SEND Service Manager

Connect2Surrey; Reigate; Hybrid; GBP 92,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect2Surrey seeks an experienced Service Manager to lead SEND complaints, dispute resolution and customer experience in Surrey. Hybrid work with 2 days in the Reigate office.

The role sits on the SEND Senior Leadership Team and focuses on improving outcomes for children, young people and families through strategic oversight and continuous improvement. Key tasks include managing complaints and complex cases, tribunal activity, co-producing EHCPs and driving service improvements across

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading SEND services at Service Manager level or above.
• Strong knowledge of SEND legislation, statutory processes, tribunal activity and dispute resolution.
• Experience leading complaints, customer experience or complex case functions.
• Track record of driving service improvement and managing operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategies to improve customer experience and reduce complaints escalation.
• Lead SEND complaints, enquiries, mediation and dispute resolution functions.
• Oversee complex and high-profile cases with robust, timely resolutions.
• Manage SEND Tribunal, Complaints and Complex Cases teams.

Skills

SEND leadership

Stakeholder management

Dispute resolution

Change management

Job description

Service Manager - SEND Complaints, Resolution & Customer Experience

Location: Reigate, Surrey (Hybrid - 2 days per week in the office)

Rate: £500-£650 per day (DOE)

Are you an experienced SEND leader who can step into a high-profile role and make an immediate impact?

Surrey's SEND service is seeking an experienced Service Manager to provide strategic leadership across complaints, dispute resolution, tribunals and customer experience. This is a fantastic opportunity for a proven SEND professional to influence service delivery, drive improvement and help shape the experience of children, young people and families accessing statutory SEND services.

Working as part of the SEND Senior Leadership Team, you will play a key role in improving outcomes, strengthening relationships with families and education partners, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the service.

The Role

• Developing and implementing strategies to improve customer experience and reduce complaints escalation.


• Leading SEND complaints, enquiries, mediation and dispute resolution functions.


• Overseeing complex and high-profile cases, ensuring robust and timely resolutions.


• Managing SEND Tribunal, Complaints and Complex Cases teams.


• Driving improvements in the SEND customer journey and supporting effective co-production of EHCPs.


• Responding to Local Government Ombudsman enquiries and embedding lessons learned across the service.


• Monitoring performance, analysing trends and identifying opportunities for service improvement.


• Supporting statutory compliance, transformation programmes and wider service development initiatives.


• Building strong relationships with families, schools, health partners and key stakeholders across the SEND system.

About You

• Extensive experience working within SEND services at Service Manager level or above.


• Strong knowledge of SEND legislation, statutory processes, tribunal activity and dispute resolution.


• Experience leading complaints, customer experience or complex case functions.


• A track record of driving service improvement and managing operational performance.


• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.


• Experience managing large teams and leading through change.


• The ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on operational delivery.

Why Join?

• High-impact leadership role within a large and ambitious local authority.


• Opportunity to shape and improve SEND services for children, young people and families.


• Hybrid working with just 2 days per week in the Reigate office.


• Competitive daily rate of £500-£650 per day.


• Work alongside an experienced SEND leadership team on significant service improvement initiatives.

This role would particularly suit an established SEND Service Manager, Head of SEND, SEND Operations Manager, Tribunal & Resolution Lead, Complaints & Customer Experience Manager, or SEND Transformation Lead looking for their next interim challenge.

It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates