At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead safeguarding and compliance across services, ensuring high-quality support for individuals with learning disabilities.
- Company: Mencap, a leading charity dedicated to supporting people with learning disabilities.
- Benefits: 32 days paid holiday, flexible working, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Opportunity for professional growth and collaboration across teams.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while shaping best practices in safeguarding and compliance.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership experience in safeguarding, compliance, and quality within regulated services.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
About the role
We are looking for an experienced and credible Head of Safeguarding and Compliance to lead on safeguarding, regulatory compliance and complaints across Mencap's services. This is a pivotal leadership role with organisation-wide responsibility for ensuring our services operate in line with regulatory requirements, safeguarding standards and best practice. As Mencap's Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will provide expert guidance, strengthen systems and processes, and help ensure the people we support and their families receive high-quality, safe and responsive services. You will also oversee the complaints function, using insight and learning to drive service improvement, and will deputise for the Executive Director of Quality where required. This role is a full-time, fixed term role for 9 months. We are flexible with regards to your location, but you may need to travel to various locations across England, Wales, and NI as and when needed.
What you'll do
- Safeguarding and regulatory compliance
- Lead Mencap's approach to safeguarding and regulatory compliance across services.
- Identify, escalate and address areas of potential non-compliance, recommending actions to reduce risk and prevent recurrence.
- Act as the organisation's Designated Safeguarding Lead and provide expert advice on safeguarding matters.
- Ensure incidents are reported accurately and on time to relevant regulatory bodies.
- Oversee the collection, analysis and use of safeguarding and regulatory performance data to support decision-making and risk management.
- Contribute to organisational leadership by advising on safeguarding, quality and compliance matters.
- Complaints and service improvement
- Oversee Mencap's complaints and feedback processes to ensure a high-quality experience for people we support and their families.
- Act as the organisation's external contact for the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
- Promote compassionate, timely and effective handling of complaints.
- Use feedback, complaints and insight to support learning, continuous improvement and better outcomes.
- Risk and assurance
- Lead risk management activity within the Quality Directorate, working in partnership with the Director of Quality.
- Assess risks relating to non-compliance and work with colleagues to develop and implement improvement plans.
- Ensure high-quality reporting and management information is available to provide assurance to senior leaders and the Board.
About you
You will be a strong and values-led leader with significant experience in safeguarding, compliance and quality within regulated services. You will bring sound judgement, strong analytical skills and the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation. You will also have:
- Extensive knowledge of social care legislation and regulatory frameworks.
- Expert knowledge of safeguarding practice and experience acting as a subject matter expert.
- Knowledge of legislation and regulatory frameworks relevant to further education.
- Strong understanding of regulatory and contractual requirements for services supporting people with a learning disability.
- Experience of leading and developing teams.
- Experience of developing policies and procedures that support best practice.
- Strong experience of working with people with a learning disability.
- The ability to interpret complex data and use it to inform risk management and decision-making.
- Excellent communication, planning and organisational skills.
- Experience of driving continuous improvement and implementing change.
Leadership and values
At Mencap, our leaders champion Our Leadership Way and role model our values in everything they do. In this role, you will be expected to lead with professionalism, positivity and purpose, supporting your team to perform at their best and engage fully in development opportunities, including appraisal and talent programmes. We are looking for someone who is passionate about improving the lives of people with a learning disability, who understands the wider context in which we work, and who can build strong collaboration across teams and functions to deliver joined-up, high-quality support.
Additional requirements
- Flexibility to meet the needs of the role, including evening work and regular overnight stays away from home.
- Ability to travel across the UK as required.
Applications close on 07 June 2026.
Here at Mencap we operate a blinded recruitment process for a lot of our roles, please ensure you apply with a full application and covering statement.
Benefits
Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated. Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday.
Locations
Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in Hampshire, Portsmouth employer: Mencap
Mencap is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and professional growth of its employees, particularly in the vital role of Head of Safeguarding and Compliance. With a strong commitment to safeguarding standards and regulatory compliance, Mencap fosters a collaborative work culture where leaders are encouraged to champion values and support their teams. Employees benefit from a generous holiday allowance, flexible working arrangements, and opportunities for continuous development, making it a rewarding place to contribute to meaningful change in the lives of people with learning disabilities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in Hampshire, Portsmouth
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the safeguarding and compliance field. Attend relevant events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Mencap’s values and recent initiatives. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their mission. We want to see your passion for improving lives shine through!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors. Focus on articulating your safeguarding expertise and how you’ve driven compliance improvements in past roles. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Mencap. Let’s get you that interview!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in Hampshire, Portsmouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight your experience in safeguarding and compliance. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what Mencap is looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As this role is all about leading teams and driving improvements, don’t forget to share examples of how you've successfully led projects or initiatives in the past. We want to see your leadership style in action!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your covering statement, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key points stand out without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way to ensure we receive all your details correctly and can process your application smoothly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Mencap
✨Know Your Safeguarding Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of safeguarding practices and regulatory compliance. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience where you've successfully implemented these standards, as this will show your credibility in the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to talk about your leadership style and how you've developed teams in the past. Think of instances where you've influenced change or improved processes, especially in a safeguarding context, as this will highlight your ability to lead effectively.
✨Data is Key
Familiarise yourself with how to interpret and use data for decision-making. Be prepared to discuss how you've used performance data in previous roles to drive service improvements and manage risks, as this aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of the position.
✨Communicate with Compassion
Since you'll be overseeing complaints and feedback processes, practice articulating how you would handle sensitive situations with empathy. Share examples of how you've turned feedback into actionable insights, demonstrating your commitment to high-quality support for individuals with learning disabilities.
