Head of Safeguarding

Our Story

Established in 2013, City Football Group is the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, with total or partial ownership of twelve clubs across the world. City Football Group also invests in other football related businesses and serves as a global commercial platform for our partners, whilst fulfilling our purpose of empowering better lives through football on a local and global scale, consistent with what “City” football has meant to people for over a century.

Our Winning Team

Our purpose is to empower better lives through football. We are proud of the role City Football Group clubs play in their localities, delivering positive economic, social and environmental impact through our operations and through programmes and activities that bring about meaningful, lasting change.

At City Football Group we are looking for a Head of Safeguarding to join us in our Manchester office.

The role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Safeguarding to lead and shape safeguarding excellence across City Football Group, during a period of continued global growth and ambition.

This is a high-impact leadership role, responsible for driving the safeguarding agenda across the UK and MENA regions, ensuring the highest standards of care, protection, and wellbeing for children and vulnerable individuals across our football, community, and education programmes. You will play a central role in delivering our global safeguarding strategy and embedding a best-in-class SafeSport culture across our international organisation.

Working at the heart of the business, you will partner with senior leaders to translate strategy into meaningful action aligned with policy, influencing decision-making, and ensuring safeguarding remains a core priority across all operations. This is a unique opportunity to operate at both a strategic level, driving continuous improvement and innovation in safeguarding practices across multiple territories.

You will act as a trusted subject matter expert, building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, while championing a culture where safeguarding is understood, embedded, and owned by everyone. Your leadership will be critical in ensuring our programmes are not only compliant, but truly sector-leading.

Leading a team of dedicated safeguarding professionals, you will develop capability, inspire high performance, and create an environment where people can thrive while delivering meaningful impact.

This role offers a rare opportunity to shape safeguarding across one of the world’s most innovative and globally recognised sports organisations, combining purpose-driven work with real influence at scale.

What we are looking for

• A proven safeguarding leader with experience operating in complex, multi-site or international environments.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practice, with the ability to apply this across different jurisdictions.
• A strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into impactful delivery.
• An exceptional communicator and influencer, confident working with senior stakeholders and external partners.
• A passion for creating safe, inclusive, and supportive environments.

To apply 

If you are an experienced Safeguarding Leader who is excited by the opportunity to support major infrastructure expansion in a global sports and entertainment sector, we would love to hear from you. Please apply with your CV via our careers portal by 29 March 2026.

This is Your City 

As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and dental cover, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts. 

 Equal opportunities

City Football Group promotes equal opportunities in employment and we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose skills and experience seem to meet our needs. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you only if you are selected for an interview. 

Employment is subject to the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Due to our safeguarding promise, all UK based CFG roles will be subject to a DBS check upon commencing employment with us. This will be either a basic, standard or enhanced check depending on the job role and responsibilities.