Head of Deaf Support Service

The Methodist Church in Britain; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working options

Support for staff with unpaid caring…

Job summary

Sheffield City Council is seeking a Head of Deaf Support Service to lead a specialist team across home, early years, school and college settings. The role oversees integrated resource provisions, planning, quality assurance and budgets while championing deaf children's rights and progress.

The post requires Qualified Teacher of the Deaf with leadership experience and a collaborative approach to working with families, education, health and social care partners.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (with leadership experience).
• Experience teaching with specialist deaf knowledge.
• Strong commitment to inclusion and safeguarding.
• Ability to lead and develop a specialist workforce.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for integrated resource provisions and the specialist peripatetic team.
• Champion the needs and rights of deaf children and young people to access education and achieve.
• Lead, support and develop a high-performing specialist workforce and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure high-quality, equitable support including early intervention, family guidance and transitions.
• Strengthen inclusive practice through specialist advice, support and constructive challenge to settings.
• Build strong partnerships and contribute to statutory assessment, review and transition processes.
• Lead service planning, quality assurance, budgets and resources using evidence and national standards.

Skills

Specialist deaf knowledge

Leadership experience

Signed communication

Assistive technology

Collaborative practice

Budget management

Education leadership

Education

Qualified Teacher of the Deaf

Job description

Head of Deaf Support Service at Sheffield City Council, a specialist service for deaf babies, children and young people, and those with hearing loss, across home, early years, school and college settings. The post leads integrated resource provisions and a specialist peripatetic team, and sets the service's planning, quality assurance and budgets. Hours are 27.5 a week, with reduced hours, part-time or job share open to discussion. Applicants need to be a qualified Teacher of the Deaf with specialist knowledge and leadership experience.

What the job involves

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for integrated resource provisions and the specialist peripatetic team
• Champion the needs and rights of deaf children and young people so they can access education, participate and achieve
• Lead, support and develop a high-performing specialist workforce and a culture of continuous improvement
• Ensure high-quality, equitable support, including early intervention, family guidance and effective transitions
• Strengthen inclusive practice through specialist advice, support and constructive challenge to settings
• Build strong partnerships and contribute to statutory assessment, review and transition processes
• Lead service planning, quality assurance, budgets and resources, using evidence and national standards

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher of the Deaf

Experience

• Teaching experience alongside specialist deaf knowledge

Skills & knowledge

• Strong specialist knowledge of deaf education
• Understanding of progress, achievement and attainment, and how specialist support removes barriers to learning and inclusion
• Leading, motivating and developing specialist staff to high standards
• Working collaboratively with families, education settings, and health and social care professionals
• Using specialist approaches, signed communication and assistive technology effectively
• Using service, caseload and outcomes information to evaluate impact and set priorities

Checks & eligibility

• Relevant safeguarding checks

Other

• Supporting early language and communication, family-centred intervention and transitions
• Applying SEND, safeguarding, equality and HR requirements
• Managing budgets
• Communicating complex information clearly
• Strong professional values, with a commitment to inclusion, openness, honesty and partnership

What’s offered

• Generous holiday entitlement
• Flexible working options, including reduced hour contracts, part-time work and job share
• Support for staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly
• Starting pay at the point of minimum advantage in the grade if payslip evidence shows higher basic pay