32 Designated safeguarding officer jobs

Gendered Intelligence is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Chief Executive. This is a rare opportunity to lead a nationally respected, trans-led organisation with real influence on policy, professional practice and the lives of trans, non-binary and gender exploring people across the UK.

The next Chief Executive will inherit strong foundations: an experienced and committed team of just under 40 people, a distinctive and trusted public profile, and a range of services that reach communities, professionals and institutions across the country. With income of around £1.5–2m, the next Chief Executive will lead the organisation through its next phase of development at a time when that leadership matters enormously.

The role offers the chance to shape strategic direction, open new partnerships and income streams, and contribute to national conversations on trans equality and human rights, while working alongside people who are deeply committed to the mission and to each other.

We are looking for someone who combines strategic clarity with operational grounding, who leads with calm and consistency, and who understands both the privilege and the responsibility of this role. We will be honest with candidates about what the role involves, and we expect the same in return.

Full details of the role can be found on our website and in the attached recruitment pack. 

Youth Outreach and Community Worker (London - Waterloo)

Railway Children (UK Programme)

£32,000 per year plus 10% London weighting

Full-time – Permanent

WE STAND FOR CHILDREN, THEIR CHILDHOODS AND THEIR FUTURES - WILL YOU? 

Looking for a rewarding role where you can make a difference? Do you have the drive to create positive change in children’s lives and inspire others to do the same?

If the answer is yes, then read on to hear about this exciting opportunity.

We’re Railway Children, an international charity working to create long-lasting change for street-connected children and young people in the UK, India and Tanzania. Founded in 1996, we’ve dedicated over a quarter of a century to developing outstanding practice and services for vulnerable children and their families. As part of our current strategy to 2027, we have ambitious plans to ensure no child is left behind, wherever we work.

 

The role
We are looking to recruit a Youth Outreach and Community Worker in London as part of our UK Programme.

This role requires close working with partners, engaging and safeguarding young people in and around Waterloo Station, helping to identify and safeguard young people at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation, county lines, missing from home, homelessness or family breakdown. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

You will be working closely alongside key partners such as British Transport Police, security staff, Train Operators, Youth Services and other local stakeholders.

You’ll play a key role in the development of our UK Safeguarding on Transport Programme and part of a dynamic team delivering Railway Children’s safeguarding programme in the UK.

About you
We are looking for someone who brings experience of successfully engaging and supporting young people as well as experience of working in an outreach or similar community setting, in a creative and engaging way with young people with a range of needs and vulnerabilities.

Alongside this you will be able to work effectively with community and statutory partners to safeguard young people.

You will have completed relevant training, have experience in safeguarding and in the issues relevant to vulnerable young and families. Therefore, you will be an experienced practitioner with an excellent understanding of safeguarding processes and procedures, who is able to work creatively, independently and within professional boundaries.

Your base would be at Waterloo station with regular travel to other stations and some home working. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

A full job specification can be found in the job pack.

For further information about this post and working for Railway Children, including how to apply, please visit our website.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experience.

Railway Children is committed to safeguarding anyone who comes into contact with us and implements a range of policies to ensure only those suitable to work with vulnerable groups are employed.

Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd September

Online Interviews: Wednesday 30th September/Thursday 1st October

In person interviews: Wednesday 7th October/Thursday 8th October

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for an experienced safeguarding professional to join GARAS, a leading immigration charity in Gloucestershire, and help shape the future of safeguarding practice across the organisation.

The successful candidate will hold both strategic and operational responsibility for safeguarding, leading on the management of safeguarding concerns and cases while developing GARAS's safeguarding framework, policies, procedures, training and quality assurance. 

You will work closely with other members of the Senior Team, reporting regularly to trustees, and will act as the lead point of contact for staff and volunteer safety, mental health and trauma-related crisis management, while building key partnerships across the county to reduce risk.

This is an immensely rewarding role, working in a dynamic charity built on an ethos of care and inclusivity. We are looking for an exceptional individual, committed to going the extra mile and bringing expertise, confidence and compassion to safeguarding leadership within our organisation.

Due to the nature of the work, the role will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

We are looking for an experienced safeguarding professional to join our Safeguarding Directorate. This role will provide excellent safeguarding support to Worcester Cathedral and the wider Diocese of Worcester. You will join a supportive and collaborative team in a role which will see you: 

• Take the lead role in supporting the Cathedral in all its safeguarding work, offering high-quality preventative and proactive safeguarding support in a way that delivers positive outcomes for children, young people and adults at risk.

• Respond well and compassionately to the vulnerable and victims and survivors of abuse 

• Train, advise and build confidence in others in an accessible way

• Support the work of senior leaders regarding the development of good safeguarding practice and healthy safeguarding cultures across the Diocese of Worcester 

We are seeking a skilled, person-centred individual who: 

• Has substantial safeguarding experience in a relevant profession
• Can provide confident advice and exercise sound judgement in line with relevant safeguarding legislation and policy

• Is an excellent communicator who inspires trust and works effectively with a wide range of stakeholders 

• Works with integrity, is resilient and a strong team player 

If you would like to join a small and friendly team, who are passionate in their mission to promote safeguarding into the hearts and minds of those we serve, then we would love to hear from you.  

