Senior digital innovation officer jobs in Edinburgh

Are you a highly organised project leader with a track record of developing rigorous and impactful processes? Do you want to lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation transforming mental health in higher education? This could be the role for you.

We’re looking for a methodical and strategic Programme Manager (Award) to manage the end-to-end delivery of University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) Award and act as key spokesperson for the programme. 

You’ll play a vital role in ensuring that the Award upholds its standards and values, and continues to develop and scale, supporting positive change for staff and students at universities across the UK.

About the role

• Lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation for mental health in higher education: the University Mental Health Charter Award.
• The UMHC Award recognises universities that promote the mental health and wellbeing of their university communities and supports them to continually improve. 
• You will own the end-to-end management of a complex, high-profile and impactful programme, balancing administrative excellence and strategic development.

Key responsibilities

• Drive the Award lifecycle, from onboarding universities, coordinating our network of assessors and managing the Award panel.
• Scale and continually improve the Award process, ensuring it remains rigorous, impactful and values-led.
• Act as key spokesperson and point of contact for universities and other stakeholders.
• Responsible for budget, risk and line management. 

What we’re looking for

• Proven track record of managing complex projects.
• Experience developing, maintaining and improving robust systems and processes.
• A rigorous approach to accuracy and quality control.
• Comfortable holding difficult conversations with stakeholders at all levels.
• A commitment to co-production, equality, anti-racism and an interest in mental health.

Find out more about the essential criteria for this role by downloading our Recruitment Pack from the documents section.

What you will gain

• The chance to contribute to a high-impact national programme supporting better mental health for university communities across the UK.
• Experience in a varied role with opportunities to learn and develop.
• A supportive and collaborative workplace culture that values wellbeing.
• Flexibility in how and where you work. 

How to apply
If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you!

1. Click “Redirect to recruiter”, then scroll to the 'Vacancies and volunteering' section of our 'Join our team' page to access the job listing.
2. Download the recruitment pack in the document section at the bottom of this page, where you’ll find more information about the role including responsibilities and person specifications. 
3. Download and complete our application form - instead of collecting CVs, we use an application form to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all. 
   1. Please refrain from including any identifying details in your application answers.
4. Upload your completed application form as a word document. 
   1. Please note that once you start your application on our portal, you will have 24 hours to upload your completed form. Before clicking 'Apply' and beginning the application process, make sure your form is fully completed and ready to upload.
5. Complete the Equality Monitoring Form.

Student Minds is committed to building an inclusive team and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

Neotree: The Digital Learning Health System

Neotree is an award-winning digital learning health system co-designed with frontline clinicians to end preventable newborn deaths in low-resource settings. Our open-source platform integrates real-time, knowledge-based clinical decision support (CDS), structured data capture, and visual dashboards into routine neonatal care. Currently active in 18 healthcare facilities, Neotree has supported care for 60,000 newborns and trained over 3,000 health workers to date. Neotree is the only platform of its kind with a defined pathway to embed AI-enabled decision support into routine neonatal care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Neotree: The Charity

The UK charity was established by core members of the University College London (UCL) Neotree research project to maximise the impact of their research on the quality of newborn care and newborn mortality. After five years of rapid growth and proven clinical impact, Neotree is seeking a visionary Executive Director to lead our next chapter. Having evolved from an innovative research pilot into a multi-country digital health intervention, integrated into routine neonatal care in Malawi and Zimbabwe, Neotree is poised for national-scale rollout and scale up, alongside rigorous ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

The Opportunity: Impact at Scale

By 2030 the ambition is for Neotree to be a fully integrated, sustainable standard of care across Malawi and Zimbabwe, having been handed over to, and owned by, their respective Ministries of Health. The incoming Executive Director will lead this transition, shifting the organisation from a research-led implementation partner to one able to scale up a digital public good (currently a DPGA Nominee with a full submission for DPG designation under review).

While the technological landscape, and specific delivery modules, will evolve, the Executive Director will ensure Neotree remains a safe, cost-effective, equitable, and evidence-based system that is successfully embedded within national digital health infrastructures.

