Head Of Service - Quality Assurance, Partnerships & Safeguarding

Interim Head of Service - QA, Partnerships & Safeguarding

Location: Plymouth, Devon
Contract: Interim (26 Weeks)
Rate: £620 per day PAYE
Hours: 37 per week
Start Date: October 2026
IR35: Inside IR35

Our client is seeking an experienced senior leader within Children's Services to join them on an interim basis as Head of Service for Quality Assurance, Partnerships and Safeguarding.

This is a key leadership role within a forward-thinking local authority, providing strategic direction across safeguarding, quality assurance and multi-agency partnership working. The successful candidate will play a central role in driving service improvement, maintaining high standards of practice and ensuring positive outcomes for children, young people and families.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice and guidance to senior leaders and elected members on national policy, legislation and best practice.
• Lead and develop quality assurance frameworks to improve practice and performance.
• Drive continuous improvement across safeguarding services.
• Strengthen and maintain effective partnerships across the wider children's workforce and key agencies.
• Ensure children, young people and families receive services that improve outcomes and promote safety and wellbeing.
• Monitor and evaluate performance against local and national expectations, implementing improvement plans where required.
• Support inspection readiness and contribute to strategic planning and service development.
• Lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams.

About You

• You will be an accomplished senior manager with substantial experience within Children's Services and a strong track record of leading safeguarding and quality assurance functions.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Extensive leadership experience within a local authority children's services environment.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and national policy.
• Experience of quality assurance, service improvement and performance management.
• A proven ability to lead complex partnership arrangements across multiple organisations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience advising senior executives, directors and elected members.
• A strong focus on delivering improved outcomes for children and young people.

What's on Offer

• High-profile interim leadership opportunity.
• Opportunity to influence strategic direction and service improvement.
• Competitive daily rate.
• Supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Immediate impact role within a well-established service.

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