Senior Safeguarding Lead - Child Protection & Case Mgmt

VIS Vienna International School; Wien; On-site; EUR 52,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

4 school holidays

5% pension contribution

Professional development

State-of-the-art campus facilities

Job summary

Vienna International School seeks an experienced safeguarding leader to oversee school-wide safeguarding and child protection policies and culture in Vienna. The role requires 8+ years in child protection, strong leadership, and the ability to collaborate with authorities and staff.

You will coordinate case management, advise senior leadership, and drive safer recruitment and training initiatives to protect students and adults alike.

Qualifications

• Degree in social work, psychology, child protection, safeguarding, child development, youth welfare, counselling, public health, or a related field with relevant safeguarding and case management training.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in child protection, safeguarding, social services, youth welfare, or school wellbeing, including complex case management and safeguarding leadership.
• Strong understanding of child protection, safeguarding, trauma, abuse, online harm, safer recruitment, data protection, and Austrian child and youth welfare pathways.
• Excellent English and basic German, with ability to communicate with Austrian authorities and understand official documentation.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Safeguarding Leadership: Lead and continuously strengthen the school-wide safeguarding and child protection framework, policies, procedures, and culture.
• Safeguarding Coordination & Case Management: Act as the senior point of coordination and escalation, ensuring concerns are appropriately assessed, documented, referred, and followed up in a timely, child-centered manner.
• Leadership Advice & Governance: Advise school leadership, counsellors, HR, and relevant staff on safeguarding thresholds, actions, allegations, and governance reporting while maintaining confidentiality.
• Training, Prevention & Safer Recruitment: Build safeguarding capacity through staff training, practical guidance, safer recruitment, induction, codes of conduct, and effective management of concerns involving adults.
• External Partnerships & Records Management: Maintain strong relationships with Austrian child and youth welfare services, authorities, and specialist providers, while ensuring secure, accurate, and compliant safeguarding records.

Skills

Leadership

Case management

Communication

Data protection

Education

Degree in social work or related field

Job description

Vienna International School seeks an experienced safeguarding leader to oversee school-wide safeguarding and child protection policies and culture in Vienna. The role requires 8+ years in child protection, strong leadership, and the ability to collaborate with authorities and staff.

You will coordinate case management, advise senior leadership, and drive safer recruitment and training initiatives to protect students and adults alike.