The Executive Director's success will be measured collaboratively, focusing on KPIs related to impact and sustainability, and they will work alongside experienced clinical, technical, and academic leads.

Location: Remote within 2-3 hours of Central Africa Time (CAT), with approximately quarterly travel (including to Malawi, Zimbabwe and the UK).

Reports to: Board of Trustees

Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations, Clinical Safety & Quality Assurance

1.1. Senior Operational Oversight: Provide high-level oversight of Neotree’s operations across 18 healthcare facilities in Malawi and Zimbabwe, ensuring that the "baby-first" mission is consistently delivered on the ground.

1.2. Clinical Safety & Ethical Governance: Lead the overarching strategy for clinical safety and ethical compliance. Ensure the platform remains a safe and effective clinical tool, and that all operations comply with international data protection and health governance best practices.

1.3. Quality & Effectiveness: Oversee the continuous improvement and optimisation of the Neotree platform based on real-world feedback from frontline clinical staff, ensuring the system remains highly acceptable and trusted by healthcare professionals.

2. Management: People, Grants & Finance

2.1. International Team Leadership: Lead, oversee and inspire a multi-disciplinary, multi-country team (UK, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa), fostering a culture of agility, collaboration, and excellence.

2.2. Develop local leadership and support the growth of country-based teams, ensuring long-term sustainability through in-country capacity building.

2.3. Financial & Grant Management:

2.3.1. Provide robust oversight of the charity’s finances, including budget setting and cash flow.

2.3.2. Lead the management of complex institutional grants (e.g. FCDO, Gates Foundation), ensuring all milestones and reporting requirements are met.

2.3.3. Manage relationships with multiple downstream partners.

3. Governance & Accountability

3.1. Statutory Compliance: Lead Neotree’s reporting and compliance with the Charity Commission, HMRC, Companies House, donors and other relevant legislation. Oversee internal and external audits.

3.2. Board Development & Relations: Act as the primary link to the Board of Trustees, providing transparent reporting on risks, financial performance, and strategic progress. Work proactively with the Chair to strengthen the board, supporting its growth and ensuring its membership is representative of the diverse international contexts and communities Neotree serves.

3.3. Risk Management: Serve as the ultimate lead for organisational risk, identifying and mitigating risks to protect the charity’s reputation, clinical safety, and financial health.

3.4. Organisational & Innovation Governance: Responsible for the continuous review and implementation of all policies (HR, due diligence, safeguarding, clinical and data governance etc.). Ensure policies are legally compliant across international operations.

4. Strategy & Impact Scaling

4.1. Overall Strategy: Lead the development and execution of Neotree’s business model and strategy to scale impact globally, ensuring the sustainable growth and wider adoption of Neotree as a digital public good.

4.2. Evidence base: Work closely with Neotree’s academic team at University College London to identify and address evidence gaps, to support on Neotree research grants (e.g. NIHR, Gates Foundation), and to ensure academic insights are translated directly into clinical impact and national policy.

4.3. Tech Strategy & Interoperability: Lead the development and execution of Neotree's digital strategy. A key focus will be driving the roadmap for system interoperability to ensure Neotree is a future-proofed platform. This includes FHIR compatibility and integration with national systems, such as DHIS2 and national EHRs, to support seamless data exchange.

4.4. Fundraising Strategy: Design and deliver a diverse fundraising strategy that further moves the organisation toward financial resilience and reduced dependence on major academic grants.

4.5. Partnerships & External Relations: Serve as one of the primary ambassadors for Neotree, alongside our Principal Investigators and co-founder Professor Michelle Heys. Define priority stakeholders, and build and maintain relationships with those high-level strategic partners to drive adoption and raise Neotree’s profile.

Key Priorities for the First 12-18 Months

The new Executive Director will focus on the following key priorities during their initial 12-18 months:

1. Successful Project Delivery & Ministry of Health Partnerships. Ensure successful delivery of the projects currently in flight, in both Malawi and Zimbabwe. This includes partnerships with the Ministries of Health in both countries to build and hand over neonatal modules in their EHR systems based on Neotree, and support their successful rollout.

