At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead safeguarding and compliance efforts, ensuring high-quality services for people with learning disabilities.
- Company: Join Mencap, a leading charity dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities.
- Benefits: 32 days paid holiday, discounts, health cash plans, and more perks.
- Other info: Flexible location with travel across the UK; full-time, fixed term for 9 months.
- 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 required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
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
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.
Head of Safeguarding and Compliance employer: Royal Mencap Society
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 and regulatory compliance, Mencap fosters a collaborative work culture where leaders are encouraged to champion values that enhance the lives of individuals with learning disabilities. Employees benefit from a generous holiday allowance, access to health cash plans, and various perks, all while working in a flexible environment that supports personal and professional development across locations in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Safeguarding and Compliance
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the safeguarding and compliance field, especially those connected to Mencap. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practices. We want to see your passion for improving lives, so think about how you can showcase your experience and ideas during the conversation.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression. It shows you’re genuinely interested in the role and appreciate the opportunity to chat with the team.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about Mencap and what we stand for before you even step into the interview room.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Safeguarding and Compliance
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in safeguarding and compliance. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a pivotal leader, it’s essential to demonstrate your leadership style and how you’ve successfully led teams in the past. Share specific examples of how you've influenced change and improved services in your previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications at a glance.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our organisation there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal Mencap Society
✨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 led safeguarding initiatives or improved compliance within a service.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role is all about leadership, so prepare to talk about how you've developed teams and driven continuous improvement. Think of instances where you've influenced change and how you can apply that to Mencap's mission.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations related to safeguarding and complaints handling. Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making skills in these scenarios to demonstrate your expertise.
✨Understand Mencap’s Values
Familiarise yourself with Mencap’s values and leadership approach. Be ready to explain how your personal values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their mission of improving the lives of people with learning disabilities.
