Project Officer - SEND Reforms

East Sussex County Council; Lewes; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Apprenticeships available

Benefits package

Job summary

East Sussex County Council is seeking a Project Officer to help drive SEND reforms and coordinate cross‑agency workstreams across education, health and social care.

You will gather information, support governance, and translate policy priorities into practical actions benefiting children, young people and families. This role offers a chance to influence national programme outcomes within a supportive team.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting projects or programmes in a complex organisation.
• Ability to build effective relationships with partners and stakeholders across services.
• Clear and confident communication, with concise updates and accurate documentation.
• Ability to manage competing priorities with strong attention to detail under pressure.
• Strong IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Support significant policy change and help turn SEND reforms into practical actions for children and families.
• Assist delivery of SEND reforms across East Sussex, coordinating workstreams and keeping plans on track.
• Support governance processes and engage stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration.
• Gather and analyse information to translate policy priorities into concrete tasks.

Skills

Project coordination

Stakeholder relations

Clear communication

Prioritisation & attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

Do you want to play a key role in improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through meaningful system change? If you do, you could be an excellent fit for our Project Officer: SEND reforms.

This new and exciting role offers the opportunity to support with significant policy change and make a real difference for children and families. You will support the delivery of SEND reforms across East Sussex, working closely with the Strategic Lead: SEND Reforms to help coordinate workstreams, keep plans on track and ensure effective stakeholder engagement. You will gather and analyse information, support strong project governance, and help translate policy and reform priorities into clear, practical actions. Working alongside senior managers and colleagues across education, health and social care, you will play an important role in supporting meaningful improvements for children, young people and families.

We Are Looking For Candidates Who

• Have experience supporting projects or programmes in a complex organisation.
• Can build effective relationships with partners and stakeholders across services.
• Communicate clearly and confidently, producing concise updates and accurate documentation.
• Can manage competing priorities and maintain strong attention to detail under pressure.
• Have strong IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft Office applications.

Candidates who meet certain criteria are given priority when we shortlist. See our priority status page for details.

This is a great opportunity to be at the centre of a high-profile national SEND reform programme and play a part in turning policy into practical improvements for children and families.

We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.

Vocational Training through Apprenticeships is now available to our staff, ranging from entry level to degree level qualifications. You can talk to the hiring manager and the apprenticeship team about what qualifications would be relevant to you and this job role, and if it is possible to support you in apprenticeship training.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity contact Charlotte Funnell, Senior Manager - Operations at [e-mail] to request a MS teams call or phone call.

The best thing about working for East Sussex is knowing every person who works here cares about our residents and wants to achieve the best outcomes for them, Casey, Project Officer

For work that makes a difference, choose East Sussex!

About Us

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

If you require sponsorship to work in the UK please let the hiring manager know this in your application so we can check eligibility for sponsorship for the role. For further information please go to Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

If you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to participate fully in the process please contact the hiring manager on the contact details above.