2. Strategic Plan Development. Develop a 3-5 year plan with the Board, academic partners, and wider project team to build on our existing foundation to expand Neotree – including addressing research gaps, using AI to improve clinical decision support, and finding ways to expand the adoption of the technology in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and beyond. Sustainability is a core part of that strategy.

3. Strategic Plan Execution. Execute on that plan, including securing funding, building partnerships, and further developing the Neotree team.

Person Specification

Personal attributes and skillset

• Overall: Values-driven, mission alignment, humility, and commitment to equitable partnership.
• Visionary Leadership: An inspiring leader who can balance day-to-day operations with a long-term strategic focus. You can articulate a clear future for Neotree that motivates an international team and aligns global partners toward making Neotree a national standard of care, ensuring every innovation remains underpinned by our "baby-first" mission.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: You must thrive in a landscape that is constantly shifting. You can pivot strategies as national digital health priorities evolve or as new technological partners emerge. You are comfortable with ambiguity and can steer the organisation through the "unknowns" of the next five+ years.
• Communication & Collaborative Mindset: You are a bridge-builder. You have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across international borders and multidisciplinary partners, linking academic research, technical development, and frontline clinical delivery.

Experience

1. Education: Master’s degree (MSc, MPH, MBA) in a relevant field (e.g. Global Health, International Development, Digital Health).

2. Proven track record of overseeing delivery of health services and/or health interventions (ideally in low-resource settings).

3. Experience of working in partnership with Ministries of Health strengthening health systems.

4. Proven experience in scaling an organisation or a digital product / health intervention from a pilot phase to a national or regional standard.

5. Experience of leading multidisciplinary, multi-cultural teams, both in person and remotely.

6. Experience of monitoring and evaluating health programmes.

7. Experience managing complex grants, and diverse revenue streams (grants, philanthropy, or social enterprise models).

Desirable

• AI & Innovation: Understanding of the ethical and practical implications of integrating AI/Machine Learning into healthcare.
• Governance: Familiarity with UK charity governance, including reporting to the Charity Commission and Companies House.

Equal opportunities

Neotree values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities. All applicants for employment will receive equal treatment without discrimination on grounds of gender, race, ethnic or national origins, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation, or any other grounds. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the low-resource settings in which we work, to ensure we have a well-balanced and widely representative staff base.

Communications Officer

Location: Home-based in the UK, within 90 minutes travel of Central London, with occasional national and international travel

Contract: 2 years with the possibility of extension dependent on continuation of funding.

Reporting to: Head of Communications

Salary: £30,000 to £35,000

Additional benefits: 25 days annual leave plus public holidays (annual leave increasing by 1 extra day for every year’s service up to 30 days total), life assurance and access to an employee assistance programme.

Overall purpose of role

As the WeProtect Global Alliance Communications Officer, you will:

Support the development and delivery of WeProtect Global Alliance’s communications and marketing activity, ensuring clear, consistent and engaging messaging that strengthens the Alliance’s visibility, credibility and impact globally.

Reporting to the Head of Communications, you will deliver high-quality digital, editorial and marketing outputs across multiple channels, including through our website, social media, newsletters, campaigns and events. You will also work collaboratively across the Secretariat to embed communications thinking into projects, policy work and member engagement.

A self-starter who is politically and culturally aware, you will be comfortable working in a small, remote Secretariat and across time zones. You will be highly organised, solutions-focused and detail-oriented, with a genuine commitment to child protection and to WeProtect Global Alliance’s mission and values.

 About WeProtect Global Alliance

Who we are

WeProtect Global Alliance is a global movement dedicated to ending the sexual exploitation and abuse of children online. We bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organisations to create a safer digital world where every child can thrive.

Our Alliance connects over 300 members from across the globe, uniting diverse expertise and resources to protect children from harm, no matter where they are.

WeProtect Global Alliance is supported by a small, high-performing Secretariat of remote working staff based in the UK/Ireland and is overseen by an influential Global Policy Board drawn from our membership.

Our vision

A digital world free of child sexual exploitation and abuse

Our mission

To work together to build, engage and support a diverse, child-centred global network with the commitment, knowledge and skills to tackle technology-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation.

