Job Details:
Job Reference: HCC621727
Salary Range: £63,851 - £71,610 pro-rata, per annum
Work Location: Elizabeth II Court, Winchester (Hybrid Working)
Hours per week: 37 (part-time hours will be considered)
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 17 August 2025
The Role:
An exciting opportunity is available for a dynamic and visionary strategic leader to head the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Partnerships and Strategy Team in Hampshire. This pivotal role involves driving improvement projects and programmes that support the local vision for children and young people with SEND, ensuring readiness for Area SEND inspections, and enhancing service delivery through expert guidance and shared best practices. The leader will also manage strategic plans to address high needs funding risks, maintain an accurate DSG management plan, and ensure efficient use of public funds through auditing and cost tracking. Collaboration across the partnership will be key to supporting accurate forecasting and effective SEND sufficiency planning.
What you’ll do:
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Strategic Leadership: Drive the delivery of strategic SEND priorities across the Local Area Partnership, providing strong leadership and programme direction to improve outcomes and manage High Needs (HN) funding effectively.
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Partnership & Collaboration: Work closely with stakeholders and leaders to strengthen joint working, embed inclusive practices, and support the delivery of evidence-based improvements across the SEND system.
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Performance & Impact: Use benchmarking, national data, and Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) to audit impact, track progress, and develop credible evidence of benefits realisation, including cost avoidance and improved service outcomes.
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Programme & Team Management: Lead staff in delivering key SEND programmes, ensuring effective governance, risk management, inspection readiness, and the development of business cases and service improvement plans.
What we’re looking for:
- Educated to degree level or with equivalent experience, ideally with a relevant professional qualification.
- A strategic thinker with excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and relationship-building skills.
- Proven experience in leading and delivering complex strategies or programmes across organisational or service boundaries.
- Strong understanding of the public sector, including political awareness, local government operations, and in-depth knowledge of SEND systems and funding.
- Skilled in data analysis and performance tracking, with proficiency in Microsoft Office and other business systems.
Why join us?
Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward-looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment.
Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance. We invest in you through our internal development programmes and training and offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
If you think you have what it takes to make a real difference in Hampshire, get in touch!
Vetting Requirements:
This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children’s Services, references will be requested prior to interview.
Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:
Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.
In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.
We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.
