Head of Education Safeguarding

Head of Education Safeguarding

Permanent

Grade 7 - £66,627 - £85,845

Working 36.5 hours per week

Are you a strategic safeguarding leader committed to ensuring children in education are safe, protected and able to thrive? Birmingham City Council is seeking an exceptional professional to lead our Education Safeguarding Service at a time of significant improvement, opportunity, and transformation.

In this pivotal role, you will act as the Council’s champion for safeguarding within education, ensuring that strong, effective arrangements are in place to protect all children and young people across Birmingham’s schools, settings, and wider learning environments. This is an opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of children and young people across Birmingham.

• Champion safeguarding across the system, setting high expectations for all children in Birmingham.
• Lead statutory and strategic safeguarding functions on behalf of the Local Authority, ensuring full compliance with legislation including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• Support schools and settings to safeguard and protect the welfare of children.
• Contribute expert knowledge to safeguarding practice for key groups of vulnerable children.
• Shape and deliver the vision, strategy, and business plans for the Education Safeguarding Service, engaging staff, schools, partners, and stakeholders to ensure a consistent, high‑quality safeguarding response.
• Develop and maintain strong systems, policies, procedures, and management information to support continuous improvement and excellent service delivery.
• Provide professional expertise, advice, and guidance to schools, leaders, and multi‑agency partners across Birmingham.
• Lead, motivate, and support staff within the Education Safeguarding Service to achieve strong performance, positive culture, and high standards.

• A degree or equivalent professional qualification in education, social care, or a related field.
• Significant leadership experience in safeguarding within education, social care, or local government.
• Deep knowledge of statutory safeguarding duties, child protection processes, and multi‑agency working within an education environment.
• Strong relationship‑building skills, with the ability to influence partners, provide constructive challenge, and promote a culture of safety and learning.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusive practice in all aspects of safeguarding.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Birmingham City Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.