ROLE OVERVIEW:

The Safeguarding Officer is responsible for delivering high-quality operational safeguarding across RABI, ensuring safeguarding concerns involving beneficiaries are managed consistently, professionally and in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance and organisational policy.

Working as one of two Safeguarding Officers, the postholder provides specialist safeguarding advice, guidance and support to colleagues across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The role manages safeguarding concerns from initial notification through to resolution, undertakes safeguarding risk assessments, coordinates safeguarding activity, maintains accurate safeguarding records, supports multi-agency working and contributes to achieving safe outcomes for beneficiaries.

Working closely with the Safeguarding Manager, the second Safeguarding Officer and the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the postholder contributes to the continuous improvement of safeguarding practice, supports organisational safeguarding awareness and helps maintain a resilient safeguarding service through collaborative working and continuity of operational delivery.

Key Accountabilities

1. Operational Safeguarding

• Work alongside the Safeguarding Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead to support the continuous development and implementation of safeguarding practice across the organisation.
• Act as an operational point of contact for staff, volunteers and external partners regarding safeguarding concerns and queries, providing advice and guidance whilst escalating complex or high-risk matters appropriately.
• Manage safeguarding concerns from initial notification through to resolution, ensuring concerns are assessed, risk managed, recorded and progressed in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance and RABI policies and procedures.
• Undertake safeguarding risk assessments, exercising professional judgement to support proportionate, person-centred and defensible safeguarding decision-making.
• Promote professional curiosity, reflective practice and consistent safeguarding approaches across the organisation.
• Provide delegated Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead cover in the absence of both the Designated Safeguarding Lead and both Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads, in accordance with RABI policies, procedures and delegated authority.

2. Professional Advice and Guidance

• Provide specialist safeguarding advice, guidance and practical support to Regional Support Officers, managers, staff and volunteers to support the effective management of safeguarding concerns and increase confidence in safeguarding practice.
• Support colleagues to recognise safeguarding concerns, understand safeguarding responsibilities and apply safeguarding procedures consistently.
• Support the Safeguarding Manager in developing and delivering safeguarding training, awareness sessions and operational guidance for staff and volunteers.
• Effectively engage with staff and volunteers across RABI to promote safeguarding awareness, encourage good practice and embed a positive safeguarding culture.

3. Case Management, Recording and Information Management

• Maintain day-to-day administration, quality assurance and oversight of safeguarding records within RABI's case management system, ensuring information is accurate, timely, complete and compliant with organisational standards.
• Follow up safeguarding recording queries and support colleagues in maintaining high-quality safeguarding records.
• Prepare and provide operational safeguarding information, data, trends and case information to support the Safeguarding Manager in producing monthly, quarterly and annual safeguarding reports.
• Produce clear, evidence-based safeguarding documentation and maintain confidentiality in accordance with information governance requirements.
• Identify emerging safeguarding themes, trends and learning to support continuous improvement of safeguarding practice.
• Monitor safeguarding activity to ensure agreed actions are completed appropriately and within agreed timescales.
• Maintain confidentiality and information governance standards in accordance with organisational policy and legislation.

4. Partnership Working

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Adult and Children's Social Care, Police, Health Services, Mental Health Services, Domestic Abuse Services, counselling providers and other statutory and voluntary sector partners.
• Coordinate safeguarding referrals and information sharing, ensuring referrals are timely, appropriate and well evidenced.
• Represent RABI appropriately within multi-agency safeguarding discussions and maintain effective working relationships that support positive outcomes for beneficiaries.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance and referral pathways across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

5. Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement

• Promote and champion safeguarding practice across all departments, supporting compliance, increasing staff awareness and embedding safeguarding within everyday practice.
• Maintain effective working relationships with internal teams, including Volunteering, Partnerships, Fundraising, Campaigns and other departments, providing safeguarding advice on new initiatives and emerging projects.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice, proactively engaging with professional networks and partner organisations to ensure RABI continues to deliver high-quality safeguarding practice.
• Manage referrals into RABI's counselling provision, ensuring agreed service standards and referral processes are maintained.
• Facilitate safeguarding supervision sessions with Regional Support Officers and Regional Support Managers where agreed by the Safeguarding Manager.
• Support the management and monitoring of RABI's StaySafe lone working system.
• Work collaboratively with the Safeguarding Manager and second Safeguarding Officer to ensure continuity of safeguarding provision during periods of leave, absence or increased operational demand.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the responsibilities and grading of the role.

Decision Making and Autonomy

The Safeguarding Officer manages a varied operational safeguarding caseload, exercising professional judgement within legislation, statutory guidance and organisational policy.

The postholder independently assesses safeguarding concerns, determines appropriate safeguarding actions and coordinates operational safeguarding interventions. Complex safeguarding concerns involving significant organisational, legal or reputational risk are escalated to the Safeguarding Manager.

Strategic safeguarding leadership, policy development, organisational assurance, resource management and line management remain the responsibility of the Safeguarding Manager. 

Key Working Relationships

Internal

• Safeguarding Manager
• Second Safeguarding Officer
• Regional Support Officers
• Service Delivery colleagues
• Managers, staff and volunteers

External

• Adult and Children's Social Care
• Police
• Health Services
• Mental Health Services
• Domestic Abuse Services
• Counselling Providers
• Voluntary and Community Organisations
• Other safeguarding partners 

Person Specification

Qualifications and Professional Development

Essential

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience gained through professional practice.
• A recognised safeguarding qualification or evidence of substantial safeguarding training relevant to the role.
• Commitment to maintaining continuing professional development and keeping knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance and best practice up to date.
• Willingness to undertake further training appropriate to the requirements of the role.

