Lead Programme Manager, SEND Reform & Transformation

WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL; Axminster; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Annual Leave

Pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council is recruiting a Programme Manager for SEND Reform & Transformation to drive system-wide change across SEND services, delivering the Local SEND Reform Plan and Priority Action Plan. You will partner with education, health and care leads to secure sustainable improvements for children and families, ensuring timely delivery and robust governance.

You will influence senior stakeholders, manage risks, and champion co-production with young people and carers, while

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex transformation or improvement programmes involving multiple organisations and stakeholders (SEND reform or children's services).
• Experience translating strategy into operational delivery and embedding sustainable change within services.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills with senior leaders and partners across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to drive delivery at pace, manage competing priorities and achieve outcomes in a regulated or externally scrutinised environment.
• Experience of SEND transformation, education improvement, children's services reform or complex public sector change programmes.

Responsibilities

• Delivery of Local SEND Reform Plan and Priority Action Plan with measurable impact.
• Maintain oversight of milestones, risks, dependencies and outcomes across a complex landscape.
• Turn strategic priorities into sustainable operational improvements with partners.
• Lead system-wide collaboration and accountability, challenging partners to meet delivery commitments.
• Champion co-production with children, young people and parent carers to shape reform activity.
• Lead governance, performance and risk management to keep the area inspection-ready.
• Use data and evidence to demonstrate impact and improve services for SEND.

Skills

Transformation leadership

Strategic delivery

Stakeholder management

Delivery at pace

Public sector change

Job description

Wokingham Borough Council is recruiting a Programme Manager for SEND Reform & Transformation to drive system-wide change across SEND services, delivering the Local SEND Reform Plan and Priority Action Plan. You will partner with education, health and care leads to secure sustainable improvements for children and families, ensuring timely delivery and robust governance.

You will influence senior stakeholders, manage risks, and champion co-production with young people and carers, while