Assistant Director of SEND in London

Are you ready to use your expertise to shape SEND services, inspire change and make a positive difference for children and young adults in Southwark? If yes, we have the perfect opportunity for you! We are seeking an experienced and ambitious leader who thrives on challenge and embraces opportunities, particularly as we enter a period of national reform.

In this key position, you will provide expert leadership across key service areas, driving inclusive education and supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). You will be leading an experienced, ambitious and successful team, alongside one Assistant Director and three Heads of Service, all who report to the Deputy Director of Children’s Services for Learning and Inclusion.

The role involves:

• Building strong partnerships with schools, colleges and voluntary organisations.
• Managing a significant budget.
• Optimising service delivery for children and young adults aged 0-25 with SEND.

You will provide leadership across busy service areas, offering expert guidance in inclusive education and the assessment and review of needs for children and young people with SEND. The role also requires forging and maintaining strong and resilient relationships with schools, education settings, colleges and voluntary sector partners to enhance the education and well-being of children and young adults.

This is a high-profile role requiring ambition, energy, drive and innovation. We are looking for a proven leader who knows how to collaborate effectively to achieve the best outcomes. You will have a demonstrable track record in:

• Raising standards in a SEND setting.
• Delivering financial savings.
• Leading SEND Ofsted inspections.
• Communicating clearly and effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

You will report to (and deputise for) the Deputy Director of Children’s Services for Learning and Inclusion.

To be considered for an interview, please ensure your cover letter (no more than two A4 pages) clearly outlines how you meet the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification.

For an informal conversation about this role, please contact Anna Chiva, Assistant Director SEND, by email at Anna.Chiva@southwark.gov.uk.

This post requires a satisfactory basic-level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.