Desirable

• Specialist safeguarding qualifications or accredited safeguarding training.
• Mental Capacity Act, Domestic Abuse, MARAC, Prevent, suicide prevention or trauma-informed practice training.
• Membership of a relevant professional body.

Knowledge

Essential

• Sound knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice relating to adults.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles, risk assessment, information sharing and multi-agency working.
• Knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of statutory safeguarding partners.
• Understanding of professional boundaries, confidentiality, consent and information governance.
• Knowledge of safeguarding practice within complex family situations, domestic abuse, mental ill health, self-neglect, exploitation, substance misuse and other safeguarding risks.
• Understanding of equality, diversity, inclusion and the impact of discrimination and disadvantage on vulnerability.

Desirable

• Knowledge of safeguarding arrangements across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice relating to children.
• Understanding of safeguarding within charities or community-based services.
• Awareness of issues affecting farming and rural communities.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of managing safeguarding concerns relating to adults.
• Experience of managing safeguarding concerns within a professional setting.
• Experience of undertaking safeguarding risk assessments and making defensible safeguarding decisions.
• Experience of providing safeguarding advice and guidance to colleagues.
• Experience of working collaboratively with statutory agencies and partner organisations.
• Experience of maintaining accurate, confidential and legally compliant case records.
• Experience of managing competing priorities within a busy operational environment.

Desirable

• Experience within the voluntary or charity sector.
• Experience of coordinating safeguarding referrals.
• Experience of contributing to safeguarding training or awareness programmes.
• Experience of using electronic case management or customer relationship management systems.
• Experience of supporting organisational service improvement.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with people from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds.
• Ability to build positive and credible working relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to assess complex information, identify risk and exercise sound professional judgement.
• Ability to make timely, evidence-based decisions while balancing risk, professional guidance and organisational responsibilities.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands and manage a varied workload.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to produce clear, accurate and professional records and reports.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office applications and electronic case management systems.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering presentations or training.
• Ability to analyse safeguarding data and identify emerging themes.
• Experience of contributing to policy or procedural development.

Personal Attributes

The successful postholder will demonstrate:

• Integrity, professionalism and sound ethical judgement.
• Empathy, compassion and respect for the dignity and individuality of beneficiaries.
• Resilience and the ability to remain calm when managing complex or emotionally demanding situations.
• Professional curiosity and a commitment to understanding the wider context of safeguarding concerns.
• Confidence to provide constructive challenge where safeguarding practice requires improvement.
• Commitment to collaborative working and continuous learning.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and service improvement.
• Flexibility and adaptability in response to changing organisational and operational priorities.

Additional Requirements

• Enhanced DBS clearance.
• Ability to travel throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Flexible approach to occasional travel and operational requirements.
• Commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality, equality and professional standards. 

This role profile is not exhaustive and is subject to review in conjunction with the postholder, as per future developments at RABI. 

Early applications are encouraged for this position as shortlisting and interviews will take place on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a suitable application prior to the deadline.

BENEFITS:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (based on full-time working).
• Enrolment to Nest on commencement of employment and then opportunity to join RABI’s group pension scheme with Standard Life where RABI make contributions equivalent to 10% of your basic salary, provided you make a personal contribution of 5%. 
• Life assurance from day one. 
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Support with personal and professional development.
• On site parking.

RABI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. It aims to ensure that all employment practices secure equality of opportunity and that no prospective or current employee receives less than favourable treatment at RABI because of their sex, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, belief, ethnic origin, disability, marital, or for any other reason which cannot be shown to be justifiable. Our recruitment process is designed to ensure that individuals are selected based solely on their relevant skills, experience, qualifications and abilities. 

Lead safeguarding. Shape culture. Enable safer churches.

The Diocese of London is seeking an exceptional safeguarding leader to serve as our first Director of Safeguarding.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of the Church of England’s largest and most diverse diocese, driving a culture that is preventative, accountable, transparent and focused on learning and improvement.

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership for safeguarding across the Diocese, oversee governance and assurance, lead a skilled safeguarding team, and champion the voices of victims and survivors.

We are looking for a credible and experienced professional with significant safeguarding expertise, strong professional judgement, and a passion for enabling safer churches.

Join us in shaping the future of safeguarding in London. We would be delighted to hear from you.

The postholder will have an enhanced DBS check.

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 20 September at 5pm. The selection day will take place in-person on Thursday, 22 October. 

Please refer to the Candidate Information pack for the full details of the Role, Responsibilities and Person Specification.

This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to lead a well-established and highly respected charity, dedicated to improving the lives of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, sexual violence and rape.

S.H.E. UK is seeking an exceptional, community-focused leader with a strong track record in fundraising, relationship building and organisational development. At an exciting point in our journey, we are looking for a CEO who can strengthen and sustain our foundations, inspire support across our communities, diversify income streams, and translate our ambitious new strategy into meaningful action.

