Safeguarding Lead

About the Role

The Safeguarding Lead (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) is a strategic leader within the Learner Success team, responsible for setting the overarching direction and owning the architecture of our safeguarding framework at Multiverse.

You will be responsible for defining and driving our culture of safeguarding while leading the strategy for continuous operational excellence and compliance as we grow and scale. In this capacity, you will serve as the organisation's Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) and take ownership of the rigorous, compliant, and compassionate resolution of all safeguarding cases, preparing and reporting transparently to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), including the most complex and high-risk cases, guiding our delivery teams and preparing and reporting all escalations to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Your leadership will guarantee that every apprentice has access to world-class support and that Multiverse not only meets but sets the standard for learner safety and wellbeing in the sector.

In this role, you will:

• Define and lead the organisational safeguarding culture, promoting a safe, positive, and inclusive learning environment across all departments.

• Architect, implement, and strategically evolve our safeguarding systems and monitoring frameworks to ensure robust, scalable, and effective oversight.

• Own safeguarding governance, delivering strategic insights and reporting to senior leadership to inform decision-making and ensure the highest standards of quality and compliance.

• Act as the principal escalation point for complex and high-risk safeguarding cases, guiding their resolution and setting precedents for future case management.

• Ensure the integrity and compliance of all safeguarding documentation, including oversight of the Single Central Record (SCR), and establishing the standards for audit-readiness across the organisation.

• Lead the annual review and ongoing implementation of the organisation's Safeguarding Policy, ensuring it remains compliant with all statutory guidance.

• Develop and own the organisational strategy for safeguarding and Prevent training and training records, ensuring all staff are equipped with the knowledge to uphold their duties.

• Manage the cross-functional safeguarding escalation framework, including strategic relationships with external agencies such as Local Authorities, social care, and the police.

• Strategise with cross-departmental leaders to embed safeguarding best practices, providing the training, tools, and systems that enable delivery teams to effectively support at-risk learners.

• Mentor and develop the capabilities of other team members involved in safeguarding, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

• Maintain and advance Multiverse’s position as a leader in safeguarding by anticipating industry trends and embedding innovative best practices into our strategy.

About You

You are a strategic and empathetic leader with deep and wide-ranging expertise in safeguarding. You are passionate about building systems that protect and empower individuals in a scaling organisation. You balance strategic vision with operational excellence and use your influence to foster a culture of safety and accountability across multiple teams.

You Bring:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in safeguarding leadership and delivery, ideally within Further Education, Higher Education, or apprenticeship settings. This includes a proven track record of resolving the most complex, high-risk cases.

• In-depth, current knowledge of UK safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance, including 'Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)'.

• Deep strategic knowledge of relevant regulatory and funding compliance frameworks (e.g., DfE Funding Rules and the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework) and the ability to apply them to achieve company objectives.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise expert judgement in resolving complex, ambiguous issues where there is no precedent, particularly in high-stakes crisis management.

• A strategic, data-driven mindset, with experience using data to provide insights to senior leadership, measure impact, and drive strategy.

• Exceptional discipline in building and scaling mechanisms and frameworks that improve cross-team efficiency and ensure impeccable, audit-ready compliance at scale.

• Proven ability to influence and align senior leaders and multiple teams towards common goals, effectively managing cross-functional priorities and commitments.

• A track record of acting as an influencer for ethics and equity across teams, proactively creating an inclusive environment and holding stakeholders accountable.

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL (DDSL) Training Level 3 qualification or above.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience:

• Other formal training qualifications in the areas of Prevent, Sexual Harassment/Violence, Suicide Prevention, and Workplace Investigation are highly beneficial.

• Experience in contributing to or leading regulatory inspections (e.g., Ofsted).