What we do

We focus on driving policy change, fostering international collaboration, and promoting cutting-edge research to combat online child abuse.

Through shared data, insights, and best practices, we empower our members to develop more effective solutions and inspire a coordinated global response.

With a steadfast commitment to child safety, WeProtect Global Alliance stands as a catalyst for change, advocating for a world in which technology empowers and protects children, not endangers them.

Together, we’re creating lasting impact and building a future where every child is safe online.

 Job description

Key responsibilities

Communications planning & delivery

· Support the Head of Communications to implement the Alliance’s communications strategy.

· Contribute to communications planning and communications calendar for organisational priorities, including policy outputs, research, events and member initiatives.

· Ensure a consistent pipeline of integrated communications activities

· Ensure consistent messaging aligned with WeProtect Global Alliance’s brand, values and strategic objectives.

Digital channels & content management

· Maintain and update the Alliance’s website, ensuring content is accurate, accessible and up to date, including member resources and publications.

· Manage the Alliance’s social media channels, monitoring activity and working with the Members Team to ensure a steady stream of high-quality content.

· Draft, edit and publish blogs, news items and digital content for diverse global audiences.

Marketing, campaigns & engagement

· Support the delivery of digital marketing campaigns to promote Alliance initiatives, outputs and events.

· Develop project-specific communications plans in collaboration with colleagues to embed engagement and visibility.

· Promote Alliance members’ activities and successes, highlighting collaboration and collective impact.

Analytics, insight & reporting

· Track and analyse communications performance across channels, including website, social media and email.

· Use data to refine messaging, targeting and channel mix.

Media & external communications

· Support engagement with media and press, including drafting press materials and coordinating dissemination of Alliance outputs.

· Support the promotion of policy recommendations and research through owned and earned channels.

Member communications & collaboration

· Work with the Head of Members to integrate external communications with member engagement activity.

· Support delivery of member newsletters and targeted communications.

· Contribute content to member-only platforms and encourage discussion and participation.

Systems, data & process improvement

· Utilise communications tools such as content calendars, analytics dashboards and shared drives.

· Ensure GDPR-compliant data handling and document management.

· Support continuous improvement of communications processes and ways of working.

Governance & internal collaboration

· Prepare or contribute to briefings, summaries and communications materials for senior leaders and governance bodies.

· Contribute to annual planning, KPIs and impact measurement related to communications and engagement.

Expectations

Cross-Functional Operational Collaboration

Contribute to WPGA operational processes and systems, working collaboratively with colleagues to deliver cross-functional projects that strengthen the reach and impact of the Secretariat.

Building an inclusive culture

Play a proactive role in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in everything we do.

Embrace diversity and recognise different perspectives within collaborative working to create a more impactful and effective organisation.

Commit to ensuring all employees are treated fairly and equitably at work, feel like they belong and promote equality in physical and mental health for all.

Other

· To attend and contribute to meetings, training and other events as required.

· To actively participate in our supervision and appraisal process.

· To ensure that all responsibilities and activities within this post are delivered in accordance with WeProtect Global Alliance core values and relevant corporate, organisational, financial and compliance policies.

· To travel to meetings which may require the need to work unsociable hours, for example attending evening or weekend meetings.

· To adhere to relevant legal and statutory requirements including the Data Protection Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.

· To use WeProtect Global Alliance resources responsibly.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Experience

· Significant professional experience in communications, marketing or digital engagement.

· Proven experience producing content for different audiences and across multiple channels.

· Experience managing websites (WordPress) and social media platforms in a professional context.

· Experience tracking, analysing and reporting on communications performance.

· Experience working autonomously in a fast-paced environment to deliver a broad range of communications activities.

Skills

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong editorial judgement.

· Outstanding organisation and time management, with the ability to manage competing deadlines.

· Digital confidence, including familiarity with content management systems and analytics tools.

· Commitment to safeguarding, child protection, EDI and ethical communications practice.

Knowledge

· Understanding of digital communications best practice.

· Familiarity with data protection (GDPR) and information governance in a communications context.

Other

· A willingness to travel and work unsocial hours (time in lieu can be claimed).

