SEND Operations Lead

Essential Employment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Essential Employment is recruiting for a SEND Operations Lead to oversee day-to-day SEND service delivery, including EHCP production, reviews and compliance. The role involves leading performance, monitoring timeliness, and driving service improvements across multi-agency partnerships.

Based in a temporary, full-time capacity, the post requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and ability to coordinate across Education, Health and Social Care settings to meet children's needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day management and delivery of SEND services.
• Oversee statutory assessments, EHCP production, reviews, amendments, and ceasing processes.
• Monitor EHCP timeliness and quality standards.
• Build effective relationships with schools, health services, social care teams, families, and external partners.
• Lead and support SEND improvement and transformation programmes.
• Manage and support SEND Officers, EHCP Coordinators, Team Managers, or equivalent staff.

Job description

SEND Operations Lead needed Paying £258 per day ref 131309

Full time hours on a temporarybasis

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day management and delivery of SEND services.


• Ensure statutory SEND processes are delivered effectively and within required timescales.


• Manage service performance, workloads, priorities, and operational risks.


• Develop and implement service improvement plans to enhance outcomes and efficiency.


• Support strategic SEND objectives through effective operational management.

EHCP and Statutory Processes

• Oversee statutory assessments, EHCP production, reviews, amendments, and ceasing processes.


• Monitor EHCP timeliness and quality standards.


• Ensure compliance with SEND legislation and statutory guidance.


• Provide expert advice on complex SEND casework and decision-making.


• Support the management of mediation and SEND Tribunal processes.

Quality Assurance and Performance

• Develop and implement quality assurance frameworks.


• Monitor key performance indicators and statutory compliance measures.


• Analyse data and performance trends to identify areas for improvement.


• Prepare performance reports and recommendations for senior leadership.


• Ensure consistent decision-making across SEND operational teams.

Partnership and Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with schools, academies, colleges, health services, social care teams, families, and external partners.


• Act as a key point of contact for operational SEND matters.


• Facilitate multi-agency meetings and case discussions.


• Promote collaborative approaches to meeting children's needs.


• Work closely with Educational Psychology, Health, and Social Care partners.

Service Improvement and Transformation

• Lead and support SEND improvement and transformation programmes.


• Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems, and service delivery.


• Contribute to preparations for Ofsted and CQC inspections.


• Support implementation of recommendations arising from audits, inspections, and reviews.


• Promote best practice and innovation across SEND services.

Team Leadership

• Manage and support SEND Officers, EHCP Coordinators, Team Managers, or equivalent staff.


• Provide coaching, supervision, and performance management.


• Ensure staff development and continuous professional learning.


• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer-focused service delivery.

Essential Employment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. Essential Employment is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please beprepared