Designated Safeguarding Senior Manager – Adults – B8b

Designated Safeguarding Senior Manager – Adults – B8b

Only applicants currently at risk within an NHS organisation in the East of England are eligible to apply.

When completing your application, you must:

• Clearly state your current NHS employer
• Include AT RISK alongside the organisation name

Applications not meeting these criteria will not be considered.

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory body responsible for commissioning NHS services, bringing health and care together, improving population wellbeing, and ensuring equitable access for all. We are committed to an inclusive workplace that values diversity and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We give full consideration to the nine protected characteristics and ensure fair, consistent recruitment, including reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

We are recruiting an experienced and passionate practitioner for the role of Designated Safeguarding Senior Manager Adult Lead within the ICB Safeguarding Team. Working in line with NHS Englands Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework, you will provide expert leadership across the ICB to ensure statutory safeguarding responsibilities for adults at risk are met.

The role requires confidence in working across organisational boundaries and a strong commitment to serving a diverse population. If you have significant strategic leadership experience in healthcare (or a related sector), a passion for safeguarding, and a drive to make a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

• Lead adult safeguarding across SET, ensuring the ICB and commissioned services comply with national and local guidance, legislation, and meet the needs of vulnerable adults.
• Act as a subject matter expert, advising multidisciplinary teams and supporting risk identification with the wider safeguarding team.
• Review and evaluate safeguarding practice, contribute to policy development, and promote a safe, responsive healthcare environment.
• Engage in training, supervision and quality assurance.
• Represent the ICB at multi‑agency meetings, including Safeguarding Adults Reviews and Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews, ensuring strong governance and sharing learning.

We seek a proactive, knowledgeable professional with:

• Active registration with a relevant body and specialist safeguarding training/experience, ideally including mental health.
• Extensive adult safeguarding experience in healthcare, with strong knowledge of local and national frameworks.
• Proven leadership, excellent communication and strategic decision‑making skills, and experience working across multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• A clear commitment to safeguarding adults at risk, managing complex cases, and supporting high‑quality care delivery.

About us

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office‑based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.

Job responsibilities

ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY

The Greater Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost‑effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Greater Essex, including Essex, Thurrock and Southend‑on‑Sea. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the Greater Essex ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

The Designated Safeguarding Senior Manager – Adults role sits within the All‑age Safeguarding team and the Nursing and Quality Directorate. The role is required discharge all the ICBs safeguarding statutory duties, roles and responsibilities set out in legislation and guidance, such as the Care Act 2014 and adults at risk in the NHS – Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance framework (SAAF, 2022). The all‑age approach to safeguarding acknowledges the impact of abuse and neglect across the lifespan, the interdependencies of safeguarding in its widest concept and the diversity of the population we serve.

The post holder will work closely with the Director of Nursing and Consultant Lead Safeguarding and a variety of healthcare and multiagency professionals to enable the delivery of the All‑age safeguarding agenda.

This post is a senior strategic role with the authority to act as an expert in the discharge of the ICBs safeguarding statutory functions and the design and delivery of the ICBs All‑age safeguarding strategy.

The post holder will be a clinical expert in the field of Safeguarding and be responsible for ensuring comprehensive and robust arrangements are in place and support its responsibilities in becoming a robust strategic commissioning organisation (set out in the NHS model blueprint for safeguarding).

The post holder will be able to work across organisational and geographical boundaries to ensure safeguarding issues are represented at every level of health organisations activity. To fulfil the requirement, they will need to show key skills such as innovator and negotiator along with a strong solution focus.

They will inform the strategic thinking and direction of the ICB and local partners and will be directly involved in the development and monitoring of safeguarding standards through commissioning arrangements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Promoting quality outcomes, patient experience, and sustainability in commissioning and contract management
• Ensuring robust positive relationships are in place with safeguarding statutory partners
• Shape the safeguarding agendas for all ages across Essex
• Engaging residents and partners in decision‑making
• Driving excellence through coaching and constructive challenge
• Prioritising system‑wide collaboration over individual or organisational agendas
• Upholding public accountability for safety, quality, and resource use
• Ensuring there is a strong commitment to our ICB values and behaviours charter which is essential to becoming a successful strategic commissioning organisation

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the Director of Nursing and Consultant Lead Safeguarding in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10‑year plan:

• From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
• From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
• From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:

Policy and service development

• Implement policy and / or service developments related to all aspects of the safeguarding agenda, interpreting requirements from NHS strategies, including the ICB strategy and the 10 Year Health Plan
• Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
• Use research and innovation to inform service improvements or performance management