· Commitment to your own continuing professional and personal development.

· To uphold high standards of work, conduct and behaviour in line with WeProtect Global Alliance values.

Desirable criteria

· Experience using WordPress or other website content management systems.

· Experience creating or commissioning digital visual assets.

·  Experience working for or with a membership organisation.

Diversity, inclusion and equity

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those of different ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities and lived experiences. We particularly encourage applications from individuals who are part of communities that are under-represented in our sector, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities, disabled people and LGBTQ+ individuals.

About the Programmes Officer role:
This is your chance to sit at the heart of a pioneering national programme that could reshape how kinship families are supported across England.

As Programmes Officer, you’ll be part of the operational engine behind a complex, high-profile feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) – keeping delivery tight, evidence strong and nothing falling through the cracks. If you thrive on pace, precision and being the person who quietly makes big things happen, this might be the role for you. 

Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility RCT of Kinship Connected, a Kinship Navigator Programmes.

This is a complex, multi-partner programme involving funders, independent evaluators, local authorities, internal delivery teams and kinship carers with lived experience.

The Programmes Officer plays a critical role in ensuring the programme runs smoothly day to day. This is a technically demanding, detail-heavy role requiring excellent administration, strong initiative and the ability to anticipate what is needed next.

The Programmes Officer works closely and day-to-day with the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager and is a key part of the core delivery spine of the Kinship Navigator feasibility RCT.

The role provides structured operational, administrative and coordination support that enables the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager to maintain oversight of timelines, risks, dependencies and delivery quality.

This role requires someone who is comfortable working at pace, highly responsive to direction, and able to anticipate what the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager will need next in order to keep the programme running smoothly and evidence-ready.

Please note - we are looking for people who can start immediately ideally. This is due to the nature of the mobilisation and delivery timescales. 

Purpose of the role:
To support the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager in mobilising and delivering the Kinship Navigator feasibility RCT through exceptional administration, proactive coordination and anticipatory problem-solving.

You will act as a trusted operational support, ensuring systems, data, documentation and local engagement activity are accurate, well organised and up to date, allowing the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager to focus on delivery oversight, risk management and external accountability.

Key responsibilities:

Programme delivery and coordination

• Support mobilisation activities across all workstreams, ensuring actions, documentation and timelines are tracked and followed up.
• Maintain delivery plans, action logs and trackers using Asana.
• Support coordination of onboarding activities with local authorities and internal teams.
• Ensure all operational documents are version-controlled, accessible and kept up to date.
• Flag emerging issues, risks or capacity pressures early, with clear evidence.
  

Local authority engagement and ecosystem mapping

• Coordinate local engagement activity across participating local authorities, including planning, logistics and follow-up for local events.
• Map each local authority’s kinship care ecosystem, including statutory services, voluntary and community organisations, referral pathways and gaps in provision.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date local authority profiles and ecosystem maps.
• Ensure local intelligence is captured consistently and stored accessibly using agreed systems (e.g. Notion).

Outreach and local marketing support

• Support outreach and engagement activity by helping develop programme-specific marketing and engagement materials, working with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure alignment with Kinship’s brand and messaging.
• Adapt and manage local collateral for each participating local authority, ensuring materials are accurate, up to date and easy to use.
• Maintain clear version control and accessible storage of outreach materials, incorporating feedback from local partners where appropriate.
• Use Canva, Padlet and other agreed tools to adapt and produce local materials for events, Communities of Practice and local authority engagement.

Communities of Practice support

• Provide operational support to the Head of Programmes in coordinating Communities of Practice in each participating local authority.
• Support scheduling, logistics, materials and follow-up actions.
• Capture learning, actions and insights clearly and consistently.
• Support translation of local learning into insight for programme improvement and future scale-up.
  

Administrative excellence and anticipation

• Deliver a consistently high standard of administration across the programme.
• Maintain clear, structured and accurate records across all systems.
• Anticipate upcoming needs, deadlines and risks, taking initiative to address them early.
• Proactively prepare information, materials and updates without needing to be prompted.
• Act as a reliable operational anchor, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Anticipate the information, updates and preparation the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager will need to manage delivery effectively.
  