You will bring proven experience of securing sustainable funding from a range of sources, including grants, donors, community supporters and strategic partnerships. Equally important is your ability to lead with compassion, champion survivor-centred services, and build trust with a wide range of stakeholders.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic, operational and financial leadership, ensuring the charity remains resilient, impactful and well governed. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will maintain the highest standards of safeguarding, governance and service delivery, while creating the conditions for long-term sustainability.

This is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring and compassionate leader to build on our achievements, bring our strategy to life, and help shape the next chapter of S.H.E. UK's development. This is a hybrid role, with a minimum of three days per week working in person from our Mansfield base.

If you are passionate about creating lasting change, have a proven track record of leadership, and are committed to improving the lives of survivors, we would love to hear from you.

Head of Safeguarding
Are you an experienced safeguarding professional with the confidence to lead, challenge and influence at a senior level? YMCA St Helens is seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Head of Safeguarding to provide strategic leadership and expert oversight of safeguarding practice across the organisation.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this pivotal role will act as the organisation's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding for children, young people and adults. You will provide expert advice to leaders, oversee complex safeguarding cases, lead quality assurance and training, and help embed a culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

We're looking for someone with:

• Significant experience in safeguarding adults, children and young people.
• Experience providing high-level safeguarding advice and guidance.
• Experience supporting senior leaders on safeguarding strategy and practice.
• Strong experience managing complex safeguarding concerns and risk.
• Excellent communication, influencing and decision-making skills.
• The ability to build effective partnerships and challenge constructively when required.
• Willingness to participate in the organisational on-call rota.

Why join YMCA St Helens?
This is a unique opportunity to shape safeguarding culture and practice across a diverse organisation that supports children, young people and adults. You'll work alongside an ambitious leadership team, helping to ensure the people we support remain safe, empowered and able to flourish.

YMCA St Helens is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Note: This post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, and is open to female applicants only, due to the nature of the role. Subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Head of Youth Programmes sits in our Senior Leadership Team and holds overall operational responsibility for our frontline youth programmes across three pillars: Prevention, Intervention and Healing. The postholder leads and line manages the delivery team, and carries DSL responsibility for the organisation.

You'll lead delivery, expansion and impact evaluation across all three pillars, line manage the Education Lead, IDVA Team and Creative Projects leads, and work closely with the CEO to consolidate our delivery models. You'll hold responsibility as our Designated Safeguarding Lead, manage operational budgets, and build multi-agency partnerships across Barnet and neighbouring boroughs.

It's an opportunity to bring fresh energy and strategic leadership to a small, values-driven charity that trusts its team to do meaningful, creative work with the young people we support.

Essential criteria

• Experience as an IDVA, ISVA or in a comparable frontline advocacy role supporting young women and girls affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence or other forms of harm.
• A strong understanding of VAWG, domestic abuse and youth harm, grounded in survivor-centred and harm-prevention approaches.
• Experience of overseeing and responding to complex safeguarding through multi-agency working.
• At least Level 3 safeguarding training. Designated Safeguarding Lead training is desirable, or a willingness to complete this within an agreed timeframe.

We have highlighted the essentials above. The rest of the person specification, in the attached recruitment pack, is a guide to what we are looking for in a strong candidate, rather than a checklist. Your experience may not meet all of it, but if you have the essential experience we would encourage you to apply. We are just as interested in transferable experience as in a conventional career path.

Benefits

• Regular clinical supervision with an external practitioner 
• Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme, including a 24/7 helpline, counselling and a wellbeing app
• Free on-site parking in Colindale and funded travel between delivery sites

Details

£38,000 to £40,000 pro rata. 28 hours per week (four day working week). Permanent. Barnet, London / Hybrid.

Closing date: Thursday 15th October 2026. Interviews: w/c Monday 26th October 2026.

About the Holocaust Educational Trust

The Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) is a leading UK charity dedicated to promoting education and remembrance of the Holocaust through its educational programmes and advocacy efforts, challenging antisemitism and promoting tolerance and understanding to benefit future generations. Working across the UK, the Holocaust Educational Trust partners with schools, universities, communities and policy makers, to educate thousands of young people across the country. Our core educational activities include our flagship Lessons from Auschwitz Project, youth engagement activities and Testimony 360: People and Places of the Holocaust, a digital programme.

Job Description 

Programme delivery  

Once trained, Education Officers deliver classroom-facing and teacher-facing education across all of our core programmes – Lessons from Auschwitz; Testimony 360; Outreach and Teacher Training - drawing on their own teaching experience and understanding of effective pedagogy. Delivery of our programmes takes place both during and outside school term dates and hours. Training will be provided to deliver across all our programmes within the first six months in post. 

Programme development, innovation and resource production 

• Work with the Senior Education Officer to plan, develop and review programmes and resources.
• Train internal and external educators to deliver the Trust’s programmes. 

Impact, Evaluation and Learning 

• Understand and hold the Trust’s Theory of Change and, with the Education Team, support its delivery in practice. 
• Work with the Senior Education Officer and wider Education Team to participate in impact evaluation, programme monitoring and feedback. 
• Use evaluation findings to inform programme development and improvement. 

Partnerships and External Relations 

• Represent the Trust at national and international conferences and forums. 
• Participate in collaboration with other Holocaust education organisations globally to share best practice in both Holocaust and antisemitism education pedagogy and innovation. 

Safeguarding  

Work with colleagues to play an active and effective role in ensuring that the Trust has the highest safeguarding standards across all programmes, adhering to legislation and best practice. 