Strategy and analysis

• Use of complex health data sets, including those relating to performance across activity, finance and quality to inform decision making
• Analysis of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to all aspects of the safeguarding agenda
• Turning analysis into useful insights that can be used to inform decision making
• Present highly complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings
• Use of Population Health Management methodologies and tools to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services

Planning and organisation

• Develop project plans to drive delivery of complex projects relating to all aspects of the safeguarding agenda
• Manage delivery against agreed project plan, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
• Develop and oversee annual business plan for all aspects of the safeguarding agenda

Communications and Partnerships

• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
• Listen effectively to a broad range of perspectives, including staff, patients and the public, to inform decision making
• Present information and training to large groups
• Build strong, trust‑based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, VCFSE partners and communities as needed
• Effective engagement with patients and the public as required
• Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to enable the collective ownership and delivery of projects that are seeking to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver a sustainable health and care system
• Share complex and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing
• Manage conflict, find compromise and build consensus where needed to drive progress in delivery

Financial and resource management

• Support the Director of Nursing and Consultant Lead Safeguarding maintaining strong value for money across ICB expenditure.
• Demonstrate a strong sense of financial acumen
• Supports procurement of relevant services

Team management and capability building

• Develop and lead the All‑age Safeguarding team, including overseeing recruitment, onboarding, development and performance management of team members
• Support staff through ICB transition, including the development of teams to deliver on new ICB portfolios as agreed through transition
• Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
• Work collaboratively with system partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
• Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
• Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team

Other

• Use initiative and work with independency to deliver on requirements of the role
• Primarily desk‑based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on‑line or in person meetings
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel, AI)

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• ICB senior leadership
• Information Governance team
• Health & Wellbeing Board officers
• Local Authority partners
• Adult and Childrens Safeguarding boards
• Police
• Public Health
• Named Professionals and GPs
• NHS Providers
• NHSEI regional partners
• VCFSE sector, local health entrepreneurs, campaigns groups and social media influencers and local employers

Person Specification

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years experience working in a senior adult safeguarding specialism, ideally in a healthcare setting
• Proven experience of providing expert safeguarding advice and supervision to professionals
• Experience in leading and participating in incident reviews, such as patient safety and safeguarding multi‑agency reviews (i.e. Safeguarding Adults Reviews or Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews)
• Experience in implementing safeguarding policies and procedures within a large organisation or community setting
• Experience of working at a strategic level, able to recognise direction and implications of policy and potentially competing priorities
• Experience in the provision of Mental Health services.
• Understanding of Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework (NHS, 2026) and implications for ICBs and health providers
• In‑depth knowledge of Southend, Essex, and Thurrock safeguarding adult guidelines and national legislation related to adult safeguarding
• Compliance with the Adult Safeguarding Roles and Competencies for Healthcare Staff (RCN, 2024)
• Knowledge of governance and quality assurance processes within safeguarding, including dissemination of learning from reviews
• Use of complex health data sets, including those relating to performance across activity, finance and quality to inform decision making
• Strong leadership and decision‑making skills, especially in complex and sensitive adult safeguarding matters
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence and advise senior leadership and multidisciplinary teams
• High‑level analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex safeguarding cases and data
• Organisational skills to manage multiple priorities effectively, including governance and quality assurance processes

People & Culture

• Demonstrated ability to manage and lead a team, ensuring all voices are heard, supporting professional growth, and ensuring effective safeguarding standards
• Experience representing an organisation in multi‑agency panels.
• Ability to foster effective partnerships with external agencies to address complex safeguarding issues
• Manage conflict, find compromise and build consensus where needed to drive progress in delivery

Governance and Assurance

• Implement policy and / or service developments related to all aspects of the safeguarding agenda, interpreting requirements from NHS strategies, including the ICB strategy and the 10 Year Health Plan
• Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
• Use research and innovation to inform service improvements or performance management
• Support the Director of Nursing and Consultant Lead Safeguarding maintaining strong value for money across ICB expenditure
• Demonstrate a strong sense of financial acumen
• Support procurement of relevant services

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level (relevant focus) or equivalent managerial experience
• Evidence of sustained commitment to continuing professional development
• Demonstratable higher qualification in Safeguarding
• Required to be a Nurse registrant, Midwife, Health Visitor, AHP or Social Worker

Partnerships & Communities

• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
• Build strong, trust‑based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, partners and communities as needed
• Ability to travel to attend meetings at several locations across Southend, Essex and Thurrock

Personal Attributes and Values

• Personal commitment to the values of the NHS 10‑year Plan, the NHS People Plan, the Nolan Principles, to championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the ICB and the wider health system
• Primarily desk‑based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on‑line or in person meetings
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel, AI)
• Ability to work independently and take initiative, especially in urgent safeguarding situations
• Personal attributes include emotional intelligence, resilience, and flexibility

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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