Data, systems and technical delivery

• Maintain accurate and timely data entry across Salesforce and related systems.
• Support data quality checks and evaluator requirements.
• Use Asana, Salesforce, Notion and Canva confidently and fluently.
• Support documentation, manualisation and knowledge management.
• Ensure systems are used consistently and to a high technical standard.

Coordination, reporting and communications

• Coordinate meetings, agendas, notes and follow-up actions.
• Support preparation of dashboards, updates and reports.
• Ensure information is shared clearly, accurately and on time.

How to apply:
Please apply for the role of Programmes Officer by sending a tailored CV and responding to these 4 questions below in the online application process. Please read the guidance notes in the job pack. 

Closing date is 9.30am on Weds 4 March, with interview in person on Tues 10 March 2026. 

1. Alignment to Kinship and the role: Why do you want to work for Kinship? And what can you bring to this role (think about the job specification)  

2. Programme coordination and administration: Tell us about a time you supported the delivery of a complex programme or project. What were your specific responsibilities, and how did you keep work organised and on track?  

3. Initiative: Describe a time when you spotted a potential issue, gap or risk before it became a problem. What did you notice, what action did you take, and what was the outcome? 

4. Digital systems and learning new tools: Give an example of a time you had to learn a new digital system or tool quickly to support delivery. What was the context, how did you learn it, and how did you use it in practice? 

What we offer you:

• Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.
• ​30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown)
• Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling)
• Charity Worker Discounts. 

Life is a national charity committed to delivering high‑quality, compassionate and person‑centred support to people facing crisis. Guided by our values of Humanity, Solidarity, Community, Charity and the Common Good, we work across multiple sites to provide safe, effective and life‑changing services.

The Role

We are seeking an exceptional Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance to join our Senior Leadership Team at an exciting time of organisational development.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a senior, influential role with strategic responsibility for quality, safeguarding, compliance, estates and continuous improvement across our national portfolio of services.

You will provide visible, values‑led leadership, ensuring that everything we do is safe, effective, person‑centred, financially sustainable and fully compliant with regulatory requirements. This role has a real opportunity to shape the future of Life – and to positively impact the lives of hundreds of people we support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on quality improvement, compliance and continuous improvement across supported housing, estates and services
• Hold senior accountability for safeguarding governance, complaints and assurance frameworks
• Lead audit, inspection and review activity, ensuring consistently high standards and strong regulatory outcomes
• Embed a culture of quality, learning and improvement across multi‑site services
• Oversee property compliance, health & safety and estates management, ensuring safe and welcoming environments
• Use data, insight and digital systems to drive performance, manage risk and support innovation
• Act as the organisation’s senior lead with regulators, inspectors and professional bodies
• Work collaboratively with fellow Directors to deliver a joined‑up, high‑quality client journey
• Develop, coach and inspire senior leaders, fostering a high‑performing, values‑driven culture

About You

You will be a credible, values‑led leader with a strong background in regulated services and a passion for quality and safeguarding.

Essential experience and qualifications include:

• Senior leadership experience within supported housing, homelessness or a closely related regulated sector
• Proven success leading multi‑site services and senior operational leaders
• Strong track record in quality improvement, safeguarding, compliance and inspection readiness
• Sound financial and commercial awareness, including managing significant budgets and resources
• Lean Six Sigma qualification
• Level 5 Safeguarding qualification
• Health & Safety qualification (IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent)

You will also bring:

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into practical delivery
• A collaborative, visible and approachable leadership style
• Integrity, humility and purpose in how you lead
• A commitment to co‑production, continuous learning and innovation
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship‑building skills

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description on our website. 

Salary: £50,285 per annum

Hours: 32 hours per week

Location: Home Based with travel across sites in the UK

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service    
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality:   

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.  

Context:
Kinship provides direct support to, raises awareness of and campaigns for the rights of kinship carers across the UK. Kinship carers are navigating complex family relationships, trauma, poverty, discrimination. The children that they care for have frequently experienced abuse or are at risk of harm. Safeguarding concerns can be disclosed by kinship carers at all contact points with Kinship. 

