EHCP Deputy Service Manager

Gloucester City Council; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training & development

Agile working

Annual leave

LGPS

Competitive salary

Additional leave

Multi-agency

Employee benefits

Job summary

Gloucester City Council seeks an experienced EHCP Deputy Service Manager to lead statutory SEND services across the county, delivering high-quality assessments, plans and reviews in partnership with education, health and social care. You will ensure compliance with policy and legislation and drive service improvements.

You will manage teams, promote inclusive practice and focus on outcomes for children and young people with SEND, with hybrid working and strong development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Extensive SEND legislation and practice knowledge.
• Ability to lead and improve SEND services within a local authority.
• Experience managing teams and driving service changes.
• Knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and its application.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of statutory Education, Health and Care assessments, plans and reviews.
• Collaborate with education providers, health, social care and families.
• Ensure legal compliance and promote inclusive practice county-wide.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Change management

People management

Job description

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job. Job Title: EHCP Deputy Service ManagerJob Location: Shire Hall, Block 4, 3rd Floor Salary: 55,717

All candidates should make sure to read the following job description and information carefully before applying.

59,753 per annum Hours per Week: 37.00 Contract Type: Permanent Closing Date: 30/08/2026 Job Requisition Number: 14532 This post is not open to job share Help to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND in Gloucestershire In Gloucestershire, our focus is on enabling an inclusive education system, providing the right support at the right time and in the right place. As a local authority we are committed to improving outcomes for children and young people and we continue to invest in our SEND services to help us to meet local need. As a EHCP Deputy Service Manager you would be instrumental in helping us to develop and shape future SEND provision locally that is informed by latest policy and good practice. Gloucestershire’s latest Local Area Partnership SEND Inspection confirms that we are on an improvement journey and as a Deputy EHCP Service Manager you will have an important role in working collaboratively to deliver system and service improvements.

About the team and role

Working alongside the EHCP Service Manager, you will ensure operational excellence and consistent practice and process across service functions which support access to inclusive and appropriate education for all children and young people with SEND. As Gloucestershire County Council's statutory SEND service, the EHCP Service plays a vital role in ensuring the Local Authority meets its legal responsibilities for children and young people with SEND.

This role provides an opportunity to lead and influence the delivery of high-quality statutory services, ensuring that Education, Health and Care needs assessments, plans, and reviews are delivered effectively, lawfully, and with positive outcomes at their heart. It will involve working closely with education providers, developing strong working relationships across our own teams, education, health, social care, and young people.

You will ensure that the statutory duties for children and young people with SEND are discharged effectively, whilst driving continuous improvement and promoting inclusive practice across the county.

About you

You will be an experienced SEND professional with a thorough understanding of SEND, legislation, guidance and best practice.

You should have excellent communication skills and the ability to work co-productively and creatively with other professionals, children and young people and their families, to address identified needs. The SEND landscape is complex, and you will need to have empathy for the challenges that young people and their families experience, as well as competence in assessing and reviewing the needs of vulnerable children, young people and their families. You will also need experience, knowledge and understanding of the SEND Code of Practice and its application and a proven track record of successfully managing people, change and services.

About us

Successful candidates will join us at a time of exciting change which offer a real opportunity to improve outcomes for young people.

We are a service that is supportive, offer development opportunities and cares passionately about meeting the needs of Gloucestershire’s children and young people.

We offer:

Training and Development opportunities inc.

• Ipsea and Nasen, LASEN Training (relevant to role)
• Agile working. As a team we split our time between working from home and collaborative working in the office for a minimum of 1 day per week. In addition, we aim for visits to schools and settings to take place on a regular basis as we continue to build our collaborative working with them. You must be able to visit schools and settings during the working day with very little notice should the need arise.
• A service structure that provides progression opportunities
• Annual leave of 25.5 rising to 30.5 days per year after 5 years, plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Competitive salaries
• Opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Wide ranging multi agency working
• Employee Benefits Programme

Closing date for applications: 11.59pm 30th August 2026

Interviews will take place: Week commencing 14th Sep 2026

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:

EHCP Deputy Service Manager

Job Profile

This Position is subject to a DBS check. Applications from any Gloucestershire County Council's employees who are currently on the redeployment register or at risk of redundancy will be considered first at shortlisting stage. The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role.

Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment.

Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer. Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities.

Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential. It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English. Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.