Please note that this job will be based in Basildon to cover South Essex and both full and part time opportunities will be considered. Please state on your application which hours are preferred.

Interviews will be conducted week beginning 20th July - successful candidate will be notified once adverts have closed on 12th July.

Essex County Council is embedding a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with SEND. Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage and which provides appropriate and impactful support without a high dependence on Essex County Council's statutory services.

The SEND Operations Partner will manage and develop the SEND Operations Co-ordinators and SEND Operations Assistants within South quadrant clusters, according to the vision for SEND in Essex. Effectively delivering the council's statutory duties in relation to the assessment and review of children/young people with SEND is core to the SEND Operations Partner role.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

Lead a team of SEND Operations Co-ordinators and Assistants within quadrant clusters, co-ordinating induction, training and development programmes and the allocation of work.

Working with the SEND Operations Lead to develop best practice and provide quality assurance of Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP). Ensuring the team follow requirements in the SEND Code of Practice 2015, Essex Guidelines and maintain the CYP and their family at the heart of the process.

Deliver the assessment and review process for children and young people with SEND, for a dedicated caseload within a quadrant.

Responsible for securing appropriate educational provision (both within and out of the Authority) for all Essex CYP with an EHCP, within an agreed geographical area, in line with the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and legislative requirements.

Working collaboratively with partners in Health and Social Care to ensure their participation in the EHCP process and support direct individual work for the most complex situations.

Managing queries and complaints in collaboration with the Inclusion Partners and reporting upon progress, to ensure resolution in a timely, efficient and appropriate manner.

Progressing and resolving complex situations around CYP including mediation and refusal to assess meetings, with a particular emphasis on the needs of looked after children and children not accessing education. Preparing and presenting casework for submission to decision making panels.

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Educated to RQF level 4 or equivalent by experience.
• Evidence of excellent leadership and behavioural skills and management experience.
• Effective time management and prioritisation skills with the confidence to work autonomously and adapt quickly and effectively to changing circumstances/situations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build strong working relationships which are collaborative and engender delivery.
• Experience of successful dispute resolution through effective mediation and negotiation.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with an understanding of how to facilitate and mediate in situations which are perceived as challenging.
• Significant knowledge and experience of working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and with their families including 'hard to reach' families.
• Significant experience of reviewing and quality assurance of Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP) for children and young people.