Domestic Abuse Strategic Lead

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

Ensuring that survivors of domestic abuse, and their families, receive the support they need is a fundamental priority for BCP Council and the BCP Community Safety Partnership. We are therefore pleased to be able to offer a fixed term contract until 31st March 2025 for a Domestic Abuse Strategic Lead Officer.  We are prepared to consider applications for full-time or part-time working, or secondment for internal BCP applicants (with the agreement of your current  manager).   This role will seek to ensure that all agencies offer the best outcomes for our clients and their families, reducing risk and harm to the best of our abilities. 

This post requires an enthusiastic, versatile and innovative leader for our domestic abuse services. You will lead a small team of DA Perpetrator Case workers, as well as co-ordinating all of the activities relating to Domestic Abuse for the partnership. We are looking for someone who is passionate about making a real difference to the lives of victims/survivors and families experiencing domestic abuse. The successful candidate for this role will be a person who is confident in challenging decision making, acting as a vital independent advocate for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves. 

Interviews to be held on 19th and 20th February 2024

For informal discussions  please  contact the Community Safety Manager -  tina.symington@bcpcouncil.gov.uk to arrange a time to  speak on the  phone or via MS Teams. You  should read the full Job Description before  making  contact. 

Main Responsibilities

• Encourage the engagement of all stakeholders relevant to the programme or initiative, for which domestic abuse is being addressed, who may be able to positively contribute to the programme. This could potentially include liaising with organisations other than statutory community safety partners, such as Housing Associations, private businesses, and community groups.
• Lead on the review and development of the BCP Domestic Abuse Strategy 2024-7, ensuring that the strategy meets the requirements under the Domestic Abuse Duty and seeking relevant approvals through Cabinet and Full Council.
• Ensure that all arrangements relating to the administration of strategic sub-group meetings are made in a timely fashion and to oversee the management of Agendas in conjunction with the Chairs of the Groups.
• Work with colleagues as necessary in the development of any new policies and procedures that may need to be introduced as a consequence of the work of the strategic sub-groups.  This may include working with tactical or operational sub-groups to ensure alignment of service delivery with strategic policy.
• Manage a small team of UP2U Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Officers working across both the BCP and Dorset Local Authority areas, providing guidance and support, ensuring their continued development, and successful delivery of projects and programmes. This includes understanding and management of staff performance, providing continuous feedback and ensuring clinical supervision is in place to support staff.
• Manage the MARAC Independent Chair to ensure that MARAC meetings take place and meet their statutory requirements.
• Work with officers in the team to produce good quality performance reports, outcomes data and management information to enable effective coordination and delivery of programmes and services.
• Work closely and cooperatively with other services to highlight and continually develop Domestic Abuse services across BCP and ensure coordination of multi-agency service delivery in support of the Council’s corporate aims and objectives and the Domestic Abuse Strategy priorities.
• Maintain working knowledge of relevant legislation, policy, and guidance, and prepare reports for senior management and others as directed on issues relating to Domestic Abuse, including monitoring, analysing and reporting on emerging trends, hot spots, prevention/reduction activities, and impact on corporate aims and objectives.
• Provide and present performance reports as required to the Community Safety Partnership and Council services, as appropriate, to demonstrate progress being made against the Domestic Abuse Strategy and Action Plan.
• Contribute advice to Council officers regarding the Council’s statutory obligations under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and support them in developing service plans and performance indicators to reflect their contribution. This is to ensure that crime and disorder reduction considerations are incorporated effectively within service planning and delivery processes.
• Facilitate improvements in processes to share crime prevention/reduction information between council services and with external partners, including personalised and depersonalised information. This will encourage joint working and co-operation, achieve the prompt resolution of complex problems and ensure that, where an input is required from a number of teams, service delivery is properly co-ordinated.
• Develop new services in response to identified need.
• To manage and oversee the grants available for DA work 
• To manage, and develop, the current commissioned DA community services

The Ideal Candidate will

• Possess a management qualification (or equivalent experience)
• Possess a relevant degree or equivalent experience within a domestic abuse role.
• Advanced relevant professional qualification (or equivalent experience) with clearly evidenced continuous professional development and understanding of industry best practice around Domestic Abuse 
• Extensive relevant work experience, demonstrating practical and theoretical knowledge in a specialist field of domestic abuse.
• Proactive approach to a complex and high risk case load of domestic abuse victims and perpetrators, considering in advance different customer needs and adapting communications accordingly.
• Contribute to shaping the strategic direction of own area by recommending and implementing change using information and data from customers
• A working knowledge of local, regional, and national policies in relation to domestic abuse.
• Appreciation of how equal opportunity and community cohesion objectives can be advanced through community safety and community engagement.
• Demonstrable success in project development, commissioning, and delivery.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people.  Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline.  We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services.  By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package for further details see here

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation and colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. Expected to be in place 2024.

DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details.