At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead safeguarding and compliance efforts to ensure high-quality services for people with learning disabilities.
- Company: Join Mencap, a leading charity dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities.
- Benefits: Enjoy 32 days of paid holiday, discounts, health plans, and more perks.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and opportunities for professional growth await you.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in safeguarding, compliance, and quality within regulated services is essential.
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 (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.
For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!
About Mencap
Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in. At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues. Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere. Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation. Every day we grow and learn. It's okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes. Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves. We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long-term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies. We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We're not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you're applying for.
Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in London employer: Mencap
Mencap is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and development of its employees, offering a supportive work culture where values-led leadership thrives. With a comprehensive benefits package including 32 days of paid holiday, health cash plans, and opportunities for professional growth, Mencap fosters an inclusive environment that empowers staff to make a meaningful impact in the lives of people with learning disabilities across the UK.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the safeguarding and compliance field on LinkedIn or at industry events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Mencap's values and recent initiatives. Show us that you're not just a fit for the role, but also for our culture. Tailor your answers to reflect how your experience aligns with our mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your responses. Focus on articulating your experience in safeguarding and compliance clearly and confidently.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Mencap.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Safeguarding and Compliance in London
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 Safeguarding and Compliance. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:This role is all about leadership, so don’t shy away from sharing examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past. We want to see your ability to influence and inspire others!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make sure your key points stand out. This will help us see your strengths quickly.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it gets to the right people and helps us keep track of all applications efficiently.
How to prepare for a job interview at Mencap
✨Know Your Safeguarding Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your safeguarding knowledge before the interview. Understand the latest regulations and best practices in safeguarding and compliance, as well as Mencap's specific approach. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you're not just familiar with the role but genuinely passionate about it.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of Safeguarding and Compliance, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership abilities. Prepare examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past, particularly in challenging situations. Highlight your experience in developing policies and driving continuous improvement to illustrate your capability to lead effectively.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and judgement. Think about potential non-compliance situations or complaints you might encounter and how you would handle them. This will help you showcase your analytical skills and ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
✨Connect with Mencap's Values
Familiarise yourself with Mencap's values and mission. Be ready to discuss how your personal values align with theirs, especially regarding improving the lives of people with learning disabilities. Showing that you resonate with their vision will set you apart as a candidate who truly cares about the role.
