Head of Safeguarding

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you'll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the 'Supporting Documents' heading.

Explore 'Inside MFT - Your Candidate Place'

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT - Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one-stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are - what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You'll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access 'Inside MFT - Your Candidate Place, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the 'Supporting Documents' section and once opened, you can where either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

Closing vacancy listings early

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we're proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU-for our patients, our communities, and each other.
As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application-especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions-is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Current first level NMC registration - Registered Adult Nurse/Registered Children's Nurse or social worker (Social Work England registration) or r Allied Health Professional (Health and Care Professions Council registered).
• Graduate in health or safeguarding -related subject
• Professional knowledge acquired through Masters level qualification supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of relevant study and continuing professional development in safeguarding
• Post registration leadership development

Desirable criteria

• Management /Leadership qualification
• Specialist Practitioner Health Visiting /School Nursing
• Children's Nursing qualification
• Midwifery Qualification
• Teaching or Supervision qualification

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Significant experience in senior safeguarding role for children and adults.
• Experience of the application of safeguarding legislation.
• Experience of successfully managing change including in delivering service changes which require staff consultation processes.
• Experience of budget management
• Significant line management experience
• Extensive evidence of providing successful professional leadership, leading to innovation in practice
• Significant experience of partnership working at strategic and operational level
• Experience of developing and delivering safeguarding training in a large/complex organisation
• Experience of developing/delivering/ monitoring and evaluating training programmes with clinical and non-clinical staff
• Experience of developing and implementing strategies, policies, and procedures to support best practice
• Extensive experience of multi-agency safeguarding work
• Experience of managing complex safeguarding situations.
• Significant experience of conducting or contributing to Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews SARs and DHRs and other investigations
• Experience of application of Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
• Experience of contributing to local safeguarding partnership sub-group activity
• Evidence of relevant study and continuing professional development in safeguarding.
• Post registration leadership development.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policy and strategy with a proven ability to translate into local action
• Current knowledge of relevant professional and policy Initiatives.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in complaints management
• Risk management experience
• Involvement in research projects
• Experience of establishing performance monitoring and assurance systems and processes
• Experience of working with Higher Education
• Experience of Local Safeguarding Children Partnership group membership
• Experience in developing and presenting business cases
• Experience of being a Named Practitioner in Safeguarding

Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
• Excellent presentation & report writing skills
• Ability to demonstrate extensive understanding of safeguarding principles, policy and practice
• Well-developed negotiating and influencing skills
• Expert safeguarding investigation skills
• Ability to make calm rational decisions in the face of adversity
• Strong analytical skills and ability to consider the wider picture
• Ability to analyse complex data
• IT/word processing skills
• Complex change management skills
• Clinical audit skills
• People management skills and the ability to address poor performance and unacceptable behaviours
• Political astuteness
• Ability to work effectively in partnership across agencies
• Well organised; able to articulate a vision and direct others
• Highly developed report writing skills and ability to present complex reports and action plans.
• Ability to work at a strategic level representing the Trust to external stakeholders
• Ability to engage and work with clinicians and staff at all levels

Desirable criteria

• Quality improvement skills
• Media skills

Employer certification / accreditation badges