SEND Cluster Programme Lead

Portsmouth City Council; Kingston; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth City Council is seeking an organised SEND Cluster Programme Lead to support SEND locality clusters across Portsmouth. You will coordinate meetings, monitor budgets and develop inclusive practice with schools, health and partner agencies.

Working within the Inclusion Hub Team of the Transformation Service, you will support delivery of the SEND Reform Delivery Plan and provide essential programme support to managers shaping cluster priorities across education settings.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent experience in admin/clerical work.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to work in complex, multi‑agency environments and coordinate meetings.
• Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills; willingness to travel to meetings in Portsmouth.

Responsibilities

• Maintain SEND Cluster plans with actions, timescales and risks.
• Coordinate meetings, prepare papers and record actions and decisions.
• Monitor cluster budgets and prepare management information reports.
• Provide high‑quality business and programme support to managers.
• Act as a link between schools, education, health, care and partners.

Skills

Organised

Collaborative

Proactive

Excellent communication

Education

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Access

Job description

We are looking for an organised, collaborative and proactive SEND Cluster Programme Lead to support the development and effective operation of SEND locality clusters across Portsmouth.

The role

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to initiatives that improve inclusion and educational outcomes for children and young people, including some of the city's most vulnerable learners. You will join the Inclusion Hub Team within the Transformation Service, which is responsible for implementing the SEND Reform Delivery Plan and developing inclusive mainstream practice across early years settings, schools and colleges.

Working closely with Inclusion Advisers, the Head of Transformation, school leaders and senior colleagues across the Council, you will coordinate and administer SEND cluster activity. You will also work with partners across education, health, care and the voluntary sector, acting as a key point of contact and providing a direct link between schools and other services.

Using effective programme management techniques, you will help ensure that agreed actions, milestones and deliverables are completed on time.

Responsibilities

You will maintain SEND Cluster plans, including actions, timescales, milestones, risks and mitigating actions, while monitoring progress and escalating issues where appropriate.

You will build strong working relationships with schools, educational settings, Council services and external partners, acting as a main point of contact for SEND Cluster activity. You will coordinate meetings and training events, prepare agendas and papers, accurately record decisions and actions, and maintain progress reports and programme documentation.

The role will involve monitoring cluster budgets and financial information, working with finance colleagues to ensure funding is tracked and transferred correctly to educational settings. You will also prepare statistical reports and management information for the Inclusion Hub, Inclusion Advisers and strategic boards.

In addition, you will respond to enquiries, maintain accurate records of cluster activity, monitor the deployment of professionals across clusters and provide high‑quality business and programme support to managers working on cluster priorities.

The ideal candidate

You will be educated to NVQ Level 3 or have equivalent relevant experience, together with experience of working in a higher‑level administrative role.

You will have excellent organisational and time‑management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, meet deadlines and maintain a high level of accuracy. You will be a confident communicator who can build effective relationships with school leaders and partners across education, health and social care.

You will be able to work positively in complex and changing environments, take a logical and solution‑focused approach to challenges, and collaborate effectively with colleagues and external partners. Experience of working in a multi‑agency environment and coordinating meetings, including preparing papers, taking accurate notes and recording actions, is essential.

You will also have excellent literacy, numeracy and IT skills, including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook. An awareness of data protection and safeguarding requirements is required, along with a willingness to travel to meetings across Portsmouth.

Experience of stakeholder engagement within education, an understanding of SEND and inclusive mainstream practice, and experience of providing programme support or working with senior boards would be an advantage.

Please ensure that you read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.

Similar opportunity available

This is one of two similar roles that we are advertising; the other role is for a PEP Programme lead. Applicants are encouraged to apply for both roles and if so the interviews will be combined.

Additional information

Working Arrangements:You will be required to work at least 2 days a week in the office or in education settings

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion: If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sarah Christopher - [e-mail]

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people‑focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours .

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

We strongly encourage candidates to add all Career and Education History to their application, as CVs are not reviewed as part of the shortlisting process.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal

We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Pleasenote: We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact [e-mail] or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.