Head of Community Safety and Resilience

Job Description

Are you ready to play a leading role in shaping a safer, stronger, and more resilient Harrow?

London Borough of Harrow is seeking a Head of Community Safety and Resilience to join our corporate Strategy division. You’ll step into a high‑profile position at the heart of the Council’s strategic operations. This is your opportunity to influence real change from driving forward Harrow’s Community Safety Strategy to strengthening our preparedness for emergencies across the borough.

In this dynamic and far‑reaching role, you will lead the Council’s Community Safety and Resilience Team and act as the pivotal link between the Council, the Police, voluntary organisations, and other key partners. You’ll take charge of tackling crime, anti‑social behaviour, and complex problems that affect our diverse communities, ensuring Harrow remains a safe and inclusive place for all. Your leadership will be crucial in delivering the priorities of Safer Harrow, our local Community Safety Partnership.

You will ensure full compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and will be at the forefront of managing the Council's preparedness and response to emergencies and business continuity, and advising on the prevention of terrorism and extremism in collaboration with other departments. From advising senior leaders and elected Members to coordinating responses during major incidents, you will play a key role in ensuring the safety of the borough and its residents.

With a budget of around £1 million (including external grants) and significant organisational influence, you’ll champion best practice, drive resilience, embed strong business‑continuity arrangements, and inspire a culture that understands the critical links between safety and community confidence.

If you thrive in a fast‑paced, high‑stakes environment and are motivated by meaningful impact, this is a rare opportunity to lead transformational work that truly matters. Step forward and help shape Harrow’s safer future.

If this sounds like you, we’d be delighted to hear from you

• You have a strong understanding of key national, regional, and local legislation shaping community safety, equality, safeguarding, counter‑terrorism, and serious violence duties.
• You bring up‑to‑date knowledge of community safety best practice and understand the pivotal role local authorities play in delivering this agenda.
• You are an inspiring leader who motivates teams, creates a positive culture, and champions organisational values.
• You understand Harrow’s diverse communities, including those disproportionately impacted, and know how to engage them effectively.
• You can build strong partnerships with the police, probation, voluntary sector, and wider stakeholders, ensuring effective collaboration.
• You are financially astute, confident in managing large budgets, and able to make sound decisions grounded in robust financial reasoning.
• You can influence and work confidently with senior leaders, elected Members, and partners to drive shared priorities.
• You are resilient, energetic, and visible in your leadership style, supporting staff through change and maintaining morale.
• You handle difficult conversations constructively, promoting a learning culture that encourages improvement and accountability.
• You are educated to degree level (or equivalent) and bring substantial relevant experience to underpin your professional credibility.

For further information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn