Deputy Principal Educational Psychologist in Ipswich

Suffolk County Council

Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX - Hybrid working

Salary: £68,086 - £76,154 per annum (pro rata for part time)

Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available

Contract: Fixed term up to 12 months (Maternity cover)

Are you ready to lead through change and make a lasting impact? We are seeking an experienced, courageous, and innovative Educational Psychologist to provide maternity leave cover for a key leadership role within Suffolk County Council's Psychology and Therapeutic Services. You will work collaboratively with partners across Inclusion to help shape the future of our service at a time of significant change, including national SEND reforms and local initiatives such as Families First. This is a fixed-term role for up to 12 months, with the office base at Endeavour House, Ipswich.

Your role and responsibilities

• You will provide essential leadership focused on people and organisational resilience.
• You will play a pivotal role in embedding psychologically informed leadership, supporting staff through change and sustaining morale, retention, and high-quality practice.
• Your ability to balance strategic and operational demands, maintain clear professional boundaries, and hold others accountable will be vital.
• You will work closely in partnership with the Principal Educational Psychologist to lead the Educational Psychology Service, navigate professional changes and adapt workforce modelling to meet local strategic priorities.
• You will contribute towards the wider Leadership Team, working collaboratively with partners across inclusion to ensure continual improvement of systems and processes to maximise resource and results.
• You will provide line management and supervision for Senior Educational Psychologists, maintaining strategic oversight of Educational Psychology activity, outcomes and impact.
• You will lead and manage statutory developments including agency contracts, locum resource, quality assurance systems, data analysis, feedback mechanisms and reporting.
• You will champion the role of Educational Psychologists earlier upstream and support the successful inclusion of children and young people via our early intervention model.
• You will lead with clarity, consistency, and integrity, ensuring the team continues to thrive through distributed leadership and autonomy.
• You will foster a culture of trust, two-way feedback, and professional growth, particularly supporting early-career staff to maintain their passion and drive.
• You will communicate clearly and consistently, sustaining momentum as we move from building to embedding new systems and processes.

You will need:

• A proven track record in delivering high-quality, innovative services and improving outcomes for children and young people.
• Experience of effective leadership and management at a senior level, including managing organisational change and supporting teams through transition.
• The ability to build relationships quickly and maintain strong professional boundaries.
• Commitment to collaborative, psychologically informed practice and a bottom‑up approach to team development.
• Excellent working relationships with headteachers, parents/carers, and other professionals.
• Professional qualification as an Educational Psychologist and HCPC registration.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don’t meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

Suffolk Psychology and Therapeutic Services are highly valued, solution‑oriented, innovative and person‑centred. Our progressive service is committed to providing a balanced workload for Educational Psychologists (EPs). Suffolk's Psychology and Therapeutic Services offer includes:

• A warm welcome, supportive team environment and modern workspace.
• HCPC registration fees reimbursement and generous CPD possibilities.
• Strong links with University EP Doctorate and related Masters' courses.
• Smart working to create a positive, productive and trusting work environment.
• Dedicated administrative support across the Psychology and Therapeutic Services.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

To arrange an informal discussion, please contact Claire Darwin, Principal Educational Psychologist, by emailing claire.darwin@suffolk.gov.uk. If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

How to apply

1. Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).
2. Click Apply Now to start your online application.
3. Upload a CV (without name and personal details). We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. Please note: Without a CV, your interest will not be progressed.
4. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 February 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.