Assistant Director

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Assistant Director to lead our SEND Statutory Assessment and Commissioning Teams. Significant experience of managing complex organisational structures within a local government context at a senior leadership level in work that includes some or all of Commissioning Services for Children and managing Statutory SEND Assessments. The Postholder must be committed to and able to evidence strong skills in co-production and adherence to the four cornerstones of co-production. Successful track record of developing and delivering integrated services which are effective at meeting customer needs, cost efficient and able to navigate conflicting stakeholder demands and vested interests.

Key Responsibilities & Qualifications

• Experience of financial management, including a track record of achieving sustainable budget reductions and maintaining service quality.
• Strong understanding of the legislative and statutory frameworks affecting service delivery within this area, including knowledge of commissioning processes and how schools, colleges and settings are funded for SEN, Children and Families Act 2014, the Care Act 2015 and the Mental Health Capacity Act.
• Ability to build effective specialist and generic teams and integrated relationships.
• Experience of working in partnership with social care and health partners to ensure integrated planning of SEND provision and services.
• Experience of successful service redesign and improvement.
• Successful and proficient problem‑solving skills, with the ability to think and flourish in uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Extensive experience of managing people and performance and leading and managing complex change programmes.
• Well‑developed and effective communication and presentation skills, adaptable to different situations.
• High level and high impact leadership skills.
• An ability to foster and sustain confidence in staff and a wide range of stakeholders including statutory and non‑statutory organisations in periods of organisational change.
• Strong project management skills and experience.
• Experience in effective development and management of partnerships.
• Experience of managing commissioning activity and relationships.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent by experience with a relevant professional qualification (e.g. education psychology; teaching; social work; youth work).
• Post graduate qualification/Relevant professional qualification.

This role is subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/or vulnerable adults. Satisfactory DBS check is required. This post is politically restricted; therefore the post holder is disqualified from undertaking certain political activities under the Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990. As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English.