Designated Safeguarding Lead

Designated Safeguarding Lead

6 month fixed term contract
£38,000 - £41,000 FTE
Hybrid, required in the Surrey 2-3 days per week

Interviews, asap, starting this month

Charity People are seeking an experienced and confident Designated Safeguarding Lead to join a charity on an interim basis for six months. This is a vital role supporting adults across a wide range of community and specialist services. The postholder will provide expert safeguarding leadership, ensure safe practice, and offer guidance to staff working with vulnerable adults who present with complex needs. This position is required urgently due to the upcoming departure of our current safeguarding lead, so it would be ideal to have a handover period. There is potential for the role to evolve into a broader position as they continue to develop their approach across the organisation.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will act as the first point of escalation for safeguarding concerns and provide clear, timely advice to staff and managers. The role combines day to day operational safeguarding oversight with longer term development of governance, compliance, and safe practice across services in Surrey. You will work closely with frontline teams, service managers, and the Director of Services to support safeguarding decision making, identify risk, and maintain consistent high standards across all services. This is a hands-on role that requires visibility, relationship building, and confidence working within a busy and diverse organisation.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide expert safeguarding advice on cases
• Oversee safeguarding processes, audits, compliance, and record keeping
• Support staff who may have lower confidence in managing safeguarding concerns
• Escalate cases appropriately to external agencies including MASH, Adult Social Care, and other statutory partners
• Attend key safeguarding meetings and represent the service within local networks
• Identify training needs and support the delivery of safeguarding training and refreshers
• Build relationships across all services and attend team meetings and reflective practice sessions
• Contribute to the development of safe practice across the organisation
• Offer resilience, guidance, and emotional support to staff dealing with complex or distressing cases

You will bring substantial safeguarding experience, ideally within adult services, and hold a minimum Level 3 safeguarding qualification. You will be confident in managing complex cases and navigating multi agency processes.

You will be comfortable working in fast paced environments, able to hold a mixture of reactive and proactive responsibilities, and bring resilience, sound judgement, and a calm approach when supporting staff and service managers. Experience in mental health, outreach, domestic abuse, trauma informed practice, criminal justice, or community support services will be an advantage.

You will bring:

• Significant safeguarding experience and confidence working with adults at risk
• Level 3 safeguarding qualification as a minimum (Essential)
• Strong understanding of safeguarding legislation and statutory processes
• Ability to provide clear guidance and hold others to account
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust quickly
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use
• Willingness to work some evenings or occasional weekends where service need requires (TOIL provided)
• Travel across Surrey is (Essential)

Please apply without delay, candidates are being sent on a rolling basis.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.