Assistant Director of Nursing – Safeguarding and SEND @ NHS England

Job summary

NHS England South West is seeking an exceptional and experienced nursing leader to join our Clinical Directorate as Assistant Director of Nursing - Safeguarding and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

This influential senior leadership role provides strategic and professional leadership across safeguarding, SEND (0-25 years), domestic abuse and sexual violence, research, and innovation. Acting as Deputy to the Deputy Director of Nursing Statutory functions for Safeguarding, IPC and SEND, the post holder will play a key role in supporting the delivery of national priorities, regional transformation programmes, and the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.

The successful candidate will

• Provide expert leadership and assurance across safeguarding and SEND services.
• Lead the implementation of multi-agency safeguarding priorities and SEND reforms
• Work closely with Integrated Care Boards, provider organisations, local authorities, and wider system partners.
• Act as the Regional Safeguarding Lead for the South West.
• Influence and shape strategy, policy development, and system improvement across health and care services.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of safeguarding and SEND services across the South West, working at the forefront of policy implementation, system leadership, and service transformation.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities will include

• Providing expert professional leadership and advice on safeguarding and SEND to NHS organisations, Integrated Care Boards, provider trusts and system partners.
• Leading the development and delivery of regional programmes that support national priorities and statutory responsibilities.
• Working collaboratively with local authorities, education partners, the voluntary sector and other stakeholders to drive improvements in quality, safety and patient experience.
• Providing assurance on safeguarding arrangements and supporting organisations to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Influencing policy, strategy and service transformation across the region, ensuring the voice and needs of vulnerable populations remain central to decision-making.
• Leading quality improvement initiatives, using evidence, intelligence and best practice to enhance outcomes and reduce inequalities.
• Representing NHS England at regional and national forums, building strong partnerships and promoting collaboration across organisational boundaries.
• Supporting workforce development and professional leadership, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and excellence.
• Deputising for the Deputy Director of Nursing as required and contributing to the wider strategic leadership of the regional nursing and quality team.

About us

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for external candidates.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Assistant Director of Nursing (Safeguarding & SEND) is a senior nursing leadership role within NHS England, responsible for providing strategic leadership, expert professional advice and system oversight for safeguarding and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across the region.

The postholder will work across organisational boundaries to support the delivery of national priorities, improve quality and patient outcomes, provide professional assurance, and strengthen partnership working across health, social care, education and the voluntary sector.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide visible and credible senior nursing leadership for safeguarding, SEND, domestic abuse and sexual violence across the region.
• Lead the development and delivery of regional strategies, policies and programmes aligned to NHS England priorities and statutory responsibilities.
• Support the implementation of national policy, guidance and best practice, ensuring a consistent and effective approach across systems.
• Contribute to the strategic leadership of the regional Nursing and Quality Directorate and support the delivery of wider organisational objectives.
• Deputise for the Deputy Director of Nursing - Statutory Function (Safeguarding, SEND and IPC) as required.

Safeguarding and SEND Leadership

• Act as the regional professional lead for safeguarding and SEND, providing expert advice and guidance to Integrated Care Boards, providers and key stakeholders.
• Provide strategic oversight and assurance regarding safeguarding arrangements for children, young people and adults.
• Lead the regional SEND agenda, supporting systems to improve services, reduce inequalities and enhance outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.
• Support organisations in meeting statutory safeguarding responsibilities and regulatory requirements.
• Promote effective multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and partnership working across health, education, local authorities and the voluntary sector.

Quality Improvement and Transformation

• Lead programmes of work designed to improve quality, safety, patient experience and health outcomes.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and transformation, supporting the development of evidence-based approaches to service improvement.
• Use intelligence, data and emerging evidence to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Provide expert input into quality reviews, assurance processes and improvement interventions where required.
• Promote the adoption and spread of best practice across systems and organisations.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Working

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with senior leaders across health, social care, education, regulatory bodies and partner organisations.
• Influence and support system-wide collaboration to improve safeguarding and SEND outcomes.
• Represent NHS England at regional and national meetings, networks, programme boards and professional forums.
• Foster strong partnerships that support integrated working and the delivery of shared objectives.
• Act as an ambassador for the Nursing Directorate and NHS England values.

Professional Leadership

• Provide expert clinical and professional leadership to nursing and multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Support workforce development, succession planning and professional standards across safeguarding and SEND services.
• Promote a culture of learning, continuous improvement, inclusion and excellence.
• Provide coaching, support and professional advice to senior clinical leaders and specialist practitioners.
• Champion equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of leadership and service delivery.

Governance, Assurance and Risk Management

• Provide assurance to senior regional and national leaders on safeguarding and SEND performance, risks and compliance.
• Ensure effective governance arrangements are in place across programmes and areas of responsibility.
• Identify, assess and manage organisational and system risks, escalating concerns where appropriate.
• Prepare high-quality reports, briefings and papers for senior leadership groups, committees and boards.
• Support the investigation and review of significant incidents, themes and learning to drive improvement.

People and Resource Management

• Lead and manage staff within the portfolio, promoting a high-performance and inclusive culture.
• Ensure resources are used effectively and in accordance with organisational priorities and governance requirements.
• Support workforce planning and development to ensure services are sustainable and responsive to future needs.
• Contribute to business planning, performance management and programme delivery across the Directorate.

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent with experience of working at senior level in safeguarding
• A current Nursing & Midwifery Council professional registration

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Extensive knowledge and experience of safeguarding, looked-after children and care leavers, SEND, supervision, coaching and quality improvement within provider settings and/or integrated commissioning boards. This is supported by a postgraduate diploma (or equivalent training and experience), along with additional specialist knowledge or experience to a level equivalent to a degree.
• Leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes in a politically sensitive and complex environment
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare and multi-agency policy's including multi-agency partnership working, SEND, CHC and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
• Should demonstrate a clear understanding of the relationships between the Department of Health and Social Care, OHID (Public Health), the Department for Education, the Home Office, NHS England/DHSC reforms, and individual provider and commissioning organisations.
• Proven and significant leadership experience and/or formal management qualification.

Skills Capabilities & Attributes

Essential

• Experience of successfully operating and delivering in a partnership environments.
• Awareness of relevant public and private sector business management best practice in specialist field
• Ability to communicate effectively with clinical, academic and all levels of staff.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of expertise in providing senior leadership Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary, working to tight and often changing deadlines.
• Ability to provide and receive, convey and present highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information to large groups, responding openly to questions to ensure full understanding and engagement

Values and behaviours

Essential

• Ability to operate in a value-driven style consistent with the values of the public services and specifically with the new organisational values
• Works across boundaries, looks for collective success, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others
• Values diversity and difference; operates with integrity and openness Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

NHS England

Address

South West Base - Bristol, Taunton and Plymouth

Taunton

TA1 2PX

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/ (Opens in a new tab)