Lead Safeguarding Officer

Manchester Enterprise Academy; Manchester; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Pension scheme

Bike scheme

Employee assistance program

Flexible working

Job summary

Manchester Enterprise Academy is seeking a Lead Safeguarding Officer to lead the safeguarding provision and the safeguarding team within the school. The role ensures statutory procedures are implemented across the academy to safeguard all students and coordinate multi‑agency safeguarding efforts.

You will oversee Looked After Children, vulnerable students, and those at risk, building strong relationships with parents, staff and external partners to deliver effective safeguarding outcomes.

Qualifications

• Excellent numeracy and literacy skills.
• Experience and understanding of current safeguarding legislation, policy and guidance.
• Experience working with multi‑agency colleagues on sensitive matters.
• Ability to work independently and manage a large workload with a caseload.
• Commitment to professional standards, equality, diversity and child protection.
• Resilience and ability to handle difficult situations calmly and effectively.
• Strong communication with students, parents, staff and external agencies.

Responsibilities

• Lead monitoring and evaluation of children at risk from harm and liaise with social services as needed.
• Advise and support staff in child protection disclosures and work with pastoral teams.
• Ensure strategic processes to overcome barriers to learning for vulnerable and looked after children.
• Coordinate safeguarding provision and Looked After Children support within school.
• Lead caseload management for children on Child Protection Plans and ensure PEPs are completed on time.
• Represent the school at Child Protection and Looked After Children meetings.
• Develop and teach the Penn Resilience programme in school.
• Produce analysis and reports on Looked After Children and other vulnerable students as required.

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: Full Time, 35 hours per week
Number of Positions: 1
Qualifications Required: Excellent numeracy and literacy skills, and relevant qualifications
Start Date: 5th January 2027
Salary: £38,510 – £42,123 per annum

We currently have an exciting opportunity for Lead Safeguarding Officer within our team at Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA)

This is a Grade 7, permanent full-time role working 35 hours per week, term time only plus 5 INSET days + 2 weeks. The starting salary is £34.882 and the full time equivalent is £38,510. This role is expected to start in January 2027.

Main purpose of the job:

You will lead the development and delivery of the schools safeguarding provision ensuring statutory and local authority procedures are effectively implemented across the school to ensure the safety and well-being of all students alongside managing the safeguarding team.

Key Responsibilities:

• To take a lead role in managing the monitoring and evaluation of children at risk from harm. To ensure information is shared with multi agencies and or a referral is made to social services for a child in need of protection
• To advise and support all staff in the event of a child protection disclosure. To work closely with the pastoral team in identifying, monitoring and supporting a child at risk and looked after children, to monitor their academic progress, emotional and social behaviour
• To ensure strategic processes are compiled with in order to overcome barriers to learning for vulnerable and looked after children
• Liaise with parents/carers and staff in the event of a disclosure or a raised child protection concern following the Common Assessment Framework
• To take a lead role in coordinating the provision of support in school for Looked After Children, vulnerable students and children at risk of harm/in need of child protection
• To take a lead role in managing and monitoring the caseloads of children placed on a Child Protection Plan
• To take the lead in ensuing Personal Education Plans for Looked After Children are completed within the agreed timescale
• To convene, lead and represent the school at Child Protection meetings and Looked After Children meetings within agreed timescales
• To develop, implement and teach the Penn Resilience programme in school
• To ensure information and data is reviewed, updated and compiled to produce analysis and reports on Looked After Children, vulnerable students, children at risk and/or on a child protection plan as required

What you will bring:

• Excellent numeracy and literacy skills and a relevant qualification / evidence of training skills.
• Experience knowledge and understanding of current relevant legislation, policy and guidance relating to Child Protection, Safeguarding, Common Assessment Framework, Children's Acts etc.
• Experience working openly and collaboratively with multi-agency colleagues regarding highly sensitive and confidential situations
• Ability to work independently, manage a range of tasks with a methodical approach to large workloads to meet deadlines and effectively manage a complex caseload
• Demonstrate a commitment to appropriate professional standards, including core policies relating to equality and diversity and child protection
• Resilience and persistence with the ability to deal with difficult situations and/or individuals in a calm, fair but effective manner
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships that generate confidence and respect with a variety of individuals - from students and parents to colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Effective and persuasive communicator both verbally and in writing, with the ability to produce accurate, good quality letters, reports and documentation for governors the Local Authority and other agencies

All school staff are expected to share Prospere Learning Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Specific safeguarding responsibilities are detailed in the attached job description.

We're looking for an exceptional individual who can lead our Safeguarding team within school.

The successful candidate will lead our highly effective safeguarding provision within school, promoting the well-being of student's across the school and ensuring our most vulnerable students and supported effectively.

Working for Prospere Learning Trust

Great schools thrive because of the great people in them. We invest in our staff to achieve their full potential and offer a range of benefits including.

• High quality CPD for all roles
• Bupa Level 1 Health Plan - annual cash back allowance for a range of every day health care expenses
• Generous Pension Contribution - over 26% for teachers and 15% for support staff
• Good holidays – teachers as per School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document; non-teachers receive 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days with 5 years' service
• Cyclescheme - save up to 39% on a bike and accessories and get Strava for free
• Employee Assistance Programmes - including access to free counselling and 24/7 helplines
• Credit Union - regular savings, Christmas saving scheme and access to affordable loans
• Flexible working options - we're happy to talk flexible working where possible
• Mental Health First Aid in every school
• Blue Light Card - discounts on holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more
• bYond cashback card - spend smarter with a prepaid cashback card for your everyday purchases

Visit our website to learn more about our Trust: prosperere.org.uk

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city. You’ll help improve lives and support our local communities. Working together, we can create better public services for everyone.

Benefits we offer:

• Up to 26 days’ annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years’ service
• Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
• Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• A defined benefit pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts and perks

Learn more at Careers - Manchester City Council

This post will be subject to enhanced DBS checks, satisfactory references and will be exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here

This post is also subject to satisfactory references, proof of right to work in the UK in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 and other pre-employment checks where applicable.

We strive to create a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve. We positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.