Clinical governance lead

Clinical Governance Lead ASCERT is a Northern Ireland charity and leading provider of services addressing drug and alcohol related issues. We are currently looking to expand our team and are recruiting for the following position: Clinical Governance Lead The Clinical Governance Lead is a leadership role responsible for providing organisation-wide clinical oversight, governance, and safeguarding arrangements across ASCERTs services. The postholder will ensure that all clinical and therapeutic work delivered by ASCERT is safe, effective, trauma-informed, evidence-based, and compliant with professional standards, all relevant legislation including safeguarding, health and safety, duty of care, information governance, and data protection requirements, and commissioner requirements. Working closely with the Director of Operations, Senior Management Team, and Board, the Clinical Governance Lead will lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of ASCERTs clinical governance framework, strengthening consistency, quality, and risk management across multiple commissioned services. The role provides expert clinical leadership and professional guidance to managers and practitioners, supporting complex clinical decision-making, safeguarding practice, and organisational learning. The postholder will not hold a routine clinical caseload; instead, they will operate at a strategic and organisational level, enabling robust oversight, independent challenge, and effective assurance. This role is central to ASCERTs commitment to delivering high-quality services, protecting service users and staff, and maintaining the confidence of commissioners, partners, and stakeholders. Role Overview The Clinical Governance Lead is a leadership role responsible for providing organisation-wide clinical oversight, governance, and safeguarding arrangements across ASCERTs services. The postholder will ensure that all clinical and therapeutic work delivered by ASCERT is safe, effective, trauma-informed, evidence-based, and compliant with professional standards, all relevant legislation including safeguarding, health and safety, duty of care, information governance, and data protection requirements, and commissioner requirements. Working closely with the Director of Operations, Senior Management Team, and Board, the Clinical Governance Lead will lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of ASCERTs clinical governance framework, strengthening consistency, quality, and risk management across multiple commissioned services. The role provides expert clinical leadership and professional guidance to managers and practitioners, supporting complex clinical decision-making, safeguarding practice, and organisational learning. The postholder will not hold a routine clinical caseload; instead, they will operate at a strategic and organisational level, enabling robust oversight, independent challenge, and effective assurance. This role is central to ASCERTs commitment to delivering high-quality services, protecting service users and staff, and maintaining the confidence of commissioners, partners, and stakeholders. Key Responsibilities 1. Clinical Governance & Quality Assurance Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing review of ASCERTs clinical governance framework. Ensure robust clinical governance arrangements are maintained in services. Ensure consistent clinical standards, policies, and procedures across all commissioned services. Lead on and maintain organisational accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Oversee clinical audit, quality monitoring, and continuous improvement processes. Develop and maintain systems for learning from incidents, complaints, and near misses. Ensure services meet contractual, regulatory, legal and professional standards in their clinical work. 2. Safeguarding & Risk Management Lead on the development, implementation and ongoing review of safeguarding policy and procedures across ASCERT. Provide oversight of safeguarding practice across the organisation. Act as a point of escalation for complex or high-risk safeguarding and clinical cases. Ensure robust risk assessment, risk management, and escalation processes are embedded across services. Oversee serious incident reporting, reviews and ensure organisational learning is captured and implemented. 3. Clinical Leadership & Professional Support Provide clinical leadership and expert advice to service managers and practitioners. Provide clinical advice across client services to support clinical decision-making, the management of complex clinical presentations, and risk management. Lead on the development and implementation of clinical supervision frameworks and professional support structures for clinical and non-clinical staff. Ensure there are appropriate internal arrangements for staff in clinical services that support reflective practice, learning, and professional development. Lead organisational preparedness for external inspection and accreditation processes Lead on the implementation of an organisational plan to develop ASCERT as a trauma informed organisation. Promote trauma-informed, evidence-based, and ethically sound practice across clinical services. 4. Policy, Practice & Service Development Lead the development and review of clinical policies, protocols, and practice guidelines. Advise the Senior Management Team and Board on matters of clinical governance, safeguarding policy and practice Ensure ASCERT services align with national clinical guidance, standards, commissioner requirements and best practice. Develop and contribute to service design, mobilisation, innovation and change programmes to ensure delivery of effective outcomes for service users. Lead on workforce development that delivers training priorities, and clinical competencies and continuous professional development Embed equality, diversity and inclusion principles into clinical policies, supervision and training, service design 5. Reporting, Assurance & Governance Provide regular clinical governance, safeguarding and risk management reports to senior management and the Board. Chair or contribute to organisational committees or workgroups in relation to clinical governance and safeguarding as required. Maintain oversight of the organisations clinical risk register Provide assurance to the Board regarding clinical risk exposure. Support management, commissioner and funder reporting and contribute to inspections, audits, and reviews. Ensure clear accountability and documentation for clinical decision-making, risk management and safeguarding. Participate in supervision, appraisal, and ongoing professional development. 6. Partnership & External Liaison Act as a clinical representative for ASCERT with commissioners, statutory partners, professional bodies and external agencies. Build effective relationships with health, social care, statutory and voluntary-sector partners and other key stakeholders. Support the organisations reputation for high-quality, safe, and effective services. Effectively represent and promote the organisation and its interests, protecting the organisations reputation for high-quality, safe, and effective services. PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL criteria A recognised professional qualification in a relevant clinical discipline, for example: Psychology, Nursing, Social Work, Counselling / Psychotherapy, other relevant allied health or therapeutic profession Accreditation and maintaining registration and CPD with an appropriate professional or regulatory body, and a commitment to maintenance of professional registration and ongoing professional development. A minimum of 5 years post-qualification experience working in a clinical role in mental health, substance use, or related services. Experience working with complex presentations, including risk, trauma, safeguarding, and co-morbid needs. Significant experience holding responsibility for clinical governance and safeguarding decision-making at service or organisational level. Proven ability to provide credible clinical leadership in a multi-disciplinary environment. Strong working knowledge of NI health & social care governance and regulatory frameworks. Demonstrable experience of safeguarding legislation, practice and processes Experience of supporting, supervising, or developing practitioners or managers. DESIRABLE criteria Experience operating as part of a senior leadership team, contributing to organisational strategy and risk management. Formal training or qualification in clinical supervision. Experience leading or contributing to organisational accreditation (e.g. BACP or similar). Experience working in the charity, voluntary, or community sector. Experience of supporting services through inspections, audits, or commissioner reviews. Knowledge of substance use treatment systems and mental health pathways in Northern Ireland or the wider UK. Experience of embedding trauma-informed or psychologically informed approaches within services or organisations. Experience of leading or developing digital transformation, case management systems or performance dashboards. SKILLS/ATTRIBUTES Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact and influence at all levels to build and maintain effective internal and external working relationships Commitment to service excellence, stakeholder relationships and continuous improvement. Strong planning and management skills with a successful track record of developing and implementing projects, quality and improvement. Strong professional integrity and sound clinical judgement. 22 Excellent digital skills, particularly in relation to communications, report writing, presentations, information management, finances and spreadsheets. Why join the ASCERT team? 28 Days Annual Leave plus 11 Bank/Public Holidays Christmas Shopping Day Time off for Mental Health Awareness Time off in Lieu Policy Hybrid Working Options Investors in People GOLD employer Ongoing training & study opportunities Competitive Pension contributions from ASCERT Staff Wellbeing Programme Employee Assistance Programme through Westfield Health Cash Plan Staff Working Groups to give staff a say in Organisational Development Staff Representatives Staff Reward & Recognition Programme Closing date-12 noon on Monday 27th of April 2026 ASCERT are an equal opportunities employer Skills: Clinical Governance Lead Clinical Governance Social Care