Safeguarding Lead

British Council; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

British Council is seeking an Erasmus+ Safeguarding Lead to oversee safeguarding across the programme, ensuring the Council’s framework aligns with DfE, EC, and UK law. You will advise, escalate, and support capacity building for staff and participants, across multiple jurisdictions.

The role requires deep safeguarding expertise, strong collaboration with international partners, and experience delivering training and policy updates within higher education or mobility contexts.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Level 3 or higher in Safeguarding or equivalent.
• DSL or DSO Designated Safeguarding Officer Training.

Responsibilities

• Leading safeguarding policies, procedures, guidance, and resources for programme staff and participating organisations.
• Providing expert safeguarding advice and guidance and overseeing appropriate escalation of safeguarding concerns.
• Designing and delivering safeguarding training, awareness initiatives, and capacity-building activities.
• Ensuring compliance with UK safeguarding legislation, Department for Education (DfE) and European Commission (EC) guidance, British Council safeguarding policy, and changes in safeguarding best practice.
• Leading safeguarding quality assurance activities, including risk assessments for British Council hosted activities and events and assessments of participating institutions' safeguarding capacity.
• Embedding safeguarding into service design throughout the lifecycle of the programme.
• Leading on safeguarding case management and referrals.
• Working closely with the British Council Global Safeguarding Service, following internal reporting channels and safeguarding frameworks, processes and procedures.
• Maintaining clear safeguarding reporting and escalation pathways across the programme.
• Developing and implementing safeguarding risk mitigation strategies across different cultural and legal contexts.
• Using feedback and incidents to improve safeguarding systems and training.

Skills

Safeguarding legislation

Case management

Stakeholder influence

Confidentiality

Policy documents

Safeguarding training

Do no harm

Risk assessment

International operations

Higher education safeguarding

International mobility risk

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Social Work

Job description

Contract Duration: 2 Year Fixed Term Contract with possibility of extension

Location: London, Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh

Right to Work Requirements: Current right to work in the UK. The British Council is not able to support or sponsor work visa applications.

Closing Date: Applications will close on 16 October at 23:59 UK Time

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

The Department for Education has announced that the British Council is set to take on the role of National Agency for Erasmus+.

In December the UK and EU arrived at a political agreement that the UK would rejoin the Erasmus+ scheme in 2027. That agreement has now been legally formalised under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The British Council has a longstanding commitment to supporting international exchange. It was a lead partner in the Erasmus+ UK National Agency from 2014-20, where Erasmus+ made a significant contribution to the UK's cultural relations activities, funding 8,091 projects, engaging 583,757 UK participants, and awarding around €1.1 billion to UK organisations.

We are operating on the basis that any offer is made pending client confirmation of funds.

Role Purpose:

The Erasmus+ Safeguarding Lead will have responsibility and oversight for the prevention and response of safeguarding incidents or concerns within the programme and related activities. The role is responsible for ensuring that the British Council Safeguarding Framework is implemented effectively alongside the safeguarding requirements of the Department for Education (DfE), the European Commission (EC), and relevant UK legislation.

You will work closely with internal teams, participating organisations, institutions and beneficiaries to ensure they understand their safeguarding responsibilities and have access to appropriate safeguarding support, advice and capacity building. You will provide expert safeguarding advice, lead on safeguarding case management and referrals, support safeguarding quality assurance and risk management, and ensure safeguarding concerns are responded to in a timely, confidential and victim/survivor-centred manner.

Main Responsibilities:

• Leading the development of safeguarding policies, procedures, guidance, and resources for programme staff and participating organisations.
• Providing expert safeguarding advice and guidance and overseeing appropriate escalation of safeguarding concerns.
• Designing and delivering safeguarding training, awareness initiatives, and capacity-building activities for programme staff and, where necessary, participating organisations or individuals.
• Ensuring compliance with UK safeguarding legislation, Department for Education (DfE) and European Commission (EC) guidance, British Council safeguarding policy, and changes in safeguarding best practice.
• Leading safeguarding quality assurance activities, including risk assessments for British Council hosted activities and events and assessments of participating institutions' safeguarding capacity.
• Embedding safeguarding into service design throughout the lifecycle of the programme.
• Leading on safeguarding case management and referrals.
• Working closely with the British Council Global Safeguarding Service, following internal reporting channels and safeguarding frameworks, processes and procedures.
• Maintaining clear safeguarding reporting and escalation pathways across the programme.
• Developing and implementing safeguarding risk mitigation strategies across different cultural and legal contexts.
• Using feedback and incidents to improve safeguarding systems and training.

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience:

• In depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation – UK and international.
• Experience in safeguarding case management related to adults and young people.
• Experience influencing senior leadership in organisational strategy and practice.
• Confidentiality and discretion to handle sensitive information.
• Experience in the development of safeguarding documents, guidance and tools.
• Experience in creating and delivering safeguarding upskilling and awareness content.
• Understands the principles of ‘do no harm’ and the victim/survivor-centred approach.
• Experience of identifying and mitigating safeguarding risks across a complex and dynamic programme delivery environment, including designing and embedding risk assessment resources.
• Experience working across an international operating environment.
• Experience in implementing safeguarding practices in a higher education setting.
• Ability to identify safeguarding risks in international mobility settings.

Specific Requirements

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Level 3 or higher in Safeguarding or equivalent.
• DSL or DSO Designated Safeguarding Officer Training.

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

#LI-Hybrid

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [e-mail]