Assessment practitioner jobs in Belfast

The Vacancies

We are seeking to appoint one registered medical practitioner and one business registrant (Companies Committee), one lay member (Education Committee) and one optometrist (Standards Committee) to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.

About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website.

About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:

• matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
• matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
• matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
• matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.

Time Commitment and Remuneration

This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.

Members are paid up to £185 per meeting. This is taxable and subject to National Insurance (NI) contributions. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule.

How to apply

Please apply with the following:

• your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
• the application form (attached), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
• an EDI monitoring form (linked in the candidate pack) 

Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC01/26 to appointment@optical. org.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.

For more information about these roles please download the candidate information pack attached.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 29 March 2026.

Online interviews will be held on 14,15,18 and 19 May 2026.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.

About the role

This is a senior leadership role and a key early appointment within EQUISS.

As Head of Advocacy and Safeguarding, you will lead the development of our advocacy and safeguarding work, shaping how EQUISS supports individuals navigating abuse, misconduct and safeguarding concerns across the equestrian sector.

You will establish and oversee the organisation’s advocacy service and support line, including recruiting and managing advocacy caseworkers, and ensuring individuals receive safe, informed and survivor-centred guidance. You will also lead the development of safeguarding frameworks, case management systems and organisational safeguarding practice.

As a founding leadership role, you will help shape the safeguarding framework of a new independent organisation, providing strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme and contributing safeguarding expertise to the development of our standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring learning from advocacy informs sector practice.

Working closely with the leadership team, you will help establish EQUISS as a trusted organisation driving stronger safeguarding, clearer reporting pathways and greater accountability across the equestrian sector.

As a developing organisation operating with a small and collaborative team, this role requires someone who is comfortable balancing strategic leadership with practical delivery. We are looking for a compassionate and inclusive leader who can support and develop others, foster a culture of trust and reflective practice, and contribute positively to building the organisation as it grows.

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership and safeguarding oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for EQUISS’ advocacy and safeguarding work
• Establish safeguarding frameworks, case management processes and risk management structures across the organisation
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, providing oversight of complex safeguarding cases and ensuring appropriate referrals and partnership working
• Ensure EQUISS maintains robust safeguarding governance, confidentiality and data protection standards

Advocacy and support services

• Lead the development and delivery of EQUISS’s advocacy service and support line.
• Recruit, manage and support advocacy caseworkers, ensuring high-quality, survivor-centred support and safe case management practice
• Shape how EQUISS supports individuals navigating reporting processes, organisational complaints and statutory systems
• Oversee case management systems and triage processes to ensure safe, consistent and effective responses to safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding training and sector learning

• Provide strategic oversight of the EQUISS safeguarding training programme, ensuring training reflects the realities of safeguarding within equestrian environments and aligns with best practice across sport and safeguarding sectors
• Lead the recruitment, management and quality assurance of safeguarding trainers, including freelance trainers, consultants and subject-matter experts delivering EQUISS training programmes
• Work with trainers and external partners to develop and refine training content, ensuring consistency, accuracy and high standards of delivery
• Establish processes for trainer induction, guidance and quality assurance to ensure training is delivered in line with EQUISS safeguarding principles and standards
• Ensure learning from advocacy work informs training content, sector guidance and safeguarding practice

Contribution to standards and sector improvement

• Contribute safeguarding expertise to the development of EQUISS standards and accreditation frameworks, ensuring safeguarding expectations reflect best practice
• Use insight from advocacy and safeguarding work to inform sector learning, standards development and organisational guidance
• Support the development of sector resources that help organisations strengthen safeguarding practice

Sector engagement and partnerships

• Build relationships with safeguarding professionals, statutory agencies and specialist support organisations
• Represent EQUISS in sector conversations relating to safeguarding, welfare and organisational accountability
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing, policy discussions and initiatives aimed at improving safeguarding standards across the equestrian sector

Culture, learning and survivor-centred practice

• Ensure EQUISS’s work remains grounded in survivor-centred principles, independence and transparency
• Embed learning from lived experience into service design, safeguarding practice and training development
• Foster a culture of reflective practice, safeguarding vigilance and professional integrity within the organisation

Person specification

Qualifications

• A relevant professional qualification or degree in safeguarding, social work, psychology, law, education, criminology or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• ISVA, IDVA or CHISVA qualification, or willingness to work towards one
• Advanced safeguarding training, including Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training and Safeguarding Level 4 or Level 5 training, or equivalent senior safeguarding training
• Evidence of continued professional development in safeguarding practice

Essential experience and knowledge

• Significant professional experience in safeguarding, advocacy or victim-survivor support, ideally within violence against women and girls (VAWG), sport, welfare or related sectors
• Strong understanding of independent advocacy models, including ISVA and CHISVA frameworks, and how these operate alongside statutory services
• Experience overseeing complex safeguarding cases, including risk assessment, referrals and partnership working within multi-agency safeguarding environments such as police, social care and safeguarding hubs
• Experience leading and managing teams, including providing supervision or reflective practice support to staff working with complex safeguarding or advocacy cases
• Experience recruiting, supporting or overseeing trainers, facilitators or external practitioners, ensuring quality and consistency of delivery
• Experience supporting or working with individuals affected by sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, modern slavery or related forms of abuse
• Demonstrable understanding of trauma-informed and survivor-centred practice
• Strong knowledge of UK safeguarding legislation and guidance, including responsibilities relating to children and adults at risk, and experience contributing to organisational safeguarding policies, procedures or governance frameworks
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgement in complex safeguarding situations, maintaining confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries

Leadership and personal qualities

• A compassionate and inclusive leadership style, with the ability to support staff working with complex and sensitive safeguarding issues.
• Ability to work effectively in a small and collaborative team, contributing to the development of systems, processes and culture as the organisation grows.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust with colleagues, partners and those seeking support.
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work flexibly in a developing organisation, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on delivery where required.

Desirable

• Experience working within sport, equestrian environments or athlete welfare contexts.
• Experience contributing to sector standards, accreditation frameworks or safeguarding policy development.
• Membership of, or engagement with, a relevant professional safeguarding body or network.

About EQUISS

EQUISS is an independent organisation working across the equestrian sector to improve safeguarding, welfare and accountability. We support individuals affected by abuse and misconduct, work with organisations to strengthen safeguarding practice, and drive systemic change through training, standards and advocacy.

Our work brings together three key areas: supporting individuals navigating concerns, strengthening safeguarding practice across the sector, and campaigning for meaningful reform where systems are failing.

As a developing organisation, EQUISS is building the structures, services and standards needed to ensure safeguarding and welfare are prioritised across the equestrian world.

Please note: There will be a requirement to travel for this role.

Employment package:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• A personal pension plan provided through NEST after 3 months
• Private Healthcare insurance after successful completion of probationary period
• Reporting to CEO