Job summary
- Main area
- Safeguarding
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 285-6291-CORP
- Employer
- Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Wolverhampton Civic Centre
- Town
- Wolverhampton
- Salary
- £66,582 - £77,368 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 26/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head of Safeguarding
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is growing and changing. We provide specialist mental health, learning disability and community services across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and we’re hiring people who want to shape what comes next.
Formed on 1 April 2020 through the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, we’re now focused on the future with a new Trust Strategy and our Best for the Black Country programme.
What we do
· Adult and older adult mental health
· Children and young people’s mental health
· Specialist learning disability services
· Community healthcare for children, young people and families in Dudley
Why join now
· We’ve got real momentum right now. New strategy, clear priorities and our Best for the Black Country work mean things are moving in the right way, fast.
· Our values aren’t just posters. People are genuinely compassionate, take responsibility, treat you with respect and help you feel confident and empowered.
· You’ll be looked after. Flexible working, family-friendly policies, supportive teams, proper wellbeing support and chances to learn with coaching and development.
· There’s room to grow. Loads of services to explore and real space to try ideas and be heard.
· It’s a good place to live. Friendly diverse communities, easy transport, good schools and colleges, shopping, food, lots to do, plenty of green space and a lower cost of living than many other city regions.
What it’s like to work here
You’ll join friendly, skilled teams who look out for each other. We plan together, share caseload pressures, and celebrate wins. New starters get a warm welcome and clear induction; early careers colleagues have preceptorship and buddying; experienced staff can lead, teach and innovate. You’ll have space to do good work, speak up, and see the difference you make.
Who we are
We’re 4,000+ colleagues from many backgrounds, committed to improving health and wellbeing for our communities and for each other. If you’re excited about the role but don’t tick every box, please apply. We value potential and transferable experience.
Job overview
1. We especially encourage applications from among professionals with background in adults safeguarding and from among social workers and allied health professionals, to diversify the skill mix in the team.
2. We aim to recruit applicants with background and significant experience in the field of mental health and learning disability field (MH/LD social worker / AHP / nurse).
3. We encourage applicants with strong background in operational line management, especially within the safeguarding teams / mental health / learning disability services in Local Authorities or managing safeguarding teams within other NHS trusts.
This role supports the Associate Director of Safeguarding and Legal Affairs in delivering high quality safeguarding assurance across the organisation, in line with local and national legislation and guidance.
Working across both child and adult safeguarding, the post holder will collaborate with internal and external partners to promote safe, effective practice. We welcome applicants who are developing their safeguarding expertise and will provide support to build skills and confidence in specialist areas.
The post holder will act as deputy to the Associate Director of Safeguarding and Legal Affairs when required, provide line management to the Named Professionals and overall operational management of both the Corporate Safeguarding Service and MASH function.
Main duties of the job
All details are included in the attached job description and personal specification. Should you have any queries reach out to the recruiter.
Working for our organisation
As a trust we are committed to ensuring staffs wellbeing, providing access to various networks, trust wide mindfulness groups, self-referral physio services, staff counselling. In addition to this you will have access to the Vivup services, Car lease schemes and other benefits.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
All details are included in the attached job description and personal specification. Should you have any queries reach out to the recruiter.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
- Registration with Social Work England, HCPC or NMC
- Minimum 5 years post qualification experience within the mental health services
- Recent (within last 2 years) experience of practice in adult mental health as mental health social worker / OT / nurse
- Extensive (minimum 3 years) experience of line management of team, including sickness management, performance management, etc., within mental health services
- Experience of leading service change and implementing management of change process.
- Experience of developing and managing quality improvement projects and utilising relevant QI methodology.
- Experience of effectively managing budgets and clear understanding of budget management and the delivery of high quality, value for money services.
- Experience of working within an integrated/ multi disciplinary service setting
- Experience of supporting and developing service user and carer involvement and co production.
- Excellent knowledge of legislation relating to safeguarding and relevant mental health legislation, and evidence of experience working with these.
- Excellent knowledge of contemporary safeguarding issues and practice across adults and children
- Excellent knowledge of legal and best practice framework related to sexual safety in the work place.
- Excellent knowledge of legal and best practice framework related to support for staff experiencing domestic abuse.
- Excellent knowledge of legal and best practice framework related to carers of patients in the context of mental health services.
- Project management skills
- Ability to prepare and present written briefings to senior leadership
- Ability to communicate effectively and build good relationships with multi-professional groups and multi-agencies
- Able to demonstrate a track record of applying strong analytical skills and laterally thinking to develop creative and innovative service solutions.
- Ability to apply findings from research evidence and best practice.
- Ability to deliver service outcomes to agreed standards by timely and accurate recording of performance data
- Ability to analyse and resolve complex issues, including conflict resolution
- Excellent presentation and communication skills – verbal and written
- Knowledge and experience of risk management processes
- Ability to translate strategy into operational practice to benefit patients and service users
- Ability to manage and direct service delivery initiatives and projects from within budget and set timescales.
- Able to demonstrate an ability to set standards for staff including clear expectations around timescales.
- Ability to acquire new skills and demonstrate a strong commitment to learning/continuous professional development for self and others
- Ability to motivate and empower staff to build an effective service and develop good relationships, trust, good morale and teamwork.
- Ability to attract, develop and retain a highly motivated and professional workforce and to deal swiftly and competently with any performance issues or unprofessional conduct.
Desirable criteria
- Masters level qualification in safeguarding
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jacek Borek
- Job title
- Associate Director of Safeguarding & Legal Affairs
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07780726766
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