Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – Operational

Rochdale Council; Rochdale; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Recruitment/retention payment

Job summary

Kingsway Park High School in Rochdale is seeking a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – Operational to lead day-to-day safeguarding and child protection across the school. This senior operational role works with the Senior DSL, manages complex referrals, assesses risk, supports colleagues, and provides professional supervision to the safeguarding team.

The successful candidate will have substantial safeguarding experience, multi-agency collaboration skills and sound judgement to operate

Qualifications

• Substantial and recent safeguarding and child protection experience.
• Strong knowledge of current safeguarding practice.
• Experience with multi-agency working.
• Ability to challenge and escalate concerns appropriately.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage operational safeguarding and referrals.
• Assess risk and provide safeguarding advice to colleagues.
• Line manage Deputy DSL, Safeguarding Officer and Family Support Worker.
• Collaborate with external agencies and families.

Skills

Safeguarding experience

Multi-agency working

Professional judgement

Line management

Risk assessment

Job description

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – Operational

Salary: SSP34–37 | £46,579–£49,817 FTE | £43,336–£46,349 actual

Contract: Permanent | 37 hours | TTO + 3 weeks

Start date: November 2026

A recruitment and retention payment may be available for an exceptional candidate, subject to relevant approvals and terms.

Kingsway Park High School is seeking to appoint an accomplished and experienced safeguarding professional to take a key role in the operational leadership and day-to-day delivery of safeguarding and child protection across our school.

This is a senior operational safeguarding role and does not form part of the school's Senior Leadership Team. Working closely with our Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead, who sits on SLT and retains strategic oversight of safeguarding, you will have significant responsibility and professional autonomy for operational safeguarding practice.

You will manage complex safeguarding cases and referrals, assess risk, work confidently with children, families and external agencies, and provide authoritative safeguarding advice to colleagues. You will also lead and support our wider safeguarding team, providing line management and professional supervision to the Deputy DSL, Safeguarding Officer and Family Support Worker.

We are looking for someone with substantial and recent safeguarding and child protection experience who can demonstrate sound professional judgement, resilience and confidence in managing complex and sensitive situations. You will have strong knowledge of current safeguarding practice, significant experience of multi-agency working and the ability to appropriately challenge and escalating concerns.

You may already be working as a DSL or Deputy DSL, or hold a senior safeguarding role within education, children's services or another relevant setting. Previous school-based safeguarding experience would be advantageous but is not essential; what is essential is the depth of safeguarding expertise required to operate confidently at this level.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced safeguarding practitioner ready to take greater operational leadership responsibility within an established safeguarding structure. We recognise the importance of attracting an exceptional professional to this key role and a recruitment and retention payment may be available for an exceptional candidate, subject to relevant approvals and terms.

Kingsway Park High School is a vibrant, inclusive and diverse secondary school of approximately 1,350 students. We are committed to ensuring every child feels safe, supported and able to succeed.

If you have the experience, judgement and professional confidence to lead complex operational safeguarding practice, we would welcome your application.

For full details of the role and person specification, please refer to the accompanying application pack.

Closing date: Monday 12th October 2026

Interviews: Thursday 15th October 2026

Altus Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. This position is subject to an Enhanced DBS check. In accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education, online searches will be carried out on shortlisted candidates and references will be sought in line with Trust recruitment procedures.

Applicants are informed that if appointed to this post their contract of employment will be with the school governing board who is the employer, and not Rochdale Council.