Experts at Hand Strategic Lead (Senior Teacher) in Milton Keynes

We’re recruiting an Experts at Hand Strategic Lead (Senior Teacher) to join our Education and Learning service at Milton Keynes City Council. The SEND Reform Programme leads the implementation of national Special Educational Needs and Disabilities reforms across the local area, working with education, health, social care, children, young people and families to improve inclusion, experiences and outcomes.

Through strong partnership working and co-production, we drive system-wide improvement while ensuring delivery against local priorities and Department for Education requirements. As an Experts at Hand Strategic Lead, you’ll play a key role in delivering this vision across Milton Keynes. Working as one of four quadrant leads, you’ll support schools, educational settings and partners to strengthen inclusive practice, remove barriers to learning and help children and young people thrive within mainstream education whenever possible.

You’ll provide strategic leadership, professional challenge and practical support to educational leaders while helping to shape and implement local SEND reforms. This is a rewarding role for an experienced educational leader who is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people through inclusion, partnership working and system-wide change.

This is a Site-Based role, and you’ll be expected to work from the designated workplace. Interviews for this role will be held on 5th and 6th October 2026.

We’re building a team that’s focused on making a real difference across our local area. Working with partners, services and communities, you’ll help bring people together, drive collaboration and support improvements that have a lasting impact. In this role, you’ll play an important part in delivering key priorities, helping shape better experiences and outcomes while ensuring our work stays aligned with both local needs and national expectations. It’s a chance to be part of meaningful, system-wide change where your contribution really matters.

If you’re interested in finding out more, we’d welcome your interest. For an informal chat before applying, please contact Victoria Courtis via Victoria.Courtis@milton-keynes.gov.uk.

• Working as one of four quadrant leads to deliver the Experts at Hand programme and support schools and settings to strengthen inclusive practice across Milton Keynes.
• Leading and managing a small multi-agency team which may include Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers, Practitioners and Co-ordinators.
• Overseeing delivery of the Experts at Hand programme to ensure schools and settings are supported to meet a wide range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities within mainstream education.
• Leading the development and delivery of training, intervention programmes and support for schools, settings, parents and carers.
• Using data, professional expertise and evidence to identify priorities, challenge practice where needed and support continuous improvement across educational settings.
• Working collaboratively with partners across education, health and social care to deliver the ambitions of the SEND Reform Programme and improve outcomes for children and young people.

Ideal Candidate

• You’ll hold Qualified Teacher Status, a postgraduate qualification or an equivalent professional qualification, together with significant senior leadership experience within education and/or local government.
• A confident and credible leader who can build strong relationships, influence others and work effectively with schools, families, children, young people and multi-agency partners.
• An experienced practitioner with extensive knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, inclusion and whole-school improvement, together with a strong understanding of the current educational landscape.
• Comfortable providing both support and professional challenge, helping school leaders identify solutions, improve practice and deliver positive outcomes for children and young people.
• Skilled in analysing information, using data to drive improvement and leading strategic change across services, organisations or partnerships.
• Resilient, adaptable and committed to continuous improvement, with the ability to work across a range of environments and travel throughout Milton Keynes as required.
• Full UK Driving Licence and access to a vehicle.

To be successful in this role, you’ll need a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. If we offer you the role, we’ll ask you to provide evidence of your driving licence and vehicle insurance, including cover for business use. We’re unable to confirm an appointment until these documents are received.

Safer Recruitment

Safer Recruitment applies to this role. This means that, before any appointment is confirmed, we’ll carry out a range of pre-employment checks to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults. These checks may include identity verification, where candidates will be required to provide original identification documents, including a full birth certificate, employment history and reference checks, qualification checks and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, (unless you are currently registered with the DBS Update Service).

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference. We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.