A bit about the role
The Director of Integrity & Culture will provide strategic leadership for safeguarding, integrity, welfare and culture at British Rowing.
Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, you will lead the development and delivery of robust safeguarding and integrity frameworks, ensuring the highest standards of protection, governance and ethical practice. You will also provide leadership for organisational culture, shaping behaviours, ways of working and leadership capability that align with our values and ambitions.
Externally, you will work in partnership with our member clubs, volunteers and wider rowing community to promote a welcoming, inclusive and positive culture across the sport supporting clubs to embed good practice and create environments where everyone feels they belong.
This is a senior, highly visible role requiring deep safeguarding expertise, strong judgement, and the ability to balance challenge with collaboration.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Person Specification
Essential
Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, you will lead the development and delivery of robust safeguarding and integrity frameworks, ensuring the highest standards of protection, governance and ethical practice. You will also provide leadership for organisational culture, shaping behaviours, ways of working and leadership capability that align with our values and ambitions.
Externally, you will work in partnership with our member clubs, volunteers and wider rowing community to promote a welcoming, inclusive and positive culture across the sport supporting clubs to embed good practice and create environments where everyone feels they belong.
This is a senior, highly visible role requiring deep safeguarding expertise, strong judgement, and the ability to balance challenge with collaboration.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Lead and evolve British Rowing’s integrity, safeguarding and culture strategies in line with organisational objectives and sector best practice.
- Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Executive Team and Board on safeguarding, integrity and cultural matters.
- Provide thought leadership on creating safe, inclusive and values-led sporting environments.
- Hold strategic responsibility for safeguarding across British Rowing, ensuring robust policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms are in place and consistently applied.
- Oversee the management of safeguarding concerns and complex cases, ensuring appropriate risk assessment, decision-making and external liaison.
- Ensure compliance with national safeguarding standards, legislation and relevant sporting body requirements.
- Lead training and education programmes to build safeguarding capability across staff, volunteers and clubs.
- Lead on integrity-related matters including conduct, complaints, disciplinary frameworks and ethical governance.
- Ensure clear, fair and transparent processes that uphold the highest standards of behaviour.
- Promote a culture of accountability, respect and professionalism across the sport.
- Partner with the CEO, Executive Team and Head of HR & Culture to shape a positive, inclusive and high-performing internal culture.
- Champion British Rowing’s values and embed them into leadership behaviours, decision-making and everyday practice.
- Support organisational development and culture change initiatives.
- Work closely with member clubs and regional networks to promote welcoming, inclusive and safe club environments.
- Provide guidance, resources and support to help clubs embed safeguarding, inclusion and positive culture practices.
- Build strong relationships across the rowing community and with external safeguarding and sport sector partners.
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators relating to safeguarding, integrity and culture.
- Produce high-quality reports for the Executive Team and Board.
- Continuously review and improve frameworks, policies and practice in line with emerging risks and learning.
Person Specification
Essential
- Significant senior-level experience in safeguarding within sport or a comparable regulated environment.
- In-depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice.
- Proven experience leading complex safeguarding or integrity cases.
Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and provide authoritative advice. - Strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Excellent judgement, resilience and ability to handle sensitive matters with empathy and professionalism.
- Outstanding communication, relationship-building and influencing skills.
- Relevant safeguarding or child protection qualification(s).
- Experience working with clubs, volunteers or membership-based organisations.
- Experience leading organisational culture or change programmes.