SEN Tribunals Officer in Hove

Do you have experience working within SEND or a legal framework? Are you confident managing complex casework and meeting statutory deadlines? Can you analyse information and present clear, evidence‑based arguments? Do you want to play a key role in improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND?

We are the SEN Statutory Service at Brighton & Hove City Council. We work to ensure children and young people with special educational needs receive the support they are entitled to. This role sits at the centre of our Tribunal work, managing appeals and representing the Local Authority at SEND Tribunal hearings. This is a key role focused on ensuring decisions are lawful, evidence-based and lead to the right outcomes for children and families.

About the role

You will manage a caseload of SEND Tribunal appeals from start to finish, ensuring all statutory processes and deadlines are met. You will prepare clear, high‑quality written evidence, coordinate input from professionals across education, health and care, and represent the Local Authority at hearings. You will work closely with caseworkers, managers, legal representatives and partners to ensure cases are well‑evidenced and focused on securing appropriate provision for children and young people.

In this role, you will:

• manage SEND Tribunal appeals from start to finish
• prepare clear and legally robust written evidence and responses
• coordinate multi‑agency input and professional reports
• manage and update the Working Document throughout the appeal process
• represent the Local Authority at Tribunal hearings
• provide advice and guidance on Tribunal processes and legal duties
• support service improvement by sharing learning from Tribunal outcomes

This is a fast‑paced role where you will need to manage competing priorities and work to tight deadlines.

About you

You will have experience working within a SEND, legal or statutory framework and be confident managing complex information and casework. You will:

• understand SEND legislation and how it applies in practice
• be able to manage deadlines and prioritise effectively
• communicate clearly, both in writing and verbally
• analyse information and present evidence‑based arguments
• work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals and families
• be confident in influencing, negotiating and challenging where needed

You will be committed to inclusive practice and improving outcomes for children and young people from all backgrounds.

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it is what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro‑rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term‑time only. Please note that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work‑life balance and team collaboration. These would be part of your individual working arrangements alongside any personal preference agreed with your manager in advance of joining. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team and travel to and from your contractual location would be at your own expense.