Trust Safeguarding Lead in Chelmsford

Trust Safeguarding Lead Salary: £45,091 - £48,226 (Scale 10) Contract: Full Time, 37 hours per week, Full Year Location: CLP Offices, Chelmsford, with regular travel across Trust academies Reporting to: Director of Standards & School Improvement Start Date: ASAP Closing Date: Friday 14th August 2026 , 12 noonLead Safeguarding. Shape Culture. Change Lives.

The Chelmsford Learning Partnership (CLP) is a successful and ambitious multi-academy trust serving communities across Essex. United by our belief that we are stronger together, we work collaboratively to provide exceptional educational opportunities while ensuring every child is safe, supported and able to thrive.

We are seeking an outstanding Trust Safeguarding Lead to provide strategic leadership, expert guidance and operational oversight of safeguarding across our family of schools. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced safeguarding professional to influence practice at Trust level, working alongside Headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), senior leaders and external agencies to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding and child protection are embedded across all academies.

• Leading and shaping the Trust-wide safeguarding strategy and agenda.
• Providing expert advice, guidance and professional challenge to DSLs and safeguarding teams across all academies.
• Ensuring compliance with statutory safeguarding requirements, including Keeping Children Safe in Education and Ofsted expectations.
• Leading the Trust's response to changes in safeguarding legislation, policy and guidance.
• Delivering high-quality safeguarding training and professional development.
• Analysing safeguarding data, trends and vulnerability indicators to identify emerging risks and drive improvement.
• Leading Trust-wide safeguarding audits, quality assurance activities and reviews.
• Supporting Headteachers with complex safeguarding matters, including low-level concerns and LADO referrals.
• Managing and developing safeguarding systems and processes across the Trust.
• Building effective partnerships with local authorities, safeguarding partnerships, health services and other external agencies.
• Supporting schools before and during Ofsted inspections.
• Chairing and developing the Trust Safeguarding Group to share best practice and improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

About You

You will be a highly credible safeguarding professional with substantial experience of safeguarding and child protection practice involving children and young people. You will bring:

• Significant safeguarding experience within education or a related sector.
• A thorough understanding of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice.
• Experience of supporting vulnerable children, young people and families with complex needs.
• Excellent communication, leadership and influencing skills.
• Experience of delivering training and supporting professional development.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence in using data to drive improvement.
• Experience of working effectively with multi‑agency partners.
• The ability to work strategically whilst responding confidently to operational safeguarding matters.
• A commitment to achieving the very best outcomes for children and young people.

Experience of leading safeguarding improvement across multiple settings will be highly advantageous.

Why Join CLP?

• Make a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of children and young people.
• Influence safeguarding practice across a growing and successful Trust.
• Work alongside dedicated school and Trust leaders committed to excellence.
• Shape strategy, drive improvement and champion best practice.
• Be part of a collaborative organisation that values professional development, wellbeing and innovation.

Please note: Whilst there is a published closing date for this vacancy, we reserve the right to close the advert early should sufficient applications be received. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.

The Chelmsford Learning Partnership is committed within its schools to:

• Safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety, and the spiritual and cultural development of children and young people;
• Promoting equality of opportunity and community cohesion where the diversity of different backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and positively valued;
• The fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs

As an equal opportunities employer, The Chelmsford Learning Partnership is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join The Chelmsford Learning Partnership.

In compliance with safer recruitment procedures and guidelines, all applications must be made on an application form, CVs will not be accepted. This appointment will be subject to pre‑employment checks including an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and satisfactory references. In line with recommended practice the school will conduct searches for information on shortlisted candidates which is publicly available online.