Hull City Football Club are looking for Academy Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) to play a vital role in protecting and promoting the welfare of children and young people across Hull City Academy. Working closely with players, families and multi-agency partners, you will help create a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where every young person can thrive. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong safeguarding expertise, excellent relationship-building skills and a genuine passion for making a positive difference in young people's lives.
Position Type: Permanent, Full time
Location: Hull City Academy, Bishop Burton College, HU17 8QG
Closing Date: 9th August 2026
Your key responsibilities
- Act as the Academy Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO), supporting safeguarding, welfare and wellbeing across the Academy.
- Work as part of the Academy Wellbeing Team to promote the welfare and holistic development of Academy players.
- Receive, record and manage safeguarding and welfare concerns relating to players, staff, volunteers and parents, escalating and discussing matters with the Club's Head of Safeguarding.
- Respond promptly to safeguarding incidents and maintain accurate, confidential records in line with Club procedures.
- Assist the Head of Safeguarding and Player care with the management of the Academy Host Family Programme, including recruitment, training, monitoring and compliance visits.
- Act as the primary wellbeing contact for loan players, maintaining regular communication with players, families and host clubs, including undertaking welfare visits where appropriate.
- Coordinate and oversee weekend and matchday operations/ schedules, ensuring appropriate arrangements are in place and promoting the welfare and safety of all players, staff, visiting teams, visiting scouts, parents, and spectators attending Academy.
- Work closely with the medical department and Wellbeing Team, to support the welfare of injured players.
- Ensure trialist safety and welfare needs are appropriately supported, in conjunction with, Head of Recruitment and Player Care, and placing Club’s DSO.
- Provide direct support to players who may require additional support within the Academy educational settings.
- Liaise regularly with players' schools, colleges and families
- Oversee safeguarding arrangements for Academy activities, including ensuring appropriate child and adult supervision ratios, staffing levels and welfare provision are in place for education programmes, fixtures, tours, residential stays and off-site activities.
- Work with the Head of Education and Academy Secretary to ensure parental consent documentation is completed and maintained.
- Support Academy staff undertaking home visits and one-to-one meetings with players and parents/carers
- Assist Head of Safeguarding in the implementation, review and ongoing development of Academy safeguarding and wellbeing policies, procedures and practices.
- Prepare initial safeguarding risk assessments for Academy tours, trips, residential stays, events and football activities.
- Assist Head of Safeguarding and wider Academy Wellbeing Team, with the delivery of safeguarding awareness initiatives, education programmes and workshops for players, parents, staff and volunteers.
- Monitor safeguarding and wellbeing action plans and ensure timely follow-up of concerns.
- Support the implementation of safeguarding audit action plans and Academy safeguarding strategy objectives.
- Provide safeguarding advice and guidance to Academy staff, players and families.
- Support Academy Staff in Academy recruitment interviews around safeguarding and EDI.
- Support the implementation of safeguarding audit action plans and Academy safeguarding strategy objectives.
What are we looking for?
Essential Knowledge and Experience
- Experience working within either safeguarding, education, welfare, social care, health or youth development environment.
- Experience of working directly with children, young people and families.
- Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice relating to children and young people.
- Experience of managing safeguarding concerns and maintaining confidential case records.
- Understanding of safer recruitment principles and safeguarding compliance requirements.
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of effective planning and organisation of operations
Skills and Abilities
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong report writing, record-keeping and IT skills.
- Ability to build effective relationships with children, young people, parents, carers and professionals.
- Ability to manage sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy and discretion.
- Strong planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work independently and use initiative while contributing effectively as part of a team.
- Ability to share any concerns with the Head of Safeguarding, and challenge poor practice and promote high safeguarding standards.
Personal Attributes
- Passion for safeguarding, welfare and player wellbeing.
- Strong integrity and commitment to confidentiality.
- Enthusiastic, approachable and engaging with young people.
- Flexible and adaptable with the ability to work evenings, weekends and travel when required.
- Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Dedicated to continuous professional development and learning.
- Able to represent Hull City and the Academy professionally at all times.
Desirable
- Experience of safeguarding within elite sport, football academies, education or residential care, youth, housing settings.
- Qualifications in safeguarding, education, counselling, mental health, youth work or a related field working with children and young people.
- Experience delivering wellbeing, safeguarding or personal development support to young people and parents.
· The safeguarding and welfare of our players is paramount and as such this position is subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
In accordance with current legislative requirements the successful applicant must produce documentary verification of their eligibility to work in the UK and will not be allowed to start work until this has been received.
What can we offer you?
· An attractive annual leave package, that increases on service with the organisation.
· 20% off at the Tiger Leisure Store
· 2 x season cards for you and/or your family to attend Hull City home games (following probation)
· Free on-site parking
· Opportunity for career progression and CPD
About the Academy
Hull City Academy develops and works with talented young footballers from the age of 8 to 23. We have made significant progress at the Academy since the Club successfully achieved its quest to gain Category Two status in the summer of 2015, with the primary focus on developing and nurturing players with outstanding potential into future first team regulars. In line with the Football Association’s Charter of Quality, the Academy prepares players of the future for the Club and enables our scholars to progress both on and off the field throughout their tenure with us.
With a number of scholars making their First Team debuts in the past three seasons, the sale of an Academy product to the Premier League and many more former Academy players currently plying their trade across Europe, this is a truly exciting time to be part of Hull City.
We are now expanding our Academy Recruitment Department to provide an opportunity to more young players from the region to follow in the footsteps of previous graduates such as Jarrod Bowen, Max Clark and Keane Lewis-Potter.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept CV's - To apply for this role, please complete our application form on iRecruit via the URL link below:
https://irecruit.efl.com/vacancies/3131/academy-designated-safeguarding-officer.html
For further information or full job description please contact:
[email protected]
Hull City Tigers Ltd is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnerships. Hull City Equality Policy
The safeguarding and welfare of children and young people is paramount of importance to Hull City and as such this position is subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Hull City is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people. We expect all our Board, staff and volunteers to always adhere, demonstrate and communicate this commitment. Hull City fully accepts our responsibility to welfare and protection of children and young people therefore, our aim is for the golden thread of safeguarding to run through every element of the club’s work. Hull City Safeguarding Policy
Pay: £28,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