Safeguarding children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect is a collective responsibility and requires a safeguarding approach that is aligned to statutory frameworks, is professional, consistent, trauma-informed and proportionate to level of risk.

The designated safeguarding officer holds organisational responsibility for Kinship’s safeguarding framework and actions. The role works collaboratively with a team including a Safeguarding Trustee and a group of Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads drawn from key service areas across the charity.

The role provides expertise, professional guidance and clear direction across the organisation, supporting staff and volunteers to make sound safeguarding decisions within a framework.

Purpose of the role:
The Designated Safeguarding Manager works closely with all teams across Kinship to embed proactive, person-centred, and partnership-driven safeguarding practice to protect children and adults at risk of harm.

The role provides professional oversight to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads through individual and group reflective practice and supports high-quality and defensible safeguarding decision-making. The role drives contextual safeguarding approaches, promote professional curiosity, continual professional development and ensures safeguarding responses are informed by lived experience and the realities of kinship care.

At Kinship safeguarding concerns come from risks of harm to adults and children often with risks of harm to multiple people in the same family context.

This requires careful, trauma-informed decision-making and support for staff responding to complex safeguarding situations.

How the role works:
Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the Designated Safeguarding Manager holds responsibility for safeguarding practice across the organisation and provides expert oversight and organisational assurance ensuring safeguarding is embedded consistently, proportionately and in line with best practice.

This role will require flexibility for occasional travel in England and Wales.

Key responsibilities:

Organisational safeguarding accountability and assurance

• Act as Kinship’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, holding organisational authority for safeguarding decision-making and escalation.
• Hold organisational accountability for safeguarding practice, ensuring responsibilities are well defined, understood and embedded across the organisation.
• Maintain and assure a robust safeguarding framework, including defined roles, escalation routes, decision-making thresholds and accountability arrangements and balance safeguarding rigour with compassion and proportionality.
• Provide safeguarding oversight and assurance during service development, mobilisation and organisational change to ensure risks are identified, assessed and mitigated.

Trauma-informed safeguarding practice and oversight

• Embed trauma-informed safeguarding practice, ensuring all decisions, interventions, and organisational processes:
  • Recognise the impact of past and ongoing trauma on children, kinship carers, and families.
  • Prioritise emotional and psychological safety while balancing protection, autonomy, and empowerment.
  • Integrate trauma-awareness into risk assessments, safety planning, case management, policies, and service design.
• Support staff through reflective supervision, guidance, and training to respond effectively.
• Provide professional oversight and reflective practice support to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
• Provide expert safeguarding advice and consultation to staff and managers, supporting the assessment of concerns, threshold decisions, appropriate escalation, and proportionate, trauma-informed decision-making.
• Quality-assure safeguarding practice and decision-making to ensure actions are proportionate, person-centred, trauma-informed, and defensible.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of safeguarding records, risk assessments, and safety planning.

 Policy, compliance and organisational assurance

• Develop, review and maintain safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance in line with legislation, statutory guidance and Charity Commission expectations.
• Ensure safeguarding systems, processes and recording arrangements are robust, accessible and consistently applied.
• Provide regular safeguarding assurance, analysis and learning reports to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.

Culture, capability and continuous improvement

• Embed trauma-informed, contextual and culturally responsive safeguarding practice across the organisation.
• Promote professional curiosity and reflective practice, supporting staff to exercise sound professional judgement and avoid overly procedural responses.
• Design and deliver safeguarding training and guidance for staff and volunteers, building organisational capability and confidence.
• Lead learning reviews following safeguarding incidents or near misses, ensuring learning informs service and practice improvement.

Equity, inclusion and anti-racist safeguarding

• Ensure safeguarding practice actively considers how race, ethnicity, racism and intersecting inequalities shape risk, vulnerability and access to support.
• Support teams to identify and challenge bias and assumptions through reflective practice, supervision and learning.
• Embed equity, inclusion and anti-racist principles within safeguarding frameworks, policies, training and quality assurance processes.