Travel requirements  

The post requires regular travel within the UK and abroad, including a minimum of three one-day Poland visits per year as part of the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, attendance at the Trust’s central London office on agreed days, and occasional evening and weekend work. HET has a Time Off in Lieu policy, alongside additional systems of support to help ensure a realistic, sustainable and fair schedule of travel across the Education Officer team. 

Lead a service that changes lives

Do you want your leadership to have a direct and lasting impact on people affected by domestic abuse?

We are looking for an experienced, compassionate and motivated Domestic Abuse Service Manager to lead and develop our specialist services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

This is much more than an operational management role. You will lead a committed team delivering support through safe accommodation, community and outreach services, helping ensure adults and children affected by domestic abuse receive safe, high-quality and empowering support when they need it most.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape services, strengthen partnerships and help define what excellent domestic abuse support looks like.

The opportunity

Reporting to the CEO, you will provide confident leadership across our domestic abuse services, managing a diverse team of practitioners, outreach workers, project staff, volunteers and others.

You’ll create a positive culture where staff feel valued, supported and able to deliver their best work, while maintaining high standards of safeguarding, quality and practice.

You’ll build strong relationships with police, housing, health, children’s services, courts, commissioners and voluntary sector partners, ensuring the voice, rights and safety of victim-survivors remain central.

As our Designated Safeguarding Lead, you’ll play a key role in developing a strong safeguarding culture across the organisation, ensuring concerns are managed effectively and learning leads to meaningful improvement.

You’ll also use data, outcomes and feedback to understand what is working, identify emerging needs and drive service development.

You will:

• Lead, support and develop a dedicated domestic abuse team.
• Oversee safe and effective delivery across refuge, community and outreach services.
• Champion trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred practice.
• Lead safeguarding for adults and children and contribute to multi-agency processes.
• Develop and deliver training on domestic abuse, safeguarding, risk and trauma-informed practice.
• Build effective relationships with commissioners and partner agencies.
• Monitor performance, analyse data and evidence the impact of our work.
• Contribute to service development, funding applications, tenders, policy and organisational learning.
• Ensure contractual, quality, health and safety and financial requirements are met.
• Promote equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.

About you

You’ll have experience of managing people and services, together with a strong understanding of domestic abuse and its impact on adults and children. Experience within domestic abuse, safeguarding, housing, social care, family support or a similar specialist service would be highly relevant.

You’ll combine strong leadership with genuine compassion. You’ll be confident managing risk and complex situations, able to challenge poor practice when necessary, and committed to developing others.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• An inspiring and supportive people manager.
• Experienced in trauma-informed, person-centred

Responsibilities

People and Team Leadership

• Line manage the Fundraising Manager, providing regular supervision, support, and performance development

• Lead the planning and delivery of all-hands meetings and team development programmes, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture

• Maintain oversight of team resource mapping, ensuring capacity is well-managed across the organisation

Impact and Evaluation

• Lead the design and ongoing development of Routes' impact evaluation framework, ensuring it captures meaningful data about the difference our work makes

• Oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of impact data throughout the year, using findings to inform programme development and organisational decision-making

• Write and produce Routes' annual impact report, communicating our work and outcomes compellingly to funders, partners, and the wider sector

Income Generation

• Support the Fundraising Manager with grant applications, funder relationships, and income generation activity as needed

• Manage the sales pipeline for the mentoring programme, including prospecting, relationship development, and conversion of corporate and organisational clients

• Source and manage CSR partnerships, building relationships with corporate partners and ensuring existing partnerships are well-stewarded

Operations

• Lead on the creation, review, and approval of organisational policies, ensuring Routes' policies are up to date, legally compliant, and reflective of our values

• Oversee day-to-day office administration and organisational housekeeping

• Manage organisational insurance, ensuring appropriate cover is maintained and reviewed annually

• Oversee staff IT, laptops, phones, and software subscriptions, including troubleshooting and managing supplier relationships

• Draft and manage organisational contracts, including supplier, partner, and service agreements

• Lead on the conversion of Routes from a CIC to a CIO, working with legal advisors, the board, and relevant statutory bodies to manage the process

Strategy

• Contribute to the development and delivery of Routes' organisational strategy, bringing insight from your areas of responsibility

• Lead on the development and implementation of Routes' income generation strategy, working closely with the Fundraising Manager and Co-CEO

Communications

• Write thought leadership pieces for the Routes blog, contributing to Routes' voice and visibility in the sector

Leadership Development and Learning

• Take ownership of your own professional development, using the annual training budget to attend relevant training, events, and sector learning opportunities that strengthen your contribution to Routes and the wider sector

There are some areas of responsibility that sit under the other Co-CEO, but we would expect the person in this role to maintain some oversight or involvement in to enable smooth co-working between the roles. These are:

• Safeguarding: Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) when required, ensuring Routes meets its safeguarding obligations and that staff and volunteers are appropriately supported

• Finance: Attend and contribute to monthly finance meetings, planned by other Co-CEO, maintaining a clear understanding of the organisation's financial position and flagging any concerns to the Co-CEO and board

• Governance: Attend board meetings, providing updates on areas of responsibility and supporting the board to fulfil its governance function

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience in a senior leadership role within the charity, social enterprise, or public sector

