Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Manager
Salary: £35,073 per annum rising to £36,968 per annum on successful completion of probation.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week.
Holiday:25 days annual holiday entitlement increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service per annum plus bank holidays (pro rata)
Base: Swindon SARC, The Gables, Shrivenham Road SN3 4RB
Contract: Permanent
About the role:
We are looking for an experienced and values-driven leader to join First Light as our SARC Manager for the Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).
This is a senior role responsible for leading a vital front-line service supporting individuals affected by sexual violence. You will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the service is safe, responsive and high quality, and that service users remain at the heart of everything we do.
You will lead a dedicated team, oversee service performance and work closely with key partners including Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation Trust, NHS England, Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
What you will be doing:
Leading and managing the day-to-day delivery of the SARC Service
- Ensuring safe, effective and high-quality support for service users
- Overseeing service performance, KPIs and reporting, including quarterly reporting
- Managing and developing a multidisciplinary team, including Crisis Workers
- Ensuring full rota coverage and stepping into Crisis Worker duties where required
- Driving service improvement through data, audit and learning
- Leading and supporting compliance with national forensic standards, including Forensic Science Regulator requirements and ISO 15189 accreditation frameworks
- Working in partnership with clinical colleagues to support robust clinical and forensic governance
- Building strong relationships across a complex multi-agency system
- Representing the service at local and regional partnerships
About you:
We are looking for someone who can bring:
- Strong leadership experience within a complex service environment
- Experience of managing teams and delivery high quality services
- Confidence in working in multi-agency partnerships
- Experience of safeguarding practice, including decision making and escalation
- The ability to analyse data and use insight to improve services
- A strong understanding of governance, risk and quality assurance
- Knowledge of the sexual violence sector or related services
You will also bring a clear commitment to:
- Trauma informed and person centered practice
- Equality, inclusion and accessible services
- Continuous learning and service improvement
Why join us:
At First Light, we are committed to supporting people affected by sexual violence to feel safe, heard and supported.
This is an opportunity to lead a highly impactful service at a time of significant national development within the SARC sector, including the implementation and ongoing maintenance of Forensic Science Regulator and UKAS ISO 15189 accreditation requirements, strengthened forensic governance and service transformation.
You will be part of a supportive senior team and organisation that values collaboration, integrity and continuous improvement.
Additional information:
- Participation in an out of hours duty management rota is required
- Travel across the service area will be required
- This post is subject to enhanced DBS and Police vetting clearance
- In line with national Forensic Science Regulator requirements, the successful candidate will also be required to provide a DNA sample for inclusion within the Staff Elimination Database (SED), managed in accordance with the Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA).
Added benefits:
- A comprehensive induction and training programme, with a hybrid working policy for a better work/life balance.
- A wellbeing day per financial year (1stApril to 31stMarch)
- Access to external supervision to discuss personal or emotional responses to traumatic cases, to ensure emotional and psychological wellbeing.
- Health and wellbeing resources including our staff Wellbeing Group, Staff Consultation Committee and active participation in our employee engagement platform.
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which includes a 24/7 telephone helpline offering medical, emotional and financial support.
- Working for an organisation committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We encourage applications from all sections of the community, and all backgrounds regardless of age, race, faith, disability, neurodiversities, genders, gender expression or sexuality. First Light are a Disability Confident Committed Employer and have an LGBTQIA+ Staff Network.
- Annual pay review and employer contribution pension scheme.
Additional Information: The successful applicant will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring check, and a social media check conducted by a third party organisation as part of our Safer Recruitment process. Any future offer of employment is contingent on the satisfactory completion of these checks, as well as the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, with one being from your current or most recent employer. Please note that in some roles staff may be required to work from a home/office base in accordance with our Hybrid Working policy.
Deadline for receipt of applications: 22nd May 2026
Expected date for interviews: to be agreed with the Candidate
If you do not hear from us within 10 working days of the deadline for receipt of applications, please assume you have been unsuccessful at this time. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert early for the right candidate, so we encourage early applications.
To apply: Due to Safeguarding requirements we are unable to accept CVs as part of your application, or employ any candidate who has been a client of First Light within the last two years.