National Safeguarding Manager

Organisation: Swim England
Salary: £41,000 - £46,000
Location: SportPark, Pavilion 3, 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough University, LE11 3QF
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 15 March 2026
Interview date: 19 March 2026
Job Description: - Minimum of 2x Days a Week Onsite (SportPark)
- 35 Hours a Week (Mon–Fri)

About Us

Swim England is the recognised national governing body for swimming, artistic swimming, diving and water polo in England. We help people learn how to swim, enjoy the water safely, and maximise their potential in aquatic sport at every level — from community participation to world-class performance.

The Safe Aquatics function plays a vital role in protecting children, young people and adults across aquatic sport. We are committed to delivering sector-leading safeguarding practice, ensuring that every participant can enjoy aquatics in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.

About the Role

We are seeking a confident and values-driven Safeguarding Manager (internally known as National Safe Aquatics Manager) to lead the operational delivery of safeguarding across Swim England.

This is a key leadership role within the Safe Aquatics team, responsible for managing safeguarding operations, supporting National Safe Aquatics Officers, and ensuring safeguarding concerns are managed, investigated and resolved to the highest standards.

You will play a central role in strengthening safeguarding culture across the sport — working collaboratively with internal teams, regions, counties, clubs and external partners to promote a person-centred, preventative and high-quality safeguarding environment.

Key Responsibilities

In this role you will:

- Provide outstanding leadership, guidance and support to the Safe Aquatics team and wider organisation.

- Deliver effective performance management to improve operational safeguarding delivery.

- Ensure safeguarding referrals are triaged, risk assessed and progressed in line with best practice and statutory guidance.

- Lead on complex or high-risk cases where there is potential for significant harm or reputational risk.

- Provide robust quality assurance across safeguarding investigations and casework.

- Contribute to the ongoing development of safeguarding policies, processes, training and guidance.

- Promote a person-centred and values-led approach, using preventative strategies to improve safeguarding outcomes.

- Engage with regions, counties and clubs to build trust and positively influence safeguarding culture across the sport.

- Use data and insight to identify trends and develop proactive safeguarding solutions.

- Support the implementation of organisational priorities, plans and reviews that strengthen safeguarding practice.

Skills and Experience
Essential

- Values-led approach aligned to Swim England’s organisational values.

- Management-level safeguarding experience within high-risk, high-volume environments (e.g. police, social care or similar).

- Excellent knowledge of safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance relating to children and adults.

- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to coach, influence and support team members.

- Experience working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to deliver positive safeguarding outcomes.

- Experience managing confidential and sensitive subject matter.

- Ability to act as a positive role model within a team and across an organisation.

Desirable

- Experience of working within a sporting environment.

Please be advised that we cannot offer visa sponsorship and that you must have right to work in the UK to apply or be considered for this role. If you are a non-UK/EU National, you must have an appropriate working Visa to undertake employment. You must also be working within the UK to apply or be considered for this role, due to the public liability insurance Swim England holds.

Swim England is committed to inclusion and embracing the spirit of all equalities legislation. As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from disabled people. We recognise that the diversity of our workforce is not reflective of today’s society and we are currently operating a pilot scheme whereby applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds can opt into our guaranteed interview scheme. Candidates that have opted into the scheme will be guaranteed an interview provided that they have demonstrated, within their application, that they meet the essential criteria for the role. When emailing the CV and cover letter, applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to state they wish to ‘Opt In’ to the scheme.

Where possible, Swim England will always make reasonable adjustments for accessibility to anyone who requires it.

If you would like any of the documentation in a different format or would like to apply in a different way please get in touch. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, in line with the Equality Act 2010. However, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Swim England is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
How to apply: Please click on the following link: https://sepeople.jobs.people-first.com/jobs/details/recruitment%2Fjobdetails%2F137597b6-cf46-4be5-8eaa-19c9adca98d0