• Demonstrable experience of managing and developing staff, with a coaching and supportive leadership style

• Experience of income generation in a charity or social enterprise context, including either grant fundraising, corporate partnerships, or programme sales

• Experience of designing or overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and producing reports that communicate impact clearly

• Experience of managing operational and governance responsibilities, including policy development and working with a board

• Experience leading teams in challenging, fast-changing and resource-constrained environments 

• Experience of working with or for communities facing marginalisation, discrimination, or structural disadvantage, and a deep understanding of the barriers refugee and asylum seeking women face in the UK

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to balance day to day operational oversight with long term strategic planning, ensuring that Routes’ work remains in line with values and objectives whilst responding to the changing needs of participants and the external landscape

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to write compellingly for different audiences

• Financially literate, with the ability to read and engage meaningfully with management accounts and budgets

• Highly organised, with the ability to manage a broad and varied portfolio without dropping the ball

• Comfortable working with data, both quantitative and qualitative, and using it to draw meaningful conclusions

• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust quickly with a wide range of stakeholders including funders, corporate partners, board members, and colleagues

• Sound understanding of CIC/charity governance and good practice, and the ability to make confident decisions independently while knowing when to consult

Values and Approach

• Deep personal commitment to gender equality, racial justice, and the rights of refugees and asylum seeking people

• Understanding of the importance of implementing trauma informed practices and a commitment to accessible working practices for all

• A collaborative leadership style that builds trust, shares power, and brings out the best in others

• Comfortable with ambiguity and change, able to hold complexity without becoming overwhelmed by it

• Honest, transparent, and accountable, someone who says what they mean and follows through on commitments

• Energised by working in a small, values-led organisation where everyone mucks in

Additionally, it would be desirable for you to be trained as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, but training on this can be provided.

A Note on Experience

We know that leadership experience takes many forms, and that people from marginalised communities,  including those with lived experience of the asylum system, are often underrepresented at senior levels in the charity sector despite having exactly the qualities and understanding this role requires. We warmly encourage applications from people who may not follow a conventional career trajectory but who can demonstrate the skills, values, and commitment we are looking for. If you are unsure whether your experience is the right fit, please do get in touch before applying,  we would rather have that conversation than miss out on the right person.

The Suicide Bereavement Specialist Manager leads and manages a team of approximately 10–12 Suicide Bereavement Specialists, providing strong and supportive management alongside clear professional accountability and oversight of practice.

The postholder will also maintain a small caseload of approximately 5–10 beneficiaries, enabling them to remain connected to frontline practice and the experiences of people accessing the service.

The postholder has operational responsibility for the beneficiary journey from the point a referral enters the service through assessment, triage and allocation to a Suicide Bereavement Specialist, and for ensuring that subsequent support is safe, timely, appropriate, person-centred and delivered to Pete’s Dragons’ expected standards.

Relationship with the Beneficiary Services Manager

The Beneficiary Services Manager holds overall strategic responsibility for Beneficiary Services, including the direction, development and performance of beneficiary-facing services across Pete’s Dragons.

The SBS Manager holds operational responsibility for the day-to-day delivery, management and quality of the Suicide Bereavement Specialist service.

The SBS Manager is expected to exercise appropriate professional and managerial autonomy in the daily operation of the SBS service, escalating significant safeguarding, workforce, performance, capacity, service-quality or organisational concerns to the Beneficiary Services Manager.

The two roles will work closely together to ensure that strategic decisions are translated into consistent, safe and effective practice.

Key Responsibilities

Referral, Triage and Allocation

The SBS Manager will:

• Take overall responsibility for all incoming referrals to the SBS service from the point of entry through to allocation.
• Review referrals to establish need, urgency, risk, suitability and any additional considerations affecting the provision of support.
• Ensure referrals are processed promptly and in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ referral pathways, eligibility criteria and service standards.
• Identify and appropriately escalate safeguarding, suicide risk or other significant concerns arising during the referral process.
• Allocate beneficiaries to the most appropriate SBS, considering individual need, practitioner skills and experience, existing caseload, capacity, location and other relevant factors.
• Maintain oversight of referrals awaiting allocation and ensure that beneficiaries do not become lost or unnecessarily delayed within the system.
• Monitor demand, waiting times, caseloads and team capacity and raise emerging pressures with the Beneficiary Services Manager.
• Ensure referral and allocation decisions are clearly and appropriately recorded.

Management and Leadership of the SBS Team

The SBS Manager will:

• Provide day-to-day leadership and management to approximately 10–12 Suicide Bereavement Specialists.
• Lead regular individual management 1:1s with each SBS.
• Lead group supervision and reflective practice opportunities as required.
• Lead daily SBS team meetings and scheduled practice meetings.
• Create a team culture which combines compassion and psychological safety with professional accountability and consistently high standards.
• Maintain regular contact with staff working across different Pete’s Dragons locations.
• Ensure staff have appropriate opportunities to raise concerns, discuss difficult work and seek management guidance.
• Monitor individual workload, caseload and capacity and intervene where concerns arise.
• Support staff wellbeing while maintaining clear expectations regarding professional responsibilities and service delivery.
• Provide appropriate telephone management support for SBS staff working outside normal office hours as required.

