Role overview

As Head of Safeguarding, you will lead New Horizon Youth Centre’s safeguarding strategy and practice, ensuring we provide the highest standards of safety and care for the young people we support. You will act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing quality, consistency and continual development of safeguarding practice across the organisation.

You will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer to develop and implement relevant safeguarding policies, facilitate staff training, embed learning from incidents, and ensure safeguarding is understood as everyone’s responsibility. This is a senior role with strategic and advisory responsibilities, but no direct line management of frontline delivery staff.

We are happy to consider candidates taking their first step into leadership and we will consider exceptional part time candidates to ensure we find the right person or people for the role. We particularly welcome candidates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities as these are overrepresented communities in our services and yet underrepresented within our leadership.

Key details

• Contract type and hours: permanent, 35 hours per week Monday-Friday

• Starting salary: £46,800 (salary scale £46,800-£52,000)

• Location: New Horizon Youth Centre, 68 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JR

• Application deadline: 9am, Friday 30 January 2026

• How to apply: complete our application form below, submit your CV and write a 2 page cover letter/supporting statement. Please don't include your name or address in your CV or cover letter.

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Main tasks and responsibilities

1. Lead NHYC’s organisational safeguarding strategy, setting high standards for policy, culture, and practice.

2. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practice, ensuring NHYC remains compliant and responsive to the external environment.

3. Develop and review NHYC’s safeguarding policies and procedures, in collaboration with the COO, ensuring policies are accessible, inclusive and understood across teams.

4. Convene regular forums with deputy DSOs (Designated Safeguarding Officers) to review cases, share learning and drive continuous improvement.

5. Act as a key point of contact for safeguarding concerns or incidents to be escalated. Provide appropriate leadership, advice and case support to teams across our frontline services.

6. Ensure maintenance of high quality, accurate safeguarding records.

7. Coordinate responses to serious safeguarding incidents where required, including using insights from reviews to inform ongoing training, policy and practice improvements.

8. Develop and deliver internal safeguarding training for staff at all levels of the organisation.

9. Promote reflective practice and continuous learning across teams.

10. Represent NHYC in relevant safeguarding forums, networks or multi-agency meetings.

11. Liaise with statutory safeguarding partners as needed, ensuring appropriate referrals and escalation.

12. Provide regular safeguarding reports to the COO, Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees.

13. Support Trustees in fulfilling their safeguarding oversight responsibilities, including through training and assurance reporting.

14. Following New Horizon’s policies, procedures and performance expectations in all functions of the post.

15. Undertaking any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Chief Executive or Chief Operating Officer.

Person specification

We are looking for an individual who can demonstrate the following competencies and want to use these to the full in their work.

E: Essential

D: Desirable

Knowledge and experience required

Experience:

1. Significant practical safeguarding experience gained through professional experience in youth, homelessness or social care services, or a relevant field. (E)

2. Professional qualification in social work or equivalent. (D)

3. Proven track record of advising or overseeing safeguarding practice within a complex organisation, including effectively managing high levels of risk. (E)

4. Experience upskilling teams around safeguarding policy, including through conducting case reviews and/or delivering training. (E)

5. Experience of using IT systems (including databases) to support the achievement of personal and collective work goals. (E)

Knowledge and skills:

1. A thorough understanding of the issues, barriers, and challenges which young people experiencing homelessness might be facing, especially at the point of accessing help and support. (D)

2. Current knowledge of safeguarding legislation, regulation and best practice. (E)

3. Strong and assertive communicator — able to influence, train, advise and challenge both internal stakeholders and external statutory partners when needed. (E)

4. Confident in responding to safeguarding concerns, incidents and organisational learning needs. (E)

5. High level of emotional intelligence and ability to build trust with staff at all levels. (E)

6. The ability to multitask, make decisions, and manage multiple priorities effectively in a pressured, fast-paced environment. (E)

7. Ability to maintain enthusiasm for a high level of contact with young people on a day-to-day basis and a genuine passion for supporting young people to move towards independent living. (E)

8. A working knowledge of and commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as it applies to a service and in the workplace. (E)

Additional job requirements:

1. Willingness and ability to work outside of normal hours on occasion (within New Horizon’s flexible working arrangements). This includes some work over the Christmas period. (E)

2. Willingness to work flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements. (E)
   

Timescales and how to apply

Dates

• Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 30 January 2026

• Shortlisted candidates will be informed: 3 February 2026

• Interviews: Monday 9 February 2026

Application process

1. Complete the application form below

2. Upload your CV setting out your career history, education or qualifications, and other key responsibilities or achievements. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME OR INITIALS IN THE DOCUMENT FILE NAME

3. Write a cover letter / supporting statement (no more than 1500 words) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the ESSENTIAL criteria listed on the Person Specification, and any additional relevant desirable points you wish to share. Do not include your name, address or any personal details. This is an important part of your application so must be completed. We recommend you work on this in another text file (such as Word) and copy and paste it into the box below when you are ready to submit.

We do not consider incomplete applications.

You will be notified if you have not been shortlisted. However, we are unfortunately unable to provide each individual application with feedback.

If you have any questions or would like to arrange a call to discuss the role, please feel free to email us at recruitment@nhyouthcentre.org.uk or call 0207 388 5560.

Click here to see the job pack in PDF format or the job pack in Word format.