Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead adult safeguarding initiatives and ensure compliance with legislation and best practices.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to safeguarding adults in the community.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in adult safeguarding while leading innovative change.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with senior safeguarding leadership experience.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on equity, inclusion, and partnership working.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Rate: £600 per day (PAYE)
Contract Length: Initial 3-month contract, with the option to extend
Working Pattern: Hybrid – 1–2 days per week onsite (Woodhatch), with flexibility
Location: Surrey (Hybrid)
Role Purpose
The Head of Adult Safeguarding is a senior strategic leadership role within Adult Social Care, acting as the lead expert for adult safeguarding. The postholder will provide authoritative advice, professional leadership, and innovative solutions to ensure safeguarding services are developed and delivered in line with statutory requirements, best practice, and current national guidance. This role has a strong external-facing focus, requiring excellent relationship-building skills and effective partnership working across health, police, and other statutory and voluntary agencies.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the strategic and professional lead for Adult Safeguarding, ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation, regulation, and statutory guidance.
- Provide expert advice and assurance on safeguarding practice, policy, and governance across Adult Social Care.
- Lead and oversee safeguarding performance, ensuring outcomes are benchmarked positively against local, regional, and national comparators.
- Identify areas of weak practice and develop improvement strategies to enhance safeguarding quality and effectiveness.
- Lead the quality assurance framework for adult social care providers, working jointly with health partners to ensure high-quality, safe services.
- Attend and contribute to the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB), including chairing sub-groups and supporting delivery of the strategic plan.
- Ensure strong links and effective communication with children’s safeguarding arrangements to support joined-up practice.
- Lead safeguarding risk registers, escalation protocols, and serious incident responses, including on-call availability if required.
- Drive innovation through co-production with people with lived experience.
- Lead integration initiatives and place-based safeguarding models with partner agencies.
- Embed learning from safeguarding activity into commissioning, contract monitoring, and workforce development.
- Champion equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive safeguarding practice, particularly for underrepresented groups.
- Develop leadership capability and professional standards within the safeguarding workforce.
- Provide safeguarding training and presentations to internal staff and partner organisations.
- Contribute to transformational change programmes and new ways of working.
Management & Resources
- Line management responsibility for up to 10 direct reports and overall responsibility for teams of up to 40 staff.
- Responsibility for a staffing budget of up to £1 million.
- Provide professional leadership, coaching, and development to senior managers and practitioners.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential:
- Qualified Social Worker with current or previous professional registration.
- Previous experience as a Head of Safeguarding (or equivalent senior safeguarding leadership role).
- Extensive senior management experience within adult safeguarding or adult social care.
- Authoritative knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice.
- Strong safeguarding expertise with a proven ability to manage risk and complex decision-making.
- Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and influencing skills, with a strong external-facing focus.
- Demonstrable experience of partnership working across multiple agencies.
- Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop large, complex teams.
- Experience of managing significant budgets and resources.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presentations.
Desirable:
- Experience leading service transformation or system-wide change.
- Knowledge of quality assurance frameworks and regulatory environments.
- Experience embedding learning into commissioning and contract management.
- Aware of emerging safeguarding challenges, including digital and data-driven practice.
Additional Information
This is an initial 3-month contract, with the option to extend. The role is hybrid, requiring 1–2 days per week onsite in Woodhatch, with flexibility. The role requires availability for on-call support in the event of serious incidents. A strong commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and safeguarding values is essential.
Role Summary
This role is suited to a highly experienced safeguarding leader who can operate strategically while maintaining a strong grip on practice quality and outcomes. The Head of Adult Safeguarding will play a critical role in ensuring safeguarding remains central to adult social care practice, driving improvement, innovation, and effective partnership working.
Head of Social Services in Reigate employer: Cipher7
Contact Detail:
Cipher7 Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Social Services in Reigate
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can’t.
✨Showcase Your Expertise
When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience and knowledge in adult safeguarding. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or improved practices – it’ll show you’re the real deal!
✨Prepare for Interviews
Do your homework before interviews! Understand the organisation’s values and current challenges in adult safeguarding. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest and expertise – it’ll set you apart from the competition.
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Social Services in Reigate
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Head of Adult Safeguarding. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this is a senior role, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past, especially in safeguarding or social care settings.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key. Avoid jargon and keep your sentences straightforward. We want to see your communication skills shine through, so make every word count!
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it makes the process smoother for everyone involved.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cipher7
✨Know Your Safeguarding Legislation
Make sure you brush up on the latest safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you're not just familiar with the rules, but that you can apply them strategically in your role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams and managed complex situations in the past. Highlight your experience in motivating large teams and driving service transformation, as this is crucial for the Head of Adult Safeguarding role.
✨Build Relationships Before the Interview
Since this role requires excellent relationship-building skills, try to connect with current or former employees of the organisation before your interview. This can give you insights into their culture and help you tailor your responses.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your decision-making and risk management abilities. Think of specific scenarios where you've had to make tough calls or implement improvement strategies, and be ready to discuss the outcomes.