Quality Assurance and Practice Standards

The SBS Manager will hold responsibility for the quality of SBS practice and will:

• Undertake formal case audits for each SBS on a quarterly basis.
• Regularly review the quality, accuracy and completeness of beneficiary records and case documentation.
• Monitor SBS practice against Pete’s Dragons’ policies, procedures, practice standards and expected professional boundaries.
• Arrange and review recorded beneficiary sessions at appropriate intervals as part of ongoing practice quality assurance and practitioner development.
• Provide constructive feedback following practice reviews and agree actions or development plans where required.
• Identify excellent practice and ensure learning is shared across the team.
• Identify practice which falls below the expected standard and take timely action to support improvement.
• Monitor beneficiary engagement, missed appointments, case progression, case duration and closure practices.
• Ensure concerns regarding practice, conduct, competence or beneficiary safety are appropriately documented, addressed and escalated.
• Promote reflective professional practice and continuous improvement throughout the SBS team.

Safeguarding and Risk

The SBS Manager will:

• Act as a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for Pete’s Dragons. Appropriate DSO training can be provided where required.
• Share responsibility for the management and oversight of safeguarding cases within the organisation.
• Provide advice and support to SBSs where safeguarding concerns arise.
• Ensure safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded, escalated and acted upon in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ Safeguarding Policy and relevant statutory guidance.
• Work collaboratively with other safeguarding leads and senior managers where complex or significant concerns arise.
• Promote confident and consistent safeguarding practice throughout the SBS team.
• Ensure staff understand the distinction between safeguarding, suicide risk, clinical concern and other forms of beneficiary risk and follow the appropriate organisational pathway.

Beneficiary Casework

To remain connected to frontline practice, the SBS Manager will:

• Maintain a small caseload of approximately 5–10 beneficiaries.
• Provide high-quality suicide bereavement support in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ practice model, policies and standards.
• Maintain timely, accurate and appropriate case records.
• Model excellent professional boundaries, beneficiary communication and case management.
• Participate in appropriate clinical supervision for their own beneficiary work.
• Ensure management responsibilities remain the priority of the role and that their personal caseload does not compromise their availability to manage the service or support the SBS team.

People Management and HR

The SBS Manager will be responsible for all routine HR management relating to their direct reports, including:

• Recruitment and selection of Suicide Bereavement Specialists.
• Induction and probation.
• Regular management supervision.
• Annual appraisal and performance review.
• Identifying individual and team development needs.
• Supporting professional development and CPD.
• Attendance and absence management.
• Managing annual leave and ensuring adequate service capacity.
• Addressing performance, capability, conduct or behavioural concerns promptly and appropriately.
• Supporting staff wellbeing and identifying when additional support may be required.
• Working with the Beneficiary Services Manager and other appropriate colleagues on formal HR matters where necessary.
• Maintaining appropriate and confidential management records.

Training and Development

The SBS Manager will:

• Identify individual and collective training and development needs across the SBS team.
• Ensure mandatory training remains current.
• Support SBSs to develop their knowledge, confidence and professional practice.
• Use case audits, recorded-session reviews, supervision, beneficiary feedback and other quality measures to identify areas for development.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of internal practice training and workshops.
• Support newly appointed SBSs through induction and their transition into independent practice.

Policy, Procedure and Service Development

The SBS Manager will:

• Ensure organisational policies, procedures and agreed ways of working are consistently implemented within the SBS team.
• Communicate changes in policy or practice clearly and ensure staff understand what is expected of them.
• Monitor compliance and address inconsistent practice.
• Contribute frontline operational knowledge to the review and development of policies, procedures, pathways and practice standards.
• Support the Beneficiary Services Manager in implementing service developments and organisational change.
• Identify opportunities to improve beneficiary experience, efficiency, quality and consistency.

Monitoring and Reporting

The SBS Manager will maintain an accurate operational picture of the SBS service, including:

• Referral volumes.
• Referral processing and allocation.
• Waiting times.
• Individual and team caseloads.
• Team capacity.
• Beneficiary engagement.
• Case progression and closures.
• Safeguarding and risk themes.
• Quality assurance findings.
• Staff performance and development.
• Emerging operational risks or pressures.

The postholder will provide appropriate information and reporting to the Beneficiary Services Manager and ensure significant concerns are escalated promptly rather than waiting for routine reporting arrangements.

General Responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Work across Pete’s Dragons Devon locations as required.
• Represent Pete’s Dragons professionally with beneficiaries, colleagues, partners and external agencies.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and comply with data protection requirements.
• Work within Pete’s Dragons’ policies, procedures, values and professional standards.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.
• Undertake relevant training and continuing professional development.
• Work flexibly where reasonably required by the needs of the service.
• Participate in a limited out-of-hours telephone support arrangement for SBS staff undertaking authorised out-of-hours work.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the seniority and purpose of the role.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Significant experience of managing and leading staff.
• Experience of managing a team delivering services to people with complex emotional or mental health needs.
• Relevant experience within mental health, bereavement, psychological support, social care or a closely related field.
• Experience of managing staff performance, development, wellbeing and HR matters.
• Experience of quality assuring professional or support-based practice.
• Experience of managing risk and making sound professional decisions in complex situations.
• Experience of working with confidential and sensitive information.
• Experience of balancing competing demands and managing a busy operational service.

