SEND Improvement Officer

What will you be doing?

As a SEND Improvement Officer, you will:

• Support the SEND Improvement Manager to lead the SEND Improvement programme by providing direction, advice and guidance to colleagues across West Northants Council and the wider partnership; including colleagues in health, social care and education settings.
• Provide support and guidance to the local partnership with relevant internal and external key partners, including West Northants Voices in Partnership (WNVP) schools, childcare providers, OFSTED, DfE and voluntary/community providers.
• Support the local SEND Improvement Board (multi-agency partnership board) by coordinating and collating performance and service reports. Work with partners to ensure timely and accurate reporting and engagement aligns with the agreed priorities within the local Joint SEND Strategy and action plans.
• Support the development of a detailed assessment of the needs of children with SEND, and their families is co-produced to inform future commissioning of services, support and training. This will include accurate assessments of needs across West Northants and in Locality Planning Areas that can influence the local partnership about future service improvements.
• Facilitate engagement activities in order to co-produce a new Joint SEND Strategy, including defined co-production approach for West Northants, by engaging with all partners to agree a new vision and strategic priorities for children and young people with SEND.
• Support and influence the local SEND communication plan, that includes the development of the Local Offer.
• Develop management reports and other detailed analysis required by Department for Education and other regulatory bodies.
• Provide professional advice, guidance and support to the local SEND partnership.

For more information about the role, contact: Rachel.Alger@westnorthants.gov.uk

About you

This role requires you to:

• Be educated to a degree level with vast experience within the Education or Health & Social Care sector.
• Possess some knowledge of Children’s Services & Early Years Sector
• Show an excellent working knowledge of project management.
• Evidence knowledge of partnership working.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU  

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.