Independent Chair of South Lanarkshire’s Protecting People Partnership (Public Protection Committee)

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 [email protected] . 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. 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.

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. 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 respec