Interim SEND Reform Implementation Lead

Carrington Blake Recruitment; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Part time

Job summary

Carrington Blake Recruitment is seeking an experienced Project Manager to support the delivery of Suffolk's SEND Reform Programme on an interim basis. You will lead the implementation and mobilisation of SEND initiatives across mainstream schools, coordinating with Local Authorities, education providers and NHS partners to meet milestones and deliverables.

The role requires strong stakeholder management and the ability to manage complex public sector transformation projects, with experience in

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering complex project or programme management assignments.
• Experience working within Local Authority, Education, Children's Services or NHS environments.
• Strong understanding of programme implementation, mobilisation and service transformation.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders across education, health and public sector organisations.
• Demonstrable experience maintaining project plans, governance documentation, risk registers and action logs.
• Experience producing reports and presenting progress updates to senior stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver against challenging timescales.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day implementation and mobilisation of SEND reform programmes across participating schools.
• Manage the delivery of agreed project plans, ensuring milestones, dependencies and key deliverables remain on track.
• Coordinate the onboarding of schools, implementation planning and ongoing engagement activities.
• Work collaboratively with Local Authority teams, education settings, NHS and wider health partners to ensure successful programme delivery.
• Support the implementation of new operational models, processes, governance arrangements and service specifications.
• Coordinate Team Around the Setting (TAS) activity where applicable, including meetings, action tracking and follow-up.
• Monitor project readiness across participating schools and ensure mobilisation requirements are completed within agreed timescales.
• Identify, monitor and manage programme risks, issues and dependencies, escalating where appropriate.
• Produce regular highlight reports, progress updates and governance papers for senior stakeholders.
• Maintain project documentation including project plans, implementation trackers, action logs, decision logs and risk registers.
• Coordinate communications and stakeholder engagement activities throughout the implementation period.
• Collect, analyse and report implementation data, feedback and performance information to support programme evaluation.
• Support the development of case studies, lessons learned and evidence of impact to inform future phases of the SEND Reform Programme.
• Facilitate collaborative working across Local Authority services, schools and health partners to ensure successful delivery and sustainable implementation.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Public sector experience

Governance

Risk management

Communication

Job description

Carrington Blake Recruitment is seeking an experienced Project Manager to support the delivery of Suffolk's SEND Reform Programme on an interim basis. You will lead the implementation and mobilisation of SEND initiatives across mainstream schools, coordinating with Local Authorities, education providers and NHS partners to meet milestones and deliverables.

The role requires strong stakeholder management and the ability to manage complex public sector transformation projects, with experience in