Head of Service - SEND

Head of Service - SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

Location: Hybrid / Remote Working Available Contract: Full-Time | Interim

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Head of Service - SEND to provide strategic leadership across Special Educational Needs and Disabilities services within a forward-thinking Local Authority.

Reporting to the Director of Education or Assistant Director for Inclusion, you will lead the delivery of statutory SEND services, drive transformational change, and ensure that children and young people with SEND receive high-quality support that enables them to achieve positive outcomes.

This is a senior leadership role requiring substantial experience of SEND legislation, service improvement, inspection readiness, and partnership working across education, health and social care.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Provide strategic leadership for the Local Authority's SEND service. Lead the development and implementation of the SEND Strategy and Improvement Plan. Drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and high performance. Ensure services are fully compliant with statutory responsibilities and national legislation.

Operational Management

Oversee the delivery of Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs), Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), SEND Tribunals, Mediation and Casework Services. Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams, including SEND Managers, Team Managers and Operational Leads. Monitor service performance and ensure statutory timescales and quality standards are achieved. Manage complex and high-profile cases, complaints and escalations.

Ofsted & CQC Readiness

Lead preparation for Ofsted and CQC Area SEND inspections. Oversee implementation of inspection findings and improvement actions. Ensure robust quality assurance frameworks are in place. Drive improvements in outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

Develop strong relationships with schools, academies, parent carer forums, health partners and social care services. Represent the Local Authority at regional and national SEND forums. Provide strategic advice to elected members, senior leaders and partnership boards. Champion co-production with children, young people and families.

Financial & Resource Management

Lead SEND budgets and resource planning. Ensure effective commissioning and deployment of SEND provision. Identify efficiencies while maintaining service quality and statutory compliance. Contribute to High Needs Block planning and sustainability.

Essential Requirements

Significant senior leadership experience within a Local Authority SEND service. Extensive knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice and associated legislation. Proven experience leading large-scale SEND improvement programmes. Track record of improving performance against EHCP statutory timescales and quality measures. Experience leading preparation for Ofsted/CQC inspections. Strong understanding of SEND Tribunals, mediation and dispute resolution. Experience managing substantial budgets and complex services. Excellent stakeholder management, leadership and influencing skills.

Desirable Requirements

Relevant leadership or management qualification. Experience in education, social care or wider children's services leadership. Experience leading services through significant organisational change. Knowledge of commissioning, alternative provision and inclusion strategies.

Eden Brown Synergy is an equal opportunities employer.

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