Survivor Support Fund Panel Chair

The Fund has three priorities: signposting to statutory agencies, local resources and relevant charities; grant for therapeutic support; and grant for basic needs. 

The Fund will be easy to access, and aspects of the design of the Fund were co-produced with victims and survivors. Based on findings from consultation and co-production, the Archbishops’ Council approved a Terms of Reference that set out the criteria and parameters of the Fund. Panel decisions will be regularly reviewed to ensure fairness and equity in all applications. 

Panels are held as often as needed – it is anticipated that this will be fortnightly. With a pool of panel members, frequency of meetings will vary on volume of applications, and it is anticipated panel members will attend a meeting every one to two months. The Panel meetings will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. 

Decision Panel meetings are expected to last up to about an hour and a half, depending on the number and complexity of discussions required. Panel members are required to read the panel papers before the meetings. 

Independent chairs and Panel members will be supported by the two Panel Secretaries to the Fund (staff members of the National Safeguarding Team).

Independent chairs and Panel members can come from backgrounds of different faiths or no faith.

Remuneration

Independent chairs will be recruited as consultants at a rate of £250 per panel meeting, including preparation, meeting time and any correspondence after meetings. The contract will be for three years.

Independent chairs will invoice the Archbishops’ Council on a monthly basis and be responsible for their own tax arrangements. 

A note on data protection

As an organisation, we have to comply with data protection law. Under such laws you will be a data processor on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council, and we will be sharing sensitive and confidential data with you as independent chair. 

The role of data processor comes with responsibilities and obligations which you must accept if you wish to act as independent chair. For example, you cannot use, share or alter information shared with you for the purpose other than your role as an independent chair of the Fund. This is to protect independent chairs, panel members as well as the applicants who come to the Fund. We will provide mandatory training to ensure independent chairs and panel members understand their responsibilities. 

Before you take on the role

Independent chairs and Panel members will be required to complete a Basic DBS check and provide two references. These processes must be completed ahead of their first panel. 

Independent chairs and Panel members will also be required to undertake mandatory training, including: 

• Church of England National Safeguarding Basic Awareness training (1 hour and 15 minutes)
• GDPR(UK) training (40 minutes), and 
• an online training day to meet other panel members, to familiarise themselves with the Terms of Reference and other important matters, on Thursday, 10 September (10am to 4pm). 

Conversations and interviews

If you would like to have a conversation with the Panel Secretaries, please get in touch by writing to ssf@churchofengland.org.

If you would like to apply for this role, please apply through the recruitment website/ application system and not through the email address above. In the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and covering letter that addresses the skills and knowledge required for the role. 

The deadline for application is 11.59pm, Sunday, 9 August. Shortlisting will be done shortly after and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible.

Interviews for this position will take place on Monday, 24 August, Tuesday 25 August or Thursday 27 August. They will take place online. 

• Strive for Excellence
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• Collaborate
• Act with Integrity