What You’ll Be Doing

• Providing strategic and operational leadership across Public Protection and Vulnerability services.
• Leading the development and implementation of force strategies, policies and improvement plans relating to safeguarding and vulnerability.
• Overseeing complex, high-risk and sensitive investigations and safeguarding activity involving vulnerable people.
• Driving continuous improvement, performance management and quality assurance to ensure services remain effective, efficient and victim-focused.
• Acting as the lead for HMICFRS inspections, recommendations and action plans within the area of responsibility.
• Building and maintaining strong partnerships with safeguarding boards, statutory agencies, senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Leading and developing high-performing teams, promoting wellbeing, professional development, accountability and service excellence.
• Contributing to force-wide strategic planning, organisational change programmes and future service development.

Why This Role Matters

This role plays a critical part in protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Through strong leadership, effective safeguarding arrangements and collaborative partnership working, you will help ensure victims receive the highest standards of support and protection while driving continuous improvement in service delivery.

Your work will influence force strategy, shape responses to emerging risks and national recommendations, and ensure that safeguarding services remain responsive, effective and focused on achieving the best outcomes for those who need them most.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for an inspiring and credible leader with significant experience of leading safeguarding, public protection or vulnerability-focused services within a complex and demanding environment.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong strategic leadership and experience managing high-risk operational functions.
• A proven ability to develop and implement policies, strategies and service improvement initiatives.
• Experience of governance, performance management, risk management and quality assurance.
• Excellent partnership-working skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across organisational boundaries.
• Strong leadership and people management capabilities, with a commitment to staff development, wellbeing and inclusion.
• Sound knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory responsibilities and best practice.
• The ability to lead organisational change, drive continuous improvement and maintain a strong focus on service quality and victim outcomes.

If you are passionate about safeguarding vulnerable people and have the leadership skills to drive excellence across a critical area of policing, we would welcome your application. Please review the full Job Description and Person Specification for further information on the role, responsibilities and essential requirements.