Army - Dedicated Safeguarding Lead / Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Ministry of Defence

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 14th October 2024

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Details

Reference number

370651

Salary

£35,290

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

MOD - Army

Type of role

Operational Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Location

Army Foundation College (Harrogate), Uniacke Barracks

About the job

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.

The Army Foundation College (Harrogate) trains all Junior Soldiers under the age of 18 and prepares them for their subsequent Phase 2 Training - an exciting and challenging course programme, which includes military skills, education, adventure training and life skills. We employ a large workforce comprising military staff, civil servants, and contractors, all working together to create an exciting and diverse work environment. If you would like to work with mutually supportive colleagues who learn from and support each other, we would love for you to apply for the role of our Designated Safeguarding Lead/Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

This exciting new role is pivotal to the safeguarding and educational activities of the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) and we are looking for an enthusiastic, efficient professional to join our team.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The successful candidate will be required to coordinate the Safeguarding activities of the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) by advising the Chain of Command, tracking safeguarding issues and ensuing compliance with Government and Defence regulations in addition to providing Specific Learning Differences support to Permanent Staff and Junior Soldiers.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Advise the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) Chain of Command on Safeguarding and Specific Learning Differences policies and procedures.

Ensure that the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) complies with statutory Government and Defence regulations for safeguarding and Specific Learning Differences.

Track safeguarding allegations at the Army Foundation College (Harrogate), referring all cases of suspected abuse of any Junior Soldiers to the relevant authority, ensuring that a response is received, recorded and actions tracked.

Deliver safeguarding and Specific Learning Differences training to Army Foundation College (Harrogate) staff as required.

Deliver Specific Learning Differences support to Permanent Staff and Junior Soldiers by screening, developing learning plans and providing interventions as required.

Analyse Army Foundation College (Harrogate) trends in safeguarding, Junior Soldier backgrounds and Specific Learning Difficulties.

Act as the Local Authority Designated Officer to lead on liaison with external local authorities regarding Army Foundation College (Harrogate) safeguarding measures.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

Enhanced DBS check as part of the on-boarding process.
A designated Safeguard or Local Authority Designated Officer qualification.
National Award of SENCO
Level 3 teaching qualification

Desirable criteria:

Designated Safeguarding Lead qualification and previous experience of working in a Safeguarding Lead role.
PCert Vulnerable Learners and Inclusion.
Previous Specific Learning Differences experience.
Exhibit strong interpersonal and organisational skills due to regular interaction at senior levels.
Showcase initiative by proactively identifying emerging issues and finding solutions.
Demonstrate excellent writing skills.
Proficiency in IT tools, including Excel and Outlook.
Awareness of mental health issues.
Awareness of Local Authority Designated Officer referral process.

Qualifications

A designated Safeguard or Local Authority Designated Officer qualification.
National Award of SENCO
Level 3 teaching qualification

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving
Leadership
Working Together
Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,223 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance. Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
Highly competitive pension scheme
Personal and professional development of skills
Alternative working patterns for many roles
Access to the Employee Assistance Programme, a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
Enhanced parental and adoption leave
6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities.
Learning and Development to suit your role
Access to a range of retail and recreational facilities including our gym
Free on site parking

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). DBS cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

Discover My Benefits - Civilian (mod.gov.uk)

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

At application you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing
Experience: CV detailing your qualifications and experience against the essential and desirable criteria as listed in the Person Specification.

At interview you will be assessed against the above along with the following:

Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Changing and Improving, Leadership, Working Together, Delivering at Pace

Application sifting is scheduled to take place within one week of the closing date.

Interviews will take place at Uniacke Barracks, Harrogate within two weeks of the sift results. A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavor to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Major Edward Antcliffe
Email : Edward.Antcliffe209@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: , Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email:
info@csc.gov.uk.