Safeguarding Lead

YMCA South Australia; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free access to YMCA SA facilities

Discounts on programs and services

Health and wellbeing benefits

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

YMCA South Australia seeks a Safeguarding Lead to drive child safeguarding across the state. You will provide expert guidance to staff, maintain audit readiness, and lead accreditation activities while embedding safeguarding values in every site and service.

The role requires experience in safeguarding, regulatory knowledge, and data-driven improvement, with a focus on collaboration with senior leadership and governance bodies.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in a child safeguarding, child protection or closely related role, including managing incidents and concerns.
• Working knowledge of Early Childhood Education and Care regulations and reporting requirements (essential experience).
• Contemporary knowledge of child safety legislation, regulatory frameworks and accreditation standards, with the ability to translate these into practical organisational guidance.
• Proven ability to analyse safeguarding data, identify trends and risks, and drive evidence-informed continuous improvement, including experience supporting external accreditation or audit processes.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to engage with empathy in difficult situations, summarise complex information for varied audiences and build trust with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience preparing reports and recommendations for senior leaders, governance committees or boards.
• A values-driven approach to leadership, with a track record of coaching, mentoring and fostering accountability in others, and managing competing priorities in a complex, multi-site environment.

Responsibilities

• Champion a proactive, child-safe culture and embed safeguarding values into everyday operations across every YMCA SA site and service.
• Triage, manage and elevate safeguarding incidents through their full lifecycle, supporting staff and managers and assisting with CARL reporting as needed.
• Maintain contemporary knowledge of child safety legislation, regulatory standards and sector trends, translating these into practical compliance advice and keeping YMCA SA audit-ready.
• Lead external safeguarding accreditation processes, from compiling evidence through to preparing staff for assessor interviews.
• Analyse safeguarding data from incidents, audits, complaints and feedback to identify trends, risks and drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain the safeguarding risk register, policy register and a central, version-controlled library of safeguarding resources across all sites.
• Prepare monthly safeguarding reports and lead the Safeguarding Quality Improvement Plan, giving the Senior Management Team, Risk and Governance Committee and Board clear, evidence-based insight.
• Lead safeguarding projects and initiatives, contribute to Community of Practice forums with the Y Safeguarding Lead Group, and build staff capability through coaching, training and reflective practice.
• Support the safeguarding lifecycle for staff, from job advertisements and interview questions through to pre-employment clearances, induction and ongoing training.

Skills

Child safeguarding

Regulatory knowledge

Data analysis

Incident management

Stakeholder engagement

Coaching/mentoring

Leadership

Job description

The Safeguarding Lead sits at the heart of YMCA SA's commitment to safeguarding children and adults at risk, providing expertise, oversight and evidence-informed guidance needed to embed best practice across a diverse, child-focused organisation. In this role, you will serve as the organisation’s lead advisor on child safeguarding, providing guidance to all staff on safeguarding matters of varying complexity and keeping YMCA SA continuously audit-ready against National and International Safeguarding Standards. Reporting to the Head of Development and Risk, the role is based in YMCA SA’s Head Office, providing support to all facilities and services across the state.

Key responsibilities include:

• Champion a proactive, child-safe culture and embed safeguarding values into everyday operations across every YMCA SA site and service.
• Triage, manage and elevate safeguarding incidents through their full lifecycle, supporting staff and managers and assisting with Child Abuse Reporting Line (CARL) reporting as needed.
• Maintain contemporary knowledge of child safety legislation, regulatory standards and sector trends, translating these into practical compliance advice and keeping YMCA SA audit-ready.
• Lead external safeguarding accreditation processes, from compiling evidence through to preparing staff for assessor interviews.
• Analyse safeguarding data from incidents, audits, complaints and feedback to identify trends, risks and drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain the safeguarding risk register, policy register and a central, version-controlled library of safeguarding resources across all sites.
• Prepare monthly safeguarding reports and lead the Safeguarding Quality Improvement Plan, giving the Senior Management Team, Risk and Governance Committee and Board clear, evidence-based insight.
• Lead safeguarding projects and initiatives, contribute to Community of Practice forums with the Y Safeguarding Lead Group, and build staff capability through coaching, training and reflective practice.
• Support the safeguarding lifecycle for staff, from job advertisements and interview questions through to pre-employment clearances, induction and ongoing training.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE Y

Successful candidates will also have, or be willing to obtain:

• National Police Check (issued in the last 6 months)
• Current South Australian Working with Children Check (WWCC)
• International police check (for applicants who have worked or lived overseas in the last 5 years)
• National Child Safety Training ECEC – Foundations of Child Safety Training (Courses 1 & 2)
• RRHAN-EC Masterclass – Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect – Education & Care
• Demonstrated experience in a child safeguarding, child protection or closely related role, including managing incidents and concerns.
• Working knowledge of Early Childhood Education and Care regulations and reporting requirements (essential experience).
• Contemporary knowledge of child safety legislation, regulatory frameworks and accreditation standards, with the ability to translate these into practical organisational guidance.
• Proven ability to analyse safeguarding data, identify trends and risks, and drive evidence-informed continuous improvement, including experience supporting external accreditation or audit processes.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to engage with empathy in difficult situations, summarise complex information for varied audiences and build trust with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience preparing reports and recommendations for senior leaders, governance committees or boards.
• A values-driven approach to leadership, with a track record of coaching, mentoring and fostering accountability in others, and managing competing priorities in a complex, multi-site environment.

To view the position descriptions for this role, please visit our website at https://www.sa.ymca.org.au/get-involved/careers/find-a-job.

ABOUT THE Y

YMCA South Australia is a not-for-profit community organisation that has served the South Australian community for 175 years. Our aim is to develop the whole person, helping all South Australians connect with a better life - not only physical fitness and capabilities but also sense of identity, purpose, hope and dignity, psychological health, resilience, social connectedness, lifelong learning and contribution back into the community. We are a leading provider of recreation, community, and children’s services and we deliver programs and services across the state in settings including community recreation centres, swimming pools, health and fitness facilities, community centres, camps, early education and schools and youth services.

BENEFITS WITH THE Y

• Free Access - Free access to YMCA SA managed recreation centres (pools, gyms, courts) and for immediate family when visiting together
• YMCA SA Discounts - 20% off programs, classes, café food, merch, and OSHC/Vacation Care services
• Health and Wellbeing - Access to free flu vaccinations and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with 24/7 support
• Career Growth Opportunities - A cultureof empowerment and growth with ongoing opportunities for learning and career/skill development

COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

At the Y, we're committed to empowering all Children and Young People to feel safe and be safe, at the Y, in their families and in their communities. All candidates are appropriately screened to ensure that they are in the right roles.

To learn more about our screening processes, view our Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy: https://www.sa.ymca.org.au/who-we-are/safeguarding-children

YMCA South Australia is an equal opportunity employer committed to safeguarding children, young people, and other vulnerable people.