Knowledge and Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• A sound understanding of mental health, emotional distress, grief and vulnerability.
• The ability to assess information and make proportionate decisions regarding risk, urgency and service response.
• Strong safeguarding awareness and a willingness to undertake DSO training where not already qualified.
• The ability to challenge poor or unsafe practice appropriately and constructively.
• The ability to provide clear feedback and support staff development.
• Excellent organisational and workload-management skills.
• The ability to monitor service capacity and allocate work fairly and effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence in managing difficult conversations.
• Good professional judgement and the ability to know when matters should be escalated.
• Strong IT skills and the ability to use electronic case-management systems effectively.
• The ability to analyse service information and identify trends, risks and areas requiring improvement.

Personal Approach

The successful candidate will:

• Combine compassion with professional accountability.
• Be calm and confident when managing complex or emotionally demanding situations.
• Be approachable without losing appropriate managerial boundaries.
• Be willing to make and stand behind difficult decisions.
• Be curious about practice and committed to continual learning and improvement.
• Understand the importance of reflective practice when working with suicide bereavement.
• Be comfortable working within a service where risk, grief, trauma and emotional distress are part of everyday practice.
• Demonstrate integrity, discretion and sound judgement.
• Share Pete’s Dragons’ commitment to providing timely, appropriate and professional support following suicide bereavement.

Practical Requirements

• Full UK driving licence.
• Access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly between Pete’s Dragons locations and elsewhere across Devon.
• Ability to work flexibly according to service requirements.
• Ability to participate in limited out-of-hours telephone support for SBS staff.

Desirable

• Previous experience of suicide bereavement or postvention services.
• Previous experience of managing a geographically dispersed team.
• Safeguarding/DSO training.
• Experience of conducting case or practice audits.
• Experience of reviewing recorded professional practice sessions.
• Experience of delivering supervision, reflective practice or professional development sessions.
• Experience of recruitment within health, mental health, social care, bereavement or similar services.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and person-centred approaches.

Scope and Accountability

This is a significant operational management role with responsibility for both people and practice.

The SBS Manager is accountable for ensuring that the SBS team is appropriately managed, beneficiaries are allocated safely and promptly, the quality of support is actively monitored, concerns are addressed rather than allowed to drift, and the Beneficiary Services Manager has an accurate understanding of the performance, capacity and risks within the service.

The postholder is expected to exercise professional judgement and autonomy within their delegated responsibilities while recognising when an issue requires escalation or strategic decision-making by the Beneficiary Services Manager.

Join Our Leadership Team: Head of Service Delivery, Quality and Standards

Location: Eyre Street, Sheffield (with flexible/hybrid working)
Hours: 36.25 per week, Monday to Friday (flexible between 8am–6pm)
Salary: 42,000- 45,000 based on experience
Contract: Permanent

Are you a passionate, innovative leader looking for your next challenge in the charity or social care sector? Do you want to make a real and lasting impact in the lives of older people across Sheffield?

At Age UK Sheffield, we’re not just a service provider—we’re an organisation that puts older people at the heart of everything we do. We are now recruiting for a strategic, forward-thinking Head of Service Delivery, Quality and Standards to join our Senior Management Team and lead the evolution of our services at a time when older people need us more than ever.

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to join an innovative, award-winning charity that prides itself on delivering excellence. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and working closely with our Board of Trustees, you will have overall responsibility for the quality, delivery, development and strategic leadership of a diverse portfolio of services, including:

· Independent Living Coordination

· Hospital Discharge

· Dementia Support

· Information & Advice

· Paid-for Home Support Services

You will provide leadership to managers and teams working across multiple locations and community settings, ensuring services are safe, effective, person-centred and financially sustainable. You will lead on safeguarding, health and safety, quality assurance and continuous improvement, helping us maintain high standards and achieve excellent outcomes for older people.

About You

You will be an experienced senior leader with a background in social care, health or the voluntary sector. You will have a proven track record of managing multiple services through others, balancing strategic leadership with strong operational oversight.

You will be comfortable leading managers and geographically dispersed teams, ensuring consistent standards, strong performance and a positive culture across a complex service portfolio.

You're equally at ease presenting performance reports and strategic proposals to trustees as you are engaging with frontline staff, volunteers and older people using our services.

You'll Bring

· Significant experience of leading multiple frontline services, ideally across different locations or community settings.

· Experience of managing and developing managers, team leaders and remote or dispersed teams.

· A strong understanding of safeguarding, governance, quality assurance, health and safety and risk management.

· Experience of external audits and working within quality frameworks, with a good understanding of regulatory standards continuous improvement.

· Strong operational and contract management skills, including performance monitoring, KPI reporting and service development.

· Excellent leadership and relationship-building skills, with the ability to inspire, support and develop others.

· Strong IT and data literacy, using information and insight to drive decision-making and improve outcomes.

· A collaborative, flexible and values-driven approach to leadership.

Why Work With Us?

- You’ll be part of a visionary, supportive, and diverse organisation committed to making Sheffield a great place to grow older.
- We offer flexible working hours and hybrid working options following a comprehensive induction.
- 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
- Age UK Sheffield is proud to be a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Employer. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ and Black and ethnic minority communities.

Ready to Lead Change?

If you’re excited by the opportunity to shape and deliver outstanding services that make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply by: 9am on Monday 14th September. Interviews will be held during week commencing Monday 21st September

Join us. Lead with heart. Deliver with purpose