Principal Educational Psychologist in Chelmsford

Your New Organisation Southend-on-Sea City Council is a unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who work alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend. Working for Southend-on-Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovative environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work-life balance.

As a Unitary Authority, we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference.

Your new role Are you ready to make a meaningful and lasting difference to the lives of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Southend-on-Sea? Southend-on-Sea City Council is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Principal Educational Psychologist to lead our Educational Psychology Service. This is a rare opportunity to shape the strategic direction of the service, influence inclusive practice across the city and play a central role in supporting children, families and professionals.

As Principal Educational Psychologist, you will provide strong strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality psychological advice and support to schools, settings and partners. You will have the autonomy to grow and develop the service, nurture talent within your team and embed a culture of reflection, learning and continuous improvement.

Our Principal Educational Psychologist plays a strategic, system-wide role in shaping and delivering SEND reform, influencing policy, practice, and outcomes across education, health, and care systems beyond individual assessments, and acting as a key local driver by integrating leadership, psychological expertise, and system design to strengthen inclusive and sustainable practice.

What you'll be doing You will lead and manage the Educational Psychology Service, setting a clear vision and ensuring the service responds effectively to local priorities and statutory responsibilities. Working closely with schools, early years settings, health colleagues and partner agencies, you will champion collaborative working and promote inclusive, evidence-based interventions that improve outcomes for children and young people.

You will oversee the delivery of statutory psychological advice in line with the SEND Code of Practice (0-25 years), including complex casework and representation at SEN Tribunals where required. Alongside this, you will be responsible for quality assurance, ensuring the service operates to the highest professional and ethical standards.

Safeguarding will be integral to your role, and you will actively promote the welfare and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults, ensuring robust risk management and safeguarding practices are embedded across the service.

What you'll need to succeed You will be an experienced Senior Educational Psychologist with a strong track record of leadership and people management. You will bring confidence in leading, supervising and developing staff, alongside experience of partnership working and contributing to multi professional casework and strategic projects. You will be an excellent communicator, able to influence, collaborate and build trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. A strong commitment to inclusion, continuous improvement and evidence informed practice will be central to your approach.

You will hold a recognised postgraduate qualification in Educational Psychology and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You will also have a deep understanding of SEND legislation, statutory processes, safeguarding responsibilities and the strategic frameworks that support effective service delivery.

What you'll get in return When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the 'Why Work For Us?' tab.

Salary is Soulbury Scale B Points 12-15 (£72,999 - £77,184) with access to up to 3 additional SPA points (£78,591 - £81,425).

What you need to do now If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above, so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to. Southend-on-Sea City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.