Safeguarding Partnership Policy and Development Officer
Job Summary
Contract Type:
Fixed Term
Working Pattern:
Full time
Advert Start Date:
07/10/2026
Advert End Date:
22/10/2026 23:59
Salary:
£39,513 - £43,693 [Fixed term for 12 months]
Job Category:
Social Care - Children Service
Employment Location:
Town Hall
Further Information
Be at the Heart of Safeguarding in Darlington
Do you want to work alongside senior leaders, influence partnership priorities and help drive real improvement across children's and adults' safeguarding services?
We're looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and proactive professional to join the Darlington Safeguarding Partnership Business Unit as a Safeguarding Partnership Policy and Development Officer. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills, broaden your experience and play a key role in supporting the partnership's ambition to keep children and adults safe.
Working across both children's and adults' safeguarding arrangements, you'll be part of a small but influential team that supports strategic leadership, drives improvement and promotes learning across the safeguarding partnership. You'll work with colleagues from local government, health, police, education, the voluntary and community sector, and many other organisations to help ensure safeguarding remains everyone's business.
Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to:
- Gain experience at a strategic, multi-agency level.
- Work directly with senior leaders and decision-makers from across the partnership.
- Lead and support projects that make a real impact.
- Help shape safeguarding policy, practice and improvement activity.
- Analyse information and identify emerging themes that influence local priorities.
- Support learning from reviews, audits and inspections.
- Develop your skills in partnership working, governance, performance, quality assurance and workforce development.No two days are the same. One day you might be analysing safeguarding data and preparing reports for senior leaders; the next you could be coordinating a multi-agency project, supporting a review, developing guidance, planning a partnership event or helping to deliver learning across the workforce.
About You
We're looking for someone who:
- Is passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and adults.
- Has experience of safeguarding, partnership working, project management, quality assurance or service improvement.
- Can build positive relationships across a range of organisations and professional groups.
- Is confident analysing information and presenting findings clearly.
- Has excellent communication, organisational and report-writing skills.
- Enjoys working collaboratively and finding solutions to complex challenges.
- Is adaptable, resilient and keen to learn.Most importantly, you'll be enthusiastic about making a difference and excited by the opportunity to contribute to work that helps keep people safe.
A Fantastic Development Opportunity
Whether you're looking to broaden your experience, gain exposure to strategic safeguarding work or take the next step in your career, this role offers an excellent opportunity for professional development.
You'll gain valuable experience in:
Strategic partnership working
Governance and leadership support
Multi-agency projects and improvement programmes
Policy and procedure development
Performance and data analysis
Quality assurance and audit
Learning and workforce development
This role is ideal for someone who wants to expand their professional network, work with senior leaders across multiple agencies and gain a unique insight into how safeguarding partnerships drive improvement across a whole system.
Join Our Team
This is a fantastic opportunity to step outside your usual role, challenge yourself, develop new skills and contribute to work that has a direct impact on safeguarding practice across Darlington.
If you're ready to take the next step in your career and be at the heart of safeguarding in Darlington, we'd love to hear from you.
This is a fixed term post for 12 months.
If you would like an informal discussion about the role please contact our DSP Safeguarding Partnership Business Manager, Ashleigh Des-Forges via email to arrange a phone call or teams call at Ashleigh.des-forges@darlington.gov.uk