Project Officer - Local SEND Reforms

WMJobs; Metropolitan Borough of Solihull; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Generous annual leave

Employee Assistance Programme

LGPS

Job summary

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council – Education Services is recruiting a Project Officer on a fixed-term contract for up to 18 months to support the Local SEND reforms programme. The role is full time (37 hours per week) and focuses on coordinating SEND reform delivery to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

You will work within a small programme team, supporting project leads and contributing to the development of the Experts at Hand offer.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate the knowledge and experience to carry out the full range of duties.
• Experience coordinating Local Government or other public sector initiatives is desirable.
• Experience providing project or programme support within a structured project management environment.
• Experience working in a multi-agency/partnership environment - dealing with a wide range of customers, partners and stakeholders at a senior level.
• The ability to manage and prioritise your own time and workload, in order to meet deadlines and respond to competing demands.
• Influencing and negotiation skills with the ability to agree targets and motivate peers, staff and external partners to meet common goals.
• Experience of setting up and maintaining management information systems and performance reporting.

Responsibilities

• We are looking for an experienced Project Officer who is keen to support our team in improving outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) through the delivery of our local area SEND reform plan programme.
• As Project Officer you will work in a small programme team and provide vital support to project leads, especially in the development of our new Experts at Hand offer.
• This is a varied and diverse role and requires strong organisational and communication skills along with the ability to work comfortably alongside teams under pressure and navigating uncertainty.
• We also offer: a range of flexible working options including a flexi-time scheme, generous annual leave entitlements, Employee Assistance Programme, family and carer friendly policies, Local Government Pension Scheme, staff discounts and more.

Skills

Time management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Communication

Organisational skills

Project coordination

Inter-agency collaboration

Reporting

Education

Degree level education

Job description

Education Services

Fixed Term Contract for up to 18 months due to funding

Full time – 37 hours per week

We are looking for an experienced Project Officer who is keen to support our team in improving outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) through the delivery of our local area SEND reform plan programme.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council,

Project Officer – Local SEND Reforms

Education Services

Fixed Term Contract for up to 18 months due to funding

Full time – 37 hours per week

We are looking for an experienced Project Officer who is keen to support our team in improving outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) through the delivery of our local area SEND reform plan programme.

Our SEND reform programme will deliver significant changes for children and their families and requires close programme and project management to ensure progress remains on track and outcomes are achieved. As Project Officer you will work in a small programme team and provide vital support to project leads, especially in the development of our new Experts at Hand offer.

This is a varied and diverse role and requires strong organisational and communication skills along with the ability to work comfortably alongside teams under pressure and navigating uncertainty.

To be considered for this role you will need to demonstrate:

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate the knowledge and experience to carry out the full range of duties
• Experience of coordination of Local Government or other public sector initiatives is desirable
• Experience of providing project or programme support within a structured project management environment
• Experience of working in a multi-agency/partnership environment - dealing with a wide range of customers, partners and stakeholders at a senior level
• The ability to manage and prioritise your own time and workload, in order to meet deadlines and respond to competing demands
• Influencing and negotiation skills with the ability to agree targets and motivate peers, staff and external partners to meet common goals
• Experience of setting up and maintaining management information systems and performance reporting

We also offer:

• A range of flexible working options including a flexi-time scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlements with the opportunity to purchase up to 10-days additional leave per year
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme – a 24-hour independent, free and confidential advice and support service
• Family and carer friendly policies
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Employee benefits including staff discounts, subsidised travel passes and Cycle 2 Work Scheme

If you have a specific question regarding this post, please contact:

Derek Forknall, Project Manager: [e-mail]

Closing Date: 10 November 2026

Interview Date: 18 November 2026

Please note: As part of our compliance and safer recruitment requirements, references will be sought for all successful candidates following interview. A reference must be provided by the candidate’s current or most recent employer or training provider. Where this does not cover the last three years, an additional reference will be required from the candidate’s next most recent employer or training provider. Posts subject to statutory regulation may require additional scrutiny. Personal/character references will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.

Solihull Community Housing is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

Solihull Community Housing has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Attached documents

Project Officer JDPS (SEND Reforms).docx