Prevent Lead and Channel Chair

Reading Borough Council; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Flexible working

Life Assurance

On-site day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car scheme

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking an experienced leader to take on the role of Prevent Lead and Channel Chair. You will provide strategic direction for the Prevent Duty and Channel Programme, chair the Channel Panel, and act as the Council’s expert advisor on Prevent matters at senior levels.

You will lead multi-agency collaboration, oversee risk assessments, and be the main liaison with Home Office and regional Prevent advisors.

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience in safeguarding, community safety, counter-extremism or related field.
• Strong knowledge of the Prevent Duty, Channel process and Counter-Terrorism Act 2015.
• Proven track record of chairing multi-agency panels and handling high-risk cases.
• Ability to influence, challenge and collaborate with police, health, education and third sector partners.
• Excellent judgement, political awareness and clear communication with senior staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Prevent Duty and Channel Programme, ensuring compliance with guidance.
• Chair Reading’s Channel Panel, oversee case management and delivery of support plans.
• Lead development and annual review of Reading’s Prevent Risk Assessment and CT priorities.
• Act as the main point of contact with Home Office and regional Prevent advisors.
• Brief senior leaders on Prevent risks and policy developments using anonymised data.
• Ensure governance, assurance and reporting meet audit and inspection requirements.
• Embed Prevent and Channel processes within local safeguarding for adults and children.

Skills

Senior safeguarding experience

Prevent Duty knowledge

Chairing multi-agency panels

Influence & collaboration

Judgement & communication

Strategic leadership

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Reading Borough Council is seeking an experienced and highly credible professional to take on the critical role of Prevent Lead and Channel Chair. This is a senior leadership post with responsibility for ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties under the Prevent framework and delivers an effective, ethical and proportionate Channel programme to safeguard individuals at risk of radicalisation.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

Working arrangements: hybrid

About the role

Working at a strategic level, you will lead multi-agency partners, chair the Channel Panel, and act as the Council’s principal expert and advisor on Prevent-related matters.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Provide strategic leadership for the delivery of the Prevent Duty and Channel Programme, ensuring compliance with statutory guidance and national policy
• Chair Reading’s Channel Panel, overseeing case management, decision-making and the delivery of effective support plans for vulnerable individuals
• Lead the development and annual review of Reading’s Prevent Risk Assessment, aligned with the Counter Terrorism Local Profile and Community Safety priorities
• Act as the Council’s key point of contact with the Home Office, Counter Terrorism Policing and regional Prevent advisors
• Brief the Chief Executive, elected Members and senior boards on Prevent risks, policy developments and Channel activity (using anonymised data)
• Ensure robust governance, assurance and reporting arrangements are in place, including audit, inspection and self-assessment
• Embed Prevent and Channel processes within local safeguarding arrangements for both adults and children

About you

You’ll be a confident, resilient leader with the credibility to operate at senior levels in complex and politically sensitive environments. You’ll bring:

• Significant senior-level experience in safeguarding, community safety, counter-extremism or a closely related field
• Strong working knowledge of the Prevent Duty, Channel process and Counter-Terrorism Act 2015
• Proven experience of chairing multi-agency panels and managing sensitive, high-risk cases with professionalism and discretion
• The ability to influence, challenge and collaborate with partners including police, health, education and voluntary sector organisations
• Excellent judgement, political awareness and communication skills, with the confidence to brief senior officers and elected Members
• A track record of developing strategy, leading change and delivering high-quality public services in large, complex organisations

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading

Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees’ skills are developed and used effectively

Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential

Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date: Sunday 11 th October 2026 Interview Date: Week Commencing 19 th October Interview Process: Competency based interview please add any other requirements