Job Title: Health Independent Gender Vioelnce Advocate (Health IGVA)
Location: The Gaia Centre, Lambeth (London)
Salary: £28,857.12 per annum, including London weighting if applicable
Contract type: Full Time, Fixed Term Contract (2 June 2026)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Health IGVA supporting women and children who are impacted by different strands of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). You will work closely with victims of VAWG from the point of crisis, to provide high quality independent advocacy and support to survivors of VAWG at the highest risk and their children.
The Health IGVA will train and provide ongoing support to GP practices and other health professionals and providers to enable primary and secondary care staff to be able to effectively talk to their patients about gender based abuse and different strands of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG): including Domestic abuse and violence (physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, economic or tech abuse), Sexual Violence (Rape and sexual assault), Stalking and harassment , Sexual exploitation (including women working in sex industry and Child Sexual Exploitation), Female genital mutilation (FGM)/cutting , Forced marriage, So-called ‘honour’-based abuse, provide early identification and offer appropriate care pathways for survivors of all genders, aged 16 years and over and their children, living, working or/and studying in Lambeth.
The post holder will work in partnership with the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Gaia Service Manager to proactively develop and maintain links with health providers in the local area and build links with health professionals and support agencies.
The job involves working within a multi-agency framework consisting of the Multiagency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and local partnership protocols and procedures that prioritise the safety of survivors. The post holder will empower survivors by providing them with emotional, practical and personal welfare support.
The job involves informing survivors of the full range of civil, criminal, and practical options that might increase their safety.
This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.
Closing Date: 09:00am 1 July 2025
Interview Date: 7 and 8 July 2025
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The HR Operations Lead plays a crucial role in supporting the employee lifecycle and employee experience here at Battersea, developing and aligning HR practices with Battersea’s strategic objectives. The role ensures the efficient and customer focused functioning of the department’s daily operations, with oversight of the resourcing team and leading on policy review and development, the continuous improvement of people processes, HR compliance, and budgeting and contract management. It will also lead the development, coordination and delivery of key projects which enable the delivery of our People Strategy.
What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:
- 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources
- Generous pension contributions – up to 10% employer contribution
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year
- Annual interest-free season ticket loans
We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.
Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.
Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.
We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.
As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.
More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.
Closing date: 22nd June 2025
Interview date(s): W/c 30th June 2025
All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.
Battersea is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860. We believe that every dog and cat deserves the best.





The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.