Partnership working and external accountability

• Work collaboratively with statutory partners and external agencies to support effective safeguarding responses.
• Represent Kinship in multi-agency safeguarding forums, reviews or regulatory engagement as required.

Experience (Essential)

• Significant experience in adult and child safeguarding practice, including oversight of complex, high-risk, and multi-agency safeguarding situations.
• Experience providing professional oversight, reflective supervision, and structured learning support to safeguarding practitioners or leads, without direct line management responsibility.
• Experience embedding contextual safeguarding approaches and promoting professional curiosity in decision-making.
• Experience of working confidently with complexity, challenging constructively and supporting teams to do the right thing in difficult situations.
• Experience developing, reviewing, and embedding safeguarding policies, procedures, training, and learning frameworks.
• Substantial experience working with dispersed or multi-disciplinary teams, supporting wellbeing, professional development, and reflective practice.
• Experience working in voluntary sector, community-based, or service delivery organisations, particularly where safeguarding concerns arise through multiple routes.

Knowledge (Essential)

• Strong working knowledge of adult and child safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and recognised safeguarding frameworks, with the ability to apply them proportionately in practice.
• Up-to-date knowledge of children’s and adult social care systems.
• Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based practice in work with adults, children, and families.
• Awareness of how racism, inequality, and structural disadvantage can increase risk and shape safeguarding experiences, particularly for Black and minoritised communities.
• Understanding of organisational safeguarding governance, including accountability, assurance, escalation, and risk management.
• Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities within the voluntary and community sector, including Charity Commission expectations, trustee duties, and regulatory requirements

Skills and abilities (Essential)

• Strong professional judgement, with confidence in making and defending complex safeguarding decisions.
• Calm, credible, and reflective approach in ambiguous or high-pressure situations.
• Ability to support and challenge colleagues constructively through reflective discussion, learning, and coaching rather than directive management.
• Clear, compassionate, and adaptable communicator, able to translate safeguarding complexity for diverse audiences, including operational and service delivery teams.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple safeguarding priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively across wide-ranging professional teams and external partners.
• Values-led, with a demonstrable commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-racist practice, and culturally responsive safeguarding.

Qualifications (Essential)

• Relevant professional qualification (e.g. social work, health, or related field), or equivalent professional experience.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in safeguarding children and adults.
• Permission to work in the UK.

Attributes and general characteristics (Essential)

• Commitment to the values, aims, and objectives of Kinship.
• Respectful, empathetic approach to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Flexible and willing to travel across England as required.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Lived experience of kinship care.
• Experience using Salesforce, Asana, Notion, and/or general AI tools for case management, project management, or documentation.
• Experience in innovation and continuous improvement within safeguarding practice or organisational culture.

How to apply:
Please apply for the role of Designated Safeguarding Manager by sending a tailored CV and responding to these 5 questions below in the online application process. Please read the guidance notes in the job pack. 

Closing date is 9am on Mon 2 March, with a first interview (30 mins online) that week and a second interview in person on Tues 10 March 2026. 

For all questions, please provide a maximum of 250 words per answer.

1.Alignment with Kinship: Why do you want to work for Kinship, and why does this Safeguarding Manager (Designated Safeguarding Lead) role matter to you at this point in your career?  Please refer to Kinship’s work and services in your answer, and explain what specifically about this role you are drawn to. 

2.Trauma informed practice: Describe a specific example where you have led or overseen a safeguarding concern using a trauma-informed approach.

3. Contextual safeguarding and professional curiosity: Tell us about a time you applied contextual safeguarding or professional curiosity to a situation where the initial concern did not tell the full story. What did you notice, what questions did you ask, and how did this change the safeguarding response? 

4. Reflective practice and supporting others: Give an example of how you have supported others to improve safeguarding decision-making through reflective practice (for example group reflection or one-to-one discussion). What was the issue and what changed? 

5. Equity, racism and safeguarding: Describe a situation where race, ethnicity or structural inequality affected safeguarding risk or decision-making. How did you recognise this and what did you do to ensure a fair and proportionate response? 

What we offer you:

• Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.
• ​30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown)
• Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling)
• Charity Worker Discounts.