Head of Victims and Stakeholder Engagement – Grooming Gangs Inquiry

The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs (IIGG or “the Inquiry”) was established under the Inquiries Act 2005 following Recommendation 2 of Baroness Louise Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (June 2025). The Inquiry will examine group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, with a mandate to understand what happened, why institutional failings allowed it to continue, and what must change to protect children in the future.The Inquiry is led by Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair and supported by Panellists Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE. It has full statutory powers to compel evidence and call witnesses across institutional and geographical boundaries.

This is a high‑profile, and extremely sensitive role at the heart of a major statutory Inquiry. The successful candidate will develop trusted relationships across a very sensitive stakeholder group, ensure trauma‑informed engagement, and help the Chair, Secretary and Deputy Secretary understand public, community and participant perspectives. They will operate with considerable autonomy at Grade 6, shaping the Inquiry’s reputation, independence and credibility with important stakeholders across government. The candidate will need to ensure the Inquiry can reach clear and evidence based conclusions alongside the National Crime Agency's (NCA’s) live Operation Beaconport.

This is an excellent opportunity for those seeking to develop core civil service policy experience within a high-profile Inquiry and would suit those looking to deliver a body of work with which to build on and seek future promotion.

This Head of Victims and Stakeholder Engagement role leads the Inquiry’s strategic and operational engagement with

• victims and survivors
• core participants (CPs) and legal representatives
• stakeholder groups (Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), advocacy organisations, community partners)
• Op Beaconport and other policing partners
• government departments, including the Home Office Sponsor Team
• local authorities and multi‑agency safeguarding partners

Key Responsibilities

Victim & survivor engagement

• Lead design and delivery of a trauma‑informed engagement model for victims/survivors, ensuring safe, inclusive, and accessible routes for participation.
• Build trusted relationships with affected individuals, families, advocates and support services.
• Work with the legal and investigations teams to ensure survivor voices inform evidence‑gathering, hearings planning and final outputs.

Core participant management

• Oversee all CP communications and engagement, ensuring clear, timely information flow.
• Ensure the Inquiry meets statutory obligations in relation to CP status, disclosure, hearings, and procedural fairness.

Stakeholder & cross‑government engagement

• Lead engagement across government (Home Office, Department for Education (DfE), Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) Ministry of Justice (MoJ), NCA) and with local authorities and safeguarding partners, and act as the Inquiry’s strategic liaison with Op Beaconport.

Strategic engagement planning

• Design and maintain the Inquiry’s engagement strategy, aligned to its Terms of Reference (ToR), programme plan, evidence needs, and hearings cycle.
• Integrate engagement insight into policy development, investigations, hearings planning and risk management.

Line Management

This role requires effective line management of 2-4 team members to be recruited.

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working.

Training

The Inquiry will provide staff with training on Safeguarding and Trauma, as well as core corporate responsibilities.

Travel

The Inquiry will have offices in London and Leeds. However, regular travel will be required to London for face-to-face meetings/engagements.

Fixed Term Appointment (FTA)/Loan

This post is being offered on a 12 months’ basis in order to complete a finite piece of work. Please refer to attached Candidate Information Pack.

The Inquiry timeline is 36 months, and the assignment may be extended subject to relevant approvals.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.