SEND Operations Lead
Secondment, Full Time
£48,841 to £50,307 per annum
Location: Harlow
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 17th March 2026
Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 2 years.
This position has been classed as an anywhere worker role but has an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the office, in Harlow, 1 day per week, with the remaining time allowing for remote working if desired, in line with the organisation’s needs.
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The Opportunity
This is a secondment opportunity for up to two years at an exciting moment of change with AI solutions and transformation initiatives shaping new ways of working within the statutory SEND Operations team.
Essex County Council has embarked upon a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage, and which provides appropriate and impactful support without such high dependence on Essex County Council’s statutory services.
The SEND Operations Lead will manage and develop the SEND Operations service, working collaboratively across the quadrant Education leadership team, central Education services and with health and social care teams. Leading the effective delivery of Essex County Council’s (ECC) statutory duties, regarding the assessment and review process for pupils with SEND, in one of four quadrants.
Accountabilities
- Lead the SEND Operations team to ensure efficient and effective delivery of the council’s statutory duties in relation to the assessment and review process for children and young people (CYP) with SEND, within a quadrant.
- Responsible for the admission process for pre-school, school age and post 16 pupils with an EHCP, into appropriate placements, whilst ensuring effective use of public resources.
- Responsible for the execution of ECC’s statutory duties in relation to processes and placements of CYP with EHCPs, including those who are not in a school placement, supporting the transition plans between key stages, and where placement breakdown necessitates, a change of provision.
- Influencing key partners including Health, Social Care and educational settings, to ensure their contribution to the EHCP process and the co-production of associated paperwork, taking into account the views and ambitions of parents, carers and CYP.
- Ensuring delivery of the future vision for School/Setting led SEND.
- Responsible for analysing trend data to inform and influence decisions relating to EHCP assessments, reviews and future provision development, including resource allocation.
- Responsible for the complaints procedure within a quadrant; representing the Council in communications with head teachers, governors, elected members, MPs, other agencies and parents.
- Responsible for ensuring casework, including mediation, is efficiently and effectively managed, resolving sensitive and contentious individual cases, e.g. following up letters of complaint by the Ombudsman, DfES, Judicial Reviews and Child Protection matters. Ensure continuous improvement as a result of lessons learned.
- Responsible for preparatory work, writing case statements, negotiation and liaison with parents and schools regarding SEND Tribunals, seeking wherever possible to de-escalate cases. Work in partnership with the SEND Tribunal team and legal representatives to make recommendations to senior leaders regarding possible case outcomes.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to RFQ Level 6 (Bachelor’s degree) or equivalent by experience and possesses Level 4 of the SEN awards.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the local authority’s statutory responsibilities in relation to assessment and review of CYP with SEND.
- Evidence of successful management of SEND services, statutory assessment and review processes.
- Evidence of forging effective working relationships with external partners including schools, settings, health and social care colleagues, as well as parents and parental representatives.
- Evidence of effectively and sensitively dealing with a wide range of people regarding difficult and complex issues, including the use of effective negotiation and providing successful challenge and support to educational settings and other agencies.
- Excellent leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to build and lead a diverse team and work collaboratively across a leadership team to achieve shared goals.
- Significant experience in undertaking quality assurance, review and evaluation procedures, including the effective use of data to determine improvement.
Interviews
Interviews will be held face to face on 23rd March at Goodman House.
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone’s Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email jamielea.wallis@Essex.gov.uk
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