Trust Executive Lead of Inclusion and Safeguarding

37 hours per week (Full-time), Permanent, All Year Round
Pension: Local Government Pension Scheme
Start Date: January 2027 (or earlier by negotiation)
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer, Paul Smith

The East Midlands Education Trust is seeking to appoint an exceptional educational leader to the role of Trust Executive Head of Inclusion and Safeguarding. Operating as a pivotal member of the senior Trust Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and reporting directly to the CEO, Paul Smith, you will hold ultimate strategic and statutory responsibility for driving systemic excellence across all Trust academies.

In this high-profile executive role, you will lead the design, development, and rigorous quality assurance of the Trust’s overarching inclusion and safeguarding strategies. This role is fundamentally geared toward ensuring Ofsted readiness across all sites, establishing a robust culture of compliance, and closing the disadvantage gap. You will hold oversight for programs linked to safeguarding, child protection, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Pupil Premium, Free School Meals (FSM), and alternative provision.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the executive lead for inspection preparation across all areas of inclusion and safeguarding.
• Ensure all academies are highly prepared to evidence outstanding practice under the Ofsted framework, specifically focusing on Leadership and Management, Behaviour and Attitudes, and Personal Development.
• Act as the ultimate strategic lead for safeguarding and child protection across the Trust. Maintain absolute statutory compliance, oversee the auditing of school-level Single Central Records (SCR), and ensure a proactive, synchronised culture of vigilance and care aligned with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
• Implement trust-wide QA frameworks, mock inspections, and peer-review systems to monitor the impact of inclusion strategies on attendance, suspension rates, and learning outcomes for vulnerable groups.
• Provide high-level leadership, mentoring, and rigorous accountability to our SENDCOs, Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), Inclusion Leads, and school-based Senior Leadership Teams (SLT).
  About You

To be successful in this role, you will be a visionary leader with a proven track record of operating effectively across multiple sites or at a senior leadership level within a MAT structure.

You will possess:

• Experience of working in a similar MAT wide role and experience of working in a high performing school.
• Extensive experience in successfully navigating the Ofsted inspection framework with demonstrable impact on safeguarding and inclusion outcomes.
• Deep, authoritative working knowledge of statutory frameworks surrounding safeguarding/child protection (KCSIE) and SEND/Inclusion.
• A data-driven approach to leadership, with the ability to analyse complex performance, attendance, and behaviour metrics to drive rapid intervention.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the gravitas to report confidently to the CEO, Trust Board, and external regulatory bodies.

What We Offer

This is a career-defining opportunity for an ambitious leader looking to drive systemic change across a forward-thinking Trust. The successful candidate will receive a highly competitive salary on the L14-L18 leadership scale, comprehensive support from the Trust’s central executive team, and the collaborative autonomy to shape the future development of our communities.

How to Apply

To apply, please visit the Trust website East Midlands Education Trust - Vacancies and complete the online application form. On the application form, please focus on a detailed 'supporting statement' taking into account the person specification and indicating why you would be the best person for us to recruit to this position.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or to arrange an informal conversation with our CEO, Paul Smith, please contact the Trust HR Department via hr@emet.uk.com.

East Midlands Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. East Midlands Education Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds and from candidates with disabilities.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 22nd July 2026.

EMET reserves the right to close this vacancy early should a suitable candidate be found; therefore, early application is strongly encouraged.