The role is part time: 2.5 days (18 hours) per week.
Deadline for applications: 5pm Thursday 30 October 2025
Interview date: Tuesday 4 November 2025
Salary: £16,457 (£32k FTE)
The Cathedral Safeguarding Advisor will play a vital role across the broad Cathedral community of staff and volunteers, ensuring all our activities are conducted in a manner which reflects the highest standard of safeguarding culture and practice. Reporting to/supervised by the Bath and Wells Safeguarding Manager and working closely with the Safeguarding leads in the Cathedral the Cathedral Safeguarding Advisor will have a particular responsibility for helping the whole Cathedral community to safeguard children and young people alongside vulnerable adults.
Our work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults takes many forms, reaches many people, and is wide-ranging. As such, this role is key in helping us ensure this work is undertaken as part of a Cathedral-wide safe and healthy culture. The role of Cathedral Safeguarding Advisor presents a great opportunity to join the Cathedral team as we look to properly resource and further embed good safeguarding practice across all that we do.
The Cathedral's safeguarding policies and procedures are established but evolving as we continue to learn and listen. You will work with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, the Dean, Precentor and COO, and across the whole Cathedral to ensure the successful implementation and maintenance of appropriate safeguarding policies, best practice and reporting.
OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE POST
The post-holder will work to champion and maintain awareness and understanding of the safeguarding of all people across the different aspects of the Cathedral's life and work, actively promoting and advancing a culture of safeguarding being of paramount importance and everybody's responsibility, monitoring and managing risk, and ensuring adherence to policies, procedures and practice guidance.
The role will primarily be office based, as it is important that this role is working across the Cathedral and has a presence, and is part of the Cathedral community. There will be a need to work flexibly including occasionally at weekends and evenings to support Cathedral events including Safeguarding Sunday.
SAFEGUARDING AT THE CATHEDRAL
The Cathedral was audited, as part of a national programme across the Church of England, by INEQE Safeguarding Group early in March 2025, with the report and recommendations here:
The Cathedral Chapter recognise that safeguarding is a collective and shared leadership responsibility and not the role of one individual.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. To support the development, implementation and maintenance of appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in line with the Church of England's safeguarding policy and practice guidance.
2. To provide professional advice and guidance to the Dean and Chapter, staff and volunteers.
3. To work with the Chapter Safeguarding Lead, the Precentor to progress the recommendations of the 2025 INEQE Safeguarding Audit.
1. To monitor and support the delivery of the Cathedral's Safeguarding Action Plan and support implementation through the Safeguarding Taskforce and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Panel.
5. To ensure accurate records are kept and regularly auditing records in relation to current and non-recent safeguarding issues.
6. To work with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team and Chapter Safeguarding Lead to produce monthly reports and an Annual report for Chapter on safeguarding in the Cathedral.
7. To attend and report to the Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Panel, working with the Independent Chair of the Panel to help take its work forward, and representing the Cathedral at the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel and the interests of the Cathedral with the Diocesan Safeguarding team. To represent the Cathedral within the Cathedral Safeguarding Network including attending network events and feeding back on National safeguarding updates in relation to Cathedrals.
8. To work with staff and volunteers (including Chaperones) in ensuring relevant teams have adopted and implemented the Cathedral's safeguarding policy and procedures, and that they are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and kept up to date with the latest requirements and good practice. To ensure that all staff and volunteers have access to appropriate safeguarding learning for their role, including face to face training where required.
9. To positively engage with Cathedral Chorister parents to promote the safeguarding priorities of the Cathedral.
10. To work with the Chief Operating Officer and other staff to advise on operational and activity risk assessments, with specific reference to safeguarding.
11. To work with the Diocesan Safeguarding Team in managing risk assessment processes relating to individuals who either pose a risk to or have been convicted of offences against children, young people and vulnerable adults. To report potential casework to the Diocesan Safeguarding team.
12. To take responsibility for the Cathedrals Safeguarding Dashboard and Safeguarding Hub ensuring accurate records of safeguarding training, safer recruitment and safeguarding requirements of all roles across the Cathedral are recorded and monitored.
13. To challenge areas of non-compliance or poor practice relating to safeguarding, escalating unresolved issues to the COO, Chapter Safeguarding Lead and/or the Dean.
14. To provide appropriate care and support, professional advice and guidance to victims and survivors of abuse, ensuring that the Cathedral responds in a timely and effective manner and in accordance with best practice.
15. To work collaboratively with the police, local authority, and other bodies, including representing the Cathedral with Wells Cathedral School.
16. To work with the HR Manager and the Volunteer Services Manager and Works Officer to monitor staff and volunteer records, especially in relation to safer recruitment and safeguarding learning, including completion of DBS checks for staff and volunteers.
17. Any other reasonable duties as may be required. Some evening and weekend work may be necessary at times.
Person Specification
Values and Commitment
Essential
· A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
· Commitment to inclusion, diversity and equality.
· Ability to inspire trust, confidence and commitment from others.
· Sympathy with the Christian faith and understanding of the Church of England's values.
Education and qualifications
· Relevant qualification in safeguarding, social work, policing, education or a related field. (Essential)
· Evidence of continuing professional development in safeguarding or child/adult protection. (Desirable)
Experience
· Minimum of five years' experience in safeguarding practice. (Essential)
· Experience of managing safeguarding concerns and disclosures, including liaison with statutory agencies. (Essential)
· Experience of safeguarding policy implementation and risk assessment. (Essential)
· Experience of working with victims and survivors of abuse. (Desirable)
· Familiarity with the Church of England's safeguarding structures and policies. (Desirable)
Knowledge and skills
· In-depth understanding of safeguarding legislation, guidance and best practice. (Essential)
· Knowledge of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) processes. (Essential)
· Understanding of the UK GDPR and data protection in relation to safeguarding records. (Essential)
· Ability to promote a safeguarding culture across the Cathedral. (Essential)
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to handle sensitive issues with confidentiality and discretion. (Essential)
· Strong organisational and time management skills. (Essential)
· Ability to work independently and under own initiative and also in close collaboration with others. (Essential).
Other requirements
· Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends. (Essential).
· Enhanced DBS check with barred list check (Essential).
Any offer of employment will be subject to references and confirmation that there is right to live and work in the UK
Main terms and conditions
Employment status: Permanent
Location: Wells Cathedral, 16 Market Place, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2RB
Hours of work: 2.5 days (18 hours) per week on average. Flexible working will be considered.
Remuneration: £16,457 per annum, payable on the 24th of the month or the nearest working day thereto.
Discount: A discount of 10% is available from the Cathedral Shop and The Loft Café.
Parking: Limited parking is available in the Cathedral car park. Cars are parked at the risk of the owner.
Pension: Defined Contribution Scheme. Contributions as % of salary:
Age Employee Employer
< % %
50–55 4% %
% %
Expenses: All reasonable working expenses will be met in line with Cathedral policy.
Holiday (inclusive of bank holidays): 6.6 weeks per year. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Probation: This post will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months.
A completed Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form available on our website ) should be returned to the Human Resources Department by email to:
The appointment will be subject to the completion of pre-employment checks, including references and a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.
Further information: If you have any questions, or would like an informal conversation about the post, please contact the Bath and Wells Diocesan Safeguarding Manager, Ben Goodhind, by email to