Deputy Head of Safeguarding

We are looking for a compassionate and experienced safeguarding leader to join our team as Deputy Head of Safeguarding. This is a pivotal role where you will help us to continually strengthen how we protect and support the most vulnerable people in our communities, ensuring they are seen, heard, and at the centre of everything we do.

Working closely with the Head of Safeguarding, you will provide expert guidance, leadership, and support across the organisation, helping to embed a culture of openness, learning, and shared responsibility for safeguarding. You will have the opportunity to lead meaningful improvements, influence practice across a complex system, and work alongside committed colleagues and partners who share your passion for high-quality, person-centred care.

Main duties of the job

Provide leadership and oversight of safeguarding arrangements for children and adults, supporting delivery of the organisation's safeguarding strategy.

Offer expert advice on complex and high-risk safeguarding concerns, using sound judgement and professional resilience.

Lead safeguarding assurance activity, including audits, reporting, and embedding learning from reviews.

Deputise for the Head of Safeguarding and represent the organisation in internal and multi-agency forums.

Lead key workstreams and service improvement initiatives to strengthen safeguarding practice and culture.

Person specification

Skills

Essential

• Highly developed communication skills, ability to convey complex safeguarding information to a wide range of audiences
• Strong report-writing skills, including production of high-quality assurance reports and statutory review documentation
• Ability to use digital systems (e.g. Microsoft 365) to support planning, assurance, audit and reporting

Desirable

• Coaching, mentoring and facilitation skills to support staff development and learning

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant professional qualification and current registration (e.g. nursing, paramedic, social work or equivalent health/care profession)
• Master's degree (or equivalent level of knowledge and experience) in a relevant discipline: equivalents include highly developed specialist knowledge beyond first degree level, extensive senior level experience, demonstrable experience of integration of theory and practical experience.
• Understanding of NHS governance, quality assurance and regulatory frameworks (including CQC and commissioner assurance)
• In depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance for children and adults (e.g. Children Act 1989/2004, Care Act 2014, Working Together,

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience working in safeguarding within a healthcare, social care or multi agency environment
• Experience of providing specialist safeguarding advice to staff and managers at different organisational levels

Desirable

• Experience of research, service evaluation, benchmarking or innovation activity

About the employer

Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust geographically covers nearly 6,000 square miles of varied terrain, from isolated moors and dales to urban areas, coastline and inner cities.We serve a population of over five million people across Yorkshire and the Humber and strive to ensure that patients receive the right response to their care needs as quickly as possible, wherever they live.We employ more than 7,100 staff, who together with over 1,300 volunteers, enable us to provide a vital 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, emergency and healthcare service.Our ambition is to be an employer of choice, and we are continuously working across our partnership to improve our collective offer to staff in areas like health and wellbeing, benefits and flexible working incl. hybrid working.Benefits:o Flexible working including part-time hours, job shares and flexible hours, agile working (role dependant)o 27 days annual leave, increasing to 33 with service.o Contributory Pension.o NHS Discounts including shops, restaurants, gyms etc.o Car lease and other salary sacrifice schemes (salary dependent)o Dedicated employee assistance and counselling service.o Opportunities for research participation, career progression and ongoing development.o Well respected, committed and supported staff networks for our workforce.