Education Safeguarding Lead

Gloucestershire County Council; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Gloucestershire County Council invites an experienced safeguarding leader to head the Education Safeguarding Team, uniting schools, academies and early years settings to protect children and drive improvement.

You will provide strategic leadership, professional oversight and operational assurance across education settings, lead multi‑agency safeguarding arrangements, and develop the team while ensuring robust investigations and sustained practice improvements.

Qualifications

• Substantial leadership and management experience in safeguarding
• Strong communication and analytical skills for reporting and training
• Experience with safeguarding legislation and multi‑agency working

Responsibilities

• Lead Gloucestershire County Council's Education Safeguarding Team and set strategic direction
• Oversee safeguarding across schools, academies, early years and alternative provision
• Drive improvement through audits, performance data and reviews, and represent the council at strategic boards

Education

Degree level education

Job description

Are you an experienced safeguarding leader who can bring education partners together to protect children and drive lasting improvement?, 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.

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

The role will involve travel across Gloucestershire and may occasionally require work outside normal office hours.