Trust Executive Lead of Inclusion and Safeguarding
East Midlands Education Trust, Nottingham, NG2 7FA19 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January 2027 (or earlier by negotiation)
Closing date
15 July 2026 at 9am
Date listed
26 June 2026
Job details
Job role
- SENCo (special educational needs coordinator)
- Other leadership roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 37 hours per week (Full-time), Permanent, All Year Round
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Leadership Scale L14 - L18: £71,330 - £78,702 per annum (with some negotiation for an exceptional candidate)
What skills and experience we're looking for
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 the school offers its staff
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 theL14-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 www.emet.uk.com/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 Departmenthr@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.
Closing Date for Applications: 9.00am on Wednesday 15th July 2026.
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.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification in order to be offered the post, will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding checks will be undertaken during the recruitment process and this may include online searches.
We welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religion.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About East Midlands Education Trust
- Type
- Multi-academy trust
- Email address
- HR@emet.uk.com
- Phone number
- 01156718411
East Midlands Education Trust (EMET) is a partnership of schools originally formed in September 2014. We are pleased to have grown to a trust of over 20 schools with a tight geographical focus on the Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire areas.
Our mission is to raise the educational standards and improve the life chances of all the children within our partnership. Our schools are high performing schools who represent the full age range of 3-19, along with an alternative education provider, and we place great emphasis on collaborative working across the Trust within a family of schools approach.
Our schools enjoy a high degree of ‘aligned autonomy’ whilst, at the same time, they are supported by a central trust team who help ensure our schools provide the highest quality of provision possible.
The East Midlands Education Trust is committed to equality of opportunity for all.
Arranging a visit to East Midlands Education Trust
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email HR@emet.uk.com.
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