Head of human resources and organisational development jobs

Who are we?

We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.

We work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We want what you would want for your best friend. We listen to survivors, putting their voices at the heart of our thinking. We look at the whole picture for each individual and family to get the right help at the right time to make families everywhere safe and well. And we challenge perpetrators to change, asking ‘why doesn’t he stop?’ rather than ‘why doesn’t she leave?’ This applies whatever the gender of the victim or perpetrator and whatever the nature of their relationship.

Last year alone, nearly 13,500 professionals received our training. Over 70,000 adults at risk of serious harm or murder and more than 85,000 children received support through dedicated multi-agency support designed by us and delivered with partners. In the last four years, over 2,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change by interventions we created with partners, and that’s just the start.

Together we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.

About The Drive Partnership 

The Drive Partnership, established by Respect, SafeLives, and Social Finance in 2015, is working to end domestic abuse and protect victim-survivors by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. The Drive Partnership does this through the development of innovative perpetrator responses and advocating for systems and policy change to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators to increase the safety and freedom of all adult and child victim-survivors. 

Purpose

Following a four-year investment from the Home Office announced in July 2025, the Drive Project – the Drive Partnership’s flagship intervention for high-risk, high-harm and serial perpetrators of domestic abuse – will expand across all areas in England and Wales, with the vast majority of funding flowing directly to local perpetrator services and victim-survivor services by nature of the Drive Project’s model. 

To support the safe implementation of the expansion of the Drive Project intervention, we are seeking a proactive, solution focused individual to work with Drive Partnership and SafeLives, and our delivery sites to ensure our Data Protection policies and practice are up to date, and being consistently adhered to.

This is a new role and will spend two days working to support the Drive Partnership and one day to support SafeLives directly. For more information on SafeLives and the Drive Partnership, please see below.

The role is sensitive by nature and involves dealing with highly confidential and complex information.

Position context

This role sits within the Finance Department and is a critical support function across SafeLives and the Drive Partnership . The Data Protection Officer will be managed by the IT and Compliance Manager and will also work closely with the Head of Operations and Practice Advisors in the Drive Partnership, and , Heads and the Leadership Team to ensure the smooth operating of the business.

Responsibilities

• Data Protection
• Relationship Management
• Administration

Person Specification

Experience

Strong working knowledge of UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, PECR, and ICO guidance and with relevant qualifications. Experience managing data protection compliance within a charity, public sector, or safeguarding‑focused organisation. Understanding of safeguarding principles, particularly relating to domestic abuse, confidentiality, and safe data‑sharing protocols.

Skills

• Ability to interpret legislation and communicate requirements clearly to non‑specialists.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce policies and understand complex procedures.
• Capacity to manage competing priorities and work independently in a part‑time capacity.
• High levels of integrity, discretion, and professional judgement when handling sensitive and data.
• Knowledge of secure data‑handling technologies and cyber‑security principles

Competencies

• Delivering quality
• Teamwork
• Communication & Relationship management
• Influence
• Innovation and creativity
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Communication and relationship management
• Self-management
• Goal orientation

Equality and Inclusion

SafeLives is committed to providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of age, disability, race, sex, religion/belief, sexuality, gender identity, marital/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and working patterns. We are keen to have staff that appropriately represents all the communities we serve as an organisation.

Lived Experience

We believe there is no ‘them and us’ in domestic abuse, and recognise that applicants may have direct or indirect experience of their own, whether disclosed or not. We are committed to placing lived experience of domestic abuse at the heart of all we do, and colleagues who chose to share their personal expertise can do so openly and with organisational support.

If there is any discussion during the course of the recruitment process regarding a candidate's personal experience of domestic abuse, it will be treated confidentially and will not be shared outside of the interview panel/Human Resources.