Education Safeguarding Lead

Gloucestershire County Council; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking an experienced safeguarding leader to head the Education Safeguarding Team. You will provide strategic leadership, professional oversight and operational assurance across schools, academies, and early years settings.

You will influence senior partners, manage the team, lead safeguarding responses to high-risk concerns, and contribute to multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and inspections.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience of education safeguarding and understanding of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and the education system.
• Experience in a Designated Safeguarding Lead role or equivalent with schools, vulnerable children and families.

Responsibilities

• Lead Gloucestershire Education Safeguarding Team and oversee safeguarding in education settings.
• Oversee investigations and improvement activity across education settings; ensure timely, robust outcomes.
• Lead in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, statutory reviews and inspections.
• Produce clear reports, deliver training and represent the council at strategic boards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Organisational skills

Training delivery

Report writing

Strategic collaboration

Education

Degree level

Qualification in education/safeguarding/social care/youth work/teaching

Job description

Are you an experienced safeguarding leader who can bring education partners together to protect children and drive lasting improvement? About the Team & Role We are looking for an experienced safeguarding professional to lead Gloucestershire County Council's Education Safeguarding Team. This influential role provides strategic leadership, professional oversight and operational assurance across schools, academies, early years settings and alternative provision. You will lead the education directorates response to complex and high-risk safeguarding concerns involving education settings, ensuring investigations and improvement activity are robust, timely and effective. You will use audit, performance information and learning from reviews to strengthen practice across the education system. Working closely with education leaders, Children's Social Care and safeguarding partners, you will lead education's contribution to multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, statutory reviews and inspections. You will also manage and develop the Education Safeguarding Team and oversee safeguarding arrangements for children in entertainment and employment.

You will have substantial experience of education safeguarding and a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and the education system. You will have undertaken a Designated Safeguarding Lead role in an appropriate setting or have extensive relevant experience of working with schools, vulnerable children and families. You will be an accomplished manager who can lead people, services and change, exercise sound professional judgement and provide authoritative advice in complex situations. You will be able to influence senior partners, constructively challenge practice and build effective relationships across organisational boundaries. Excellent communication, analytical and organisational skills are essential, together with the ability to produce clear reports, deliver training and represent the council confidently at strategic boards, statutory reviews and inspections. You will be educated to degree level and hold a relevant qualification in education, safeguarding, social care, youth work or teaching., It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a 'customer facing role' must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English. We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire's diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.

At Gloucestershire County Council, we are committed to making a positive difference for children, young people and families. You will join a supportive service that values collaboration, professional curiosity, continuous improvement and the voice and lived experience of children. In return, we offer:

• Flexible and agile working opportunities, where service needs allow
• Annual leave entitlement in accordance with council terms and conditions
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• A supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, providing free and confidential support 24 hours a day
• Cycle to Work and Green Car Salary Sacrifice schemes, subject to eligibility and terms and conditions
• Access to employee networks