply with best practice and are implemented fairly, consistently and effectively across the sport.
• Manage the day-to-day delivery of the organisation’s governance work across the sport to ensure standards of good governance are met.
• Support the Governance and Risk Committee in its duties acting as Secretariat and maintain the organisation’s risk register.
• Develop and maintain Bowls England’s policies and procedures, ensuring they are fit for purpose, easily available and applied.
• Work with the Club & County Services Officer and Content & Communications Officer to develop educational material and guidance to ensure club and county policies and processes are consistent with good governance practices set by Bowls England.
• Work with the Head of Marketing and Communications to ensure best practice and compliance on GDPR matters.
• Manage the relationship with Bowls England’s legal advisors
• Take Bowls England board minutes and maintain the board action plan

During the application process, we hope you’ll evidence ‐
• A track record of working in governance and safeguarding roles and integrating these functions across an organisation.
• Experience of reviewing, developing, and implementing core organisational policies and processes including safeguarding.
• Knowledge of, and appetite to expand expertise, in relevant legislation and government guidance and other relevant frameworks, ideally Sport England’s Code of Governance.
• Experience of risk management and control methodologies and their successful application.
• Experience of handling complaints, working within stakeholders and seeing cases to a positive conclusion.
• Having worked collaboratively and effectively with partners and agencies.
• An ability to securely record, store, and share data in line with policies, and using this information to inform reports and audits.

Whilst also demonstrating you are ‐
• A confident, empathetic communicator able to build relationships, listen well and work effectively with a diverse cross-section of people.
• Organised and process-driven with an ability to manage and prioritise multiple, concurrent tasks.
• Capable of identifying and analysing information, form reasoned positions and make sound judgement on complex matters.
• Ability to make ethical and informed decisions, often in challenging circumstances.
• Able to work with conflict and being emotionally resilient when faced with difficult scenarios.
• Up for a challenge and have a positive, can-do attitude.

To find out more, visit www.bowlsengland.com/staff-vacancies
How to apply: To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability to Darren Butler (People Officer) at ourfuture@bowlsengland.com with the subject line "Governance and Safeguarding Manager". The closing date is Monday 3rd November 2025 at 17.00, with initial interviews to be held during the week commencing Monday 10th November 2025.