South Lanarkshire Council
Independent Chair of South Lanarkshire’s Protecting People Partnership (Public Protection Committee)
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ACTUAL CLOSING DATE:
Applications must be received by 5.00pm on 27 September 2026
To apply for this post, you should submit a CV (three sides of A4 maximum) to Aine McCrea, Chief Social Work Officer at aine.mccrea@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. Your information should include how your experience relates to the role and a personal statement about why you are interested in the position and what you would contribute to the multi-agency safeguarding agenda in South Lanarkshire.
Location: South Lanarkshire
Hours: 2-year term of appointment - up to 6 days per month.
Rate: £350.00 per day plus travel expenses.
Independent Chair of South Lanarkshire’s Protecting People Partnership (Public Protection Committee)
South Lanarkshire is seeking to appoint an independent Chair for our Protecting People Partnership which brings together child protection, adult protection, violence against Woman & Girls, MAPPA, community justice and wider safeguarding work under one whole system strategy.
This will be a 2-year term of appointment with a yearly appraisal, up to 6 days per month.
As Chair you will ensure the Committee fulfils their duties in accordance with national guidance and legislation. You will lead the committee in areas of service development and continuous improvement, oversee quality assurance and self-evaluation processes, provide strategic public protection leadership, linking with other relevant strategic groups and undertake all associated Committee chair responsibilities and functions.
The role is critical to fulfilling its remit for co-ordination, planning, improvement and public engagement for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults in South Lanarkshire.
You will be expected to provide the South Lanarkshire Chief Officers Group with assurance on the effectiveness of multi-agency working in relation to Public Protection.
You will also represent South Lanarkshire at national level, linking with the Scottish Government to ensure the committee continue to participate in and are informed on national developments.
We require a highly motivated and credible individual with proven leadership abilities. You should be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of national developments in relation to Public Protection agenda.
You will work closely with local leadership and key partners including Police and NHS Lanarkshire. The role involves hybrid working with a mix of remote and face-to-face meeting requirements.
You must have substantial experience of working at senior, strategic and operational level, demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and have a successful track record in leading internal and external strategy and public sector governance processes. You should also be able to evidence understanding of the relevant legislation, guidance, policy and practice within which the Public Protection operate.
You should be educated to degree level with a relevant professional qualification.
Preferred candidates identified after the selection event process will be required to assist the recruitment team, if need be, to ensure timely completion of recruitment checks. If recruitment checks are not completed within a reasonable timescale, you may automatically be withdrawn from this position.
Please see Independent Chair of South Lanarkshire's Protecting People Partnership job profile.
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Legislative Information
This post is excepted in terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Scotland Act 2020.
This post is considered a Regulated Role with Children and/or Adults, in respect of the Disclosure Scotland Act 2020. Therefore, it is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with children and/or Adults.
Preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to a formal offer of employment being made.
Please refer to http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk for further information about the disclosure process and best practice.
To apply for this post, you should submit a CV (three sides of A4 maximum) to Aine McCrea, Chief Social Work Officer. Your information should include how your experience relates to the role as stated above and a personal statement about why you are interested in the position and what you would contribute to the multi-agency safeguarding agenda in South Lanarkshire.
For a Chair of a Multi-Agency Public Protection Meeting (MAPPA or similar public protection forum), the individual should have a combination of professional experience, leadership skills, credibility, and sound judgement. The chair's role is to facilitate effective risk management, ensure accountability, and maintain a focus on public safety while enabling constructive multi-agency partnership working.
Essential Experience
- Significant experience in public protection, criminal justice, social work, policing, health, housing, or related safeguarding services.
- Experience of risk assessment and risk management involving individuals who may pose a risk of serious harm.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, and public protection frameworks.
- Experience of working within multi-agency partnerships and understanding the roles and responsibilities of different agencies.
- Experience of chairing complex meetings involving senior professionals and managing differing views.
Key Qualities and Competencies
Strong Leadership
- Commands professional respect and credibility.
- Provides clear direction and maintains focus on outcomes.
- Able to make difficult decisions and challenge appropriately.
Effective Communication
- Facilitates open and balanced discussion.
- Ensures all agencies contribute to risk assessment and management planning.
- Summarises key points and actions clearly.
Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Able to assess complex information from multiple sources.
- Identifies gaps, inconsistencies, and emerging risks.
- Maintains professional curiosity and healthy challenge.
Independence and Objectivity
- Remains impartial when managing differing professional opinions.
- Ensures decisions are evidence-based and defensible.
- Avoids agency bias.
Risk-Focused Approach
- Keeps public protection and victim safety at the centre of discussions.
- Understands dynamic and static risk factors.
- Ensures risk management plans are proportionate and robust.
Confidence to Challenge
- Holds agencies accountable for agreed actions.
- Challenges drift, poor attendance, inadequate information sharing, or weak risk management plans.
- Encourages a culture of professional challenge and learning.
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Emotional Intelligence
- Manages conflict effectively.
- Recognises the impact of high-risk cases on staff and victims.
- Creates a respectful and psychologically safe environment for professionals to contribute.
Desirable Personal Attributes
- Integrity and professionalism.
- Calm under pressure.
- Organised and detail-focused.
- Decisive while remaining collaborative.
- Commitment to partnership working and continuous improvement.
Equal Opportunities and Inclusion statement
The Council is committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion in its workforce. Therefore, we welcome applications from all sectors of the community, including under-represented groups within our workforce. We are keen to receive applications from candidates who have a disability, who are from a care experienced background, who are from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background, from a military service background and from those who are new Scots.
South Lanarkshire Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourages applications from all members of the community. As a user of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum competency/behaviour requirements for the position.
South Lanarkshire Council is committed to providing support to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families which is set out in the Armed Forces Community Covenant. Veterans are guaranteed an interview who meet the minimum requirements for the position.
South Lanarkshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council is the unitary authority serving the South Lanarkshire council area in Scotland. The council has its headquarters in Hamilton, has 16,000 employees, and a budget of almost £1bn. The large and varied geographical territory takes in rural and upland areas, market towns such as Lanark, Strathaven and Carluke, the urban burghs of Rutherglen, Cambuslang, and East Kilbride which was Scotland's first new town.
Our vision
Our vision is for South Lanarkshire as set out in our Economic Strategy is to have one of the strongest and most dynamic economies in Scotland, where businesses, communities, and residents achieve their full potential and prosper.
We will achieve this through three key interrelated themes:
- People - skills, learning and employability
- Place - physical infrastructure and place
- Business - business development and growth
Equal Opportunities and Armed Forces Community Covenant
South Lanarkshire Council / South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourages applications from all members of the community. As a user of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum competency/behaviour requirements for the position.
South Lanarkshire Council / South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture is also committed to providing support to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families which is set out in the Armed Forces Community Covenant. Veterans are guaranteed an interview who meet the minimum requirements for the position.
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