Safeguarding Senior Officer

About the role

Join the Hammers West Ham United is looking for an experienced Safeguarding Senior Officer to join our Safeguarding team. This is a hands-on operational role supporting safeguarding across men's and women's football, home fixtures, events and wider Club activity. You will help ensure effective arrangements are in place for children, young people and adults at risk, while providing advice, professional challenge and practical support to colleagues across the Club. We are particularly interested in safeguarding professionals from professional or grassroots football, schools, education, youth services or other established safeguarding environments. Previous professional-football experience is not essential — strong safeguarding knowledge, professional judgement, operational ability and the confidence to take ownership are what matter.

Location: London Stadium, London E20. Department: Safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate safeguarding arrangements across men's and women's first team matches, home and away fixtures and Club events.
• Brief, deploy and support Matchday Safeguarding Officers and ensure concerns are responded to and reported appropriately.
• Coordinate safeguarding for children, young people and adults at risk, including mascots, ball assistants and other Club activities.
• Ensure appropriate safeguarding information, staffing, resources, risk assessments and safe-working arrangements are in place.
• Oversee designated stadium areas and respond to safeguarding and welfare matters, working with Event Control and operational colleagues.
• Attend pre-match meetings and respond effectively to changing, urgent or time-sensitive situations.
• Ensure incidents, decisions, actions, handovers and follow-up are accurately recorded and completed.
• Respond to safeguarding concerns, incidents and allegations, seeking advice and escalating appropriately.
• Maintain accurate records on MyConcern and ensure sensitive information is managed securely and in line with data-protection requirements.
• Support appropriate referrals and information sharing with football authorities, statutory agencies and relevant organisations.
• Support safeguarding education, e-learning, induction, awareness and safer recruitment, including DBS checks.
• Contribute to safeguarding communications, website information, guidance and internal messaging.
• Support audits, reviews, assurance activity, training compliance and action tracking.
• Identify and support improvements to safeguarding processes, communications and practice.

Requirements

• Experience working in safeguarding, welfare, pastoral care or an established safeguarding framework.
• A strong working knowledge of safeguarding standards, procedures and professional practice.
• Experience responding to safeguarding, welfare or pastoral concerns and identifying appropriate actions.
• Experience contributing to safe-working arrangements, compliance, audit, quality assurance, training, communications, recording or improvement.
• Excellent written communication and professional recording skills.
• Strong organisation, planning and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing and time-critical demands.
• The ability to take ownership, work with appropriate autonomy and follow tasks through to completion.
• Adaptability, practical problem-solving and confidence escalating emerging risks or issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to follow up actions and constructively challenge where necessary.
• An inclusive approach and confidence working with people from different backgrounds and with different needs.
• Confidence using digital systems and learning new processes quickly.
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of others.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave