Research
Assistant

INEQE Safeguarding Group, the UK and Ireland’s largest independent safeguarding company, specialises in protecting children and vulnerable adults online and in their communities. Driven by purpose, our team operates collaboratively, ensuring your work has an immediate, measurable impact.

We’re seeking a highly organised and detail-oriented Research Assistant to join our team and contribute to our mission of making people safer.

The Role

Our research underpins everything we do, from safeguarding audits and reviews to the content and insights we share with partners. This role focuses on conducting targeted research linked to our portfolio of work and completing administrative tasks based on company need. It is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills alongside industry experts and contribute to meaningful projects, and would suit a graduate with a desire to learn who can bring fresh perspectives to a rapidly changing safeguarding environment. We also encourage those with relevant experience to apply. If you want to make a difference, are a self-motivated team player with stacks of enthusiasm, and have a genuine passion for helping to make people safer, apply now.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

Your main duties will include (but are not limited to):

  • Focused Research: Conduct focused research on specific topics related to safeguarding, legislation and industry trends to support the wider team and inform company projects.
  • Reporting: Compile and summarise research findings into clear and concise reports.
  • Knowledge Management: Maintain a database of relevant information and resources linked to various topics.
  • Sharing Insight: Help to keep knowledge within the company up to date by disseminating research findings.
  • Project Support: Work as part of the team to support business projects and tasks, including safeguarding audits, reviews, content and snapshot insights.
  • Policy and Practice: Develop and maintain a contemporary understanding of legal, regulatory and policy frameworks alongside a knowledge of current safeguarding practice.
  • Surveys and Analysis: Assist in the creation and maintenance of online surveys and supporting analysis.
  • Audit Administration: Provide administrative support for safeguarding audits and reviews by gathering material, preparing reports, maintaining accurate records and contacting external agencies when required.
  • Records Management: Maintain and update electronic filing systems.
  • Data Protection: Maintain confidentiality and adhere to data protection regulations.

Essential Criteria

  • Commitment to Safeguarding: A genuine passion for our mission; to make people safer.
  • Team Player: Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Qualification: A third-level qualification (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.
  • Research and Analysis: Excellent analytical, problem-solving and report-writing skills, including the ability to conduct numerical analysis and work effectively with a wide range of data sets.
  • Excellent Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
  • Attention to Detail: Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Workload Management: Ability to manage competing deadlines and workload using workload management tools.
  • Adaptability: Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and service needs.
  • Organisation: Strong computer skills (the company primarily uses Mac hardware and the Microsoft 365 suite).

Desirable Requirements

  • Knowledge of relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance.
  • A relevant qualification in social work, law, or a related field.
  • Proven experience using AI language tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.
  • Safeguarding experience in a paid or voluntary capacity, e.g. in a charity, education, law enforcement, social care or youth work environment.

About INEQE Safeguarding Group

Place of work

Ineqe Safeguarding Group, Ocean House, Edgewater Road Belfast, BT3 9JQ. Applicants should note that this is an office-based role, and the successful candidate will be expected to work from our Belfast office each working day.

Hours of work

8 hours per day, 40 hours per week (a working day is 9.00am to 5.00pm, or another mutually agreed arrangement. There will also be, on occasion, some additional hours including post 5pm and weekend duties as required).

Equal Opportunities

Ineqe Safeguarding Group is an Equal Opportunities employer and is recognised as a Disability Confident Employer by the Department for Work and Pensions. We therefore welcome applications from all who meet our selection criteria.

If you would like to speak to our disability workplace champion or require an alternative format for the application, please contact us by phone – 02890232060 or email [email protected].

Access NI Vetting

A criminal record will not necessarily bar you from employment. However, as this role involves working with our schools programme, the successful candidate will be required to complete an Enhanced AccessNI check, which will be assessed prior to appointment.

The AccessNI Code of Practice can be found at this website.

Benefits

The following benefits are enjoyed by our permanent team members:

  • Company pension scheme.
  • Private health insurance (partners and children can join).
  • Cycle to work scheme.
  • A flexible approach to the working day.
  • Travel insurance (for staff required to travel for work).
  • Discretionary productivity bonus scheme.
  • Supplied with a range of equipment relevant to your role.
  • Life insurance for key staff.
  • Paid volunteering leave to work with a relevant charity.
  • Endless supply of tea, coffee, and soft drinks.
  • On-site parking.

Safeguarding Commitment

INEQE Safeguarding Group is committed to ensuring that all children and young people are protected from harm and exploitation and can thrive and grow. This is especially so for children and young people who come into contact with our business.

Our culture is built upon a Safeguarding First approach in everything we do. As such, the company has a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse.

Our commitment extends to all staff, whether full or part-time and all associates, with whom the company engage from time to time.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and therefore all staff are required to adhere to this commitment and to strictly comply with our safeguarding and other relevant policies.
Any breach of this commitment will be treated as gross misconduct under our Code of Conduct.

Employees will be expected to:

  • Read and be familiar with our policies and procedures
  • Be able to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse
  • Know who you should make reports to if you have concerns about a child or young person.

To enable you fulfil these commitments, the Company will provide relevant training. This will include but is not limited to Level 1 Safeguarding.

Your Application

Salary: £27,000 – £29,000

Job Type: Full-time fixed contract with possible full-time permanent

Hours: 40 per week

Location: Office based at Ocean House, Belfast, BT3 9JQ

How to Apply

We review candidates on a rolling basis, so the sooner the better! We will be in touch once we have considered your application, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview at our Belfast office.

To apply, applicants MUST complete ALL the following steps. You will need to visit the jobs section on our website (failing to do so will mean you are unlikely to follow the correct procedure):

  • Send your current CV together with a covering letter explaining why you want to work at INEQE Safeguarding Group to [email protected]
  • All candidates MUST submit a copy of our Equal Opportunities monitoring Form, which can be found on our website under jobs. Name the file with your first and last names only and send separately to [email protected]
  • The monitoring form is used solely to complete our annual return for the Equality Commission. Staff involved in the selection process will not have access to them.

Applicants who do not comply with this may not be considered.