Head of Adult Safeguarding

Head of Service – Adult Safeguarding
South East UK
£600 per day
Inside IR35
3-month contract initially, likely to extend
Hybrid working – 1 day per week on site (flexible)
Start ASAP

We’re working in partnership with a forward-thinking Local Authority to recruit a Head of Service – Adult Safeguarding. This is a senior leadership role with countywide responsibility for safeguarding strategy, quality assurance, and statutory compliance within Adult Social Care.

This is a high-impact opportunity to lead safeguarding transformation, strengthen assurance frameworks, and ensure services consistently deliver safe, high-quality, and equitable outcomes for residents. You will provide expert leadership across complex systems and work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners across health, commissioning, and the wider safeguarding partnership.

  Your role as Head of Service – Adult Safeguarding:

• Strategic lead for adult safeguarding across the authority, ensuring compliance with statutory guidance and best practice
• Lead and embed a robust quality assurance framework for adult social care providers, working closely with health partners
• Provide expert advice and guidance on safeguarding legislation, policy, and practice with a countywide remit
• Identify areas of risk or weak practice and implement improvement strategies
• Lead major programmes, reviews, and transformation initiatives
• Represent the authority at Safeguarding Adults Board and multi-agency forums, including chairing sub-groups where required
• Oversee safeguarding performance, risk registers, escalation protocols, and learning
• Drive co-production, innovation, and inclusive safeguarding practice
• Maintain effective budgetary control and performance management

  Your previous experience as a Head of Service:

• Senior leadership experience within Adult Social Care, with a strong safeguarding focus
• Authoritative understanding of adult safeguarding legislation, policy, and statutory guidance
• Proven experience leading quality assurance, performance improvement, and transformation
• Strong track record of managing complex stakeholder relationships across health, local government, and partner agencies
• Experience of operating at Safeguarding Adults Board level
• Confident managing risk, governance, and escalation in high-profile environments
• Skilled in budget management, data-driven decision making, and performance oversight
• Politically astute, with excellent communication, influencing, and negotiation skills
• You must be a Qualified Social Worker to perform this role.

 
If you’re an experienced safeguarding leader ready to shape strategy, strengthen assurance, and lead change at scale, please send your most up-to-date CV to Terry Lee at t.lee@baltimoreconsultingltd.com or call 0117 313 7110.

Our clients are passionate about creating and evolving a diverse workforce and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant. Recruiting decisions are based on experience and skills. Any reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the recruitment process.

Baltimore Consulting has a referral scheme in place — if you know a peer seeking a new opportunity, please get in touch.

Share on linkedIn