SEND Co-Production Manager

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Ipswich seeks a SEND Co-Production Manager to lead initiatives enhancing participation of children with special educational needs. Your role involves developing collaborative plans and championing the voices of families in decision-making. We're committed to equality and diversity. Join a supportive team making a genuine impact in the community. Flexible working, competitive salary, and benefits including annual leave and pension scheme are offered.

Benefits

Up to 29 days annual leave

Competitive pension scheme

Flexible working options

Training and career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Ability to engage and motivate diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with children and young people with SEND.
• Proven facilitation skills for managing group dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of co-production plans for SEND partnership.
• Champion the perspectives of children with SEND.
• Design work programs that enable accountability.

Skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Experience of co-producing with communities

Strong understanding of co-production principles

Facilitation skills

Project management skills

Proficiency in data collection and analysis

Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

Digital literacy

Leadership qualities

Job description

Overview

- Suffolk County Council
- Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX - Hybrid working
- Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata for part time)
- Hours: 37 hours per week (with occasional early mornings and evening meetings). Flexible working options available
- Contract: Permanent

Are you passionate about meaningful co-production and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)? At Suffolk County Council, we are committed to listening, learning, and creating a culture of mutual respect. As our SEND Co-Production Manager, you'll work closely with colleagues, partners, and local communities to build trust, strengthen participation, and embed collaborative approaches across our local area SEND partnership. Reimagine the possibilities with us.

Responsibilities

• leading the development of high-quality, innovative co-production plans that support strategic priorities across the local area SEND partnership
• championing the voice and experience of children and young people with special educational needs and their parent carers, ensuring their perspectives are at the centre of all decision-making processes
• working in partnership with Suffolk County Council teams, Integrated Care Boards for Suffolk and Northeast Essex and for Norfolk and Waveney, health providers, and parent carer forum representatives to design work programmes and delivery plans that enable outcome-based accountability
• developing and maintaining effective communication channels that ensure transparency and timely sharing of information among all participants
• designing and delivering training sessions, workshops, and resources to build capacity for coproduction across the partnership
• monitoring and reporting on the progress of coproduction projects, providing regular updates to senior management and partners

Requirements

• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and motivate diverse stakeholders
• experience of co-producing with communities, ideally involving children and young people with SEND and their parents or carers
• strong understanding of co-production principles, participation frameworks, and best practice approaches
• facilitation skills to manage group dynamics, ensure all voices are heard, and guide collaborative processes
• project management skills, including planning, organising, budgeting, and reporting
• proficiency in data collection and analysis, using evidence to inform decisions and measure impact
• commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring all participants are respected and valued
• digital literacy to use relevant technology for communication, collaboration, and information sharing
• leadership qualities, inspiring others to embrace coproduction and drive continuous improvement

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word).

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

You’ll join a welcoming, collaborative team committed to making a difference for children, young people, and families across Suffolk. We practice hybrid working, with a minimum of two days a week spent in the council offices. As Co-Production Manager, you will also spend time travelling across the county to meet with partners, families, community groups and providers, helping to build strong and trusted relationships.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

For a casual conversation about the role, please contact either:

• Josette Kennington (she/her), Head of SEND Transformation, by calling 01473 264856 or emailing [e-mail]
• Kat Willson (she/her), SEND Programme Manager, by calling 01284 741235 or emailing [e-mail]

How to apply

• Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word).
• Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
• Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.
• Question 1: Describe a time when you led a co-production initiative involving children, young people, or families. What approach did you take, and how did you ensure all voices were included?
• Question 2: What challenges have you faced in co-production, and how did you overcome them to achieve the desired outcome?
• Question 3: Describe a situation where you had to challenge a decision because it didn’t reflect co-production principles. What did you do?
• Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [e-mail] or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 15 December 2025.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

Benefits

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).