As Head of SEND, you will report to the Strategic Head of Education and provide full accountability for a high-profile, politically sensitive SEND service. You will lead multiple specialist teams and hold responsibility for statutory delivery across the 0–25 SEND pathway, influencing how services are commissioned, shaped, and improved. This role focuses on performance, quality assurance, and service transformation, working across education, health, and care partners to help ensure families experience a joined-up, transparent, and responsive system with strong governance and outcome focus.
Your responsibilities will include leading statutory SEND functions across assessment, provision, and EHCP delivery; driving service improvement through performance management and quality assurance; and providing visible leadership to managers and multi-disciplinary teams. You will build strong partnerships with schools, health services, and families, and you will be trusted to operate with a high level of autonomy—managing complex risk and engaging confidently with senior stakeholders, including elected members. You will also own decision-making related to panels and be responsible for budgets and resource allocation.
You will bring extensive senior experience within a SEND or education environment, with deep knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and statutory processes. You will have a proven track record of multi-agency working and system leadership, alongside strong capabilities in data, performance, and inspection readiness. You should be confident leading teams through change, challenge, and improvement, with the ability to balance operational grip with strategic thinking to stabilise services, deliver improvements, and leave a lasting legacy for children and young people and their families.