Senior SENDAR Officer (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment and Review)

Derbyshire County Council; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements and flex

Generous annual leave entitlement

Derbyshire Rewards employee discount

Wellbeing support services

Learning and development opportunities

Inclusive staff networks

Job summary

Derbyshire County Council's SEND Assessment and Review Service is seeking a Senior SENDAR Officer to manage complex casework, coordinating with families, schools and partner agencies to ensure timely, high-quality SEND support.

You will provide professional guidance within the team, contribute to quality assurance and service improvement, and may handle SENDIST appeals if assigned to the Dispute Resolution Team.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with children and young people with SEND and their families.
• Knowledge of SEND legislation and the SEND Code of Practice.
• Strong communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex SEND casework and coordinate with families, schools, colleges and partner agencies.
• Provide professional guidance and support within the team, contribute to quality assurance and service improvement.

Skills

SEND experience

Job description

Closing date: 08 November 2026

Make a Difference for Children and Young People with SEND

At Derbyshire County Council, we are committed to delivering high-quality, child-centred SEND services that help children and young people achieve positive outcomes and prepare for adulthood.

About The Role

As a Senior SENDAR Officer, you will manage complex SEND casework and work collaboratively with families, schools, colleges and partner agencies to ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

You will provide professional guidance and support within your team, contribute to quality assurance and service improvement, and help ensure statutory SEND processes are delivered to a high standard.

Where appointed to the Dispute Resolution Team, you may also manage SEND Tribunal (SENDIST) appeals and support effective dispute resolution.

About The Team

We are currently recruiting across all SENDAR teams, including:

• Amber Valley
• Bolsover & North East Derbyshire
• Chesterfield
• Erewash
• High Peak & North Dales
• South Derbyshire & South Dales
• Education, Access and Inclusion Team
• Dispute Resolution Team

Successful candidates may be appointed to any of these teams based on their skills, experience and service requirements.

About You

• Experience of working with children and young people with SEND and their families.
• Knowledge of SEND legislation and the SEND Code of Practice.
• Strong communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work collaboratively with a range of professionals.
• A commitment to inclusion and achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.

Why Join Us?

This is an exciting time to join Derbyshire's SEND services as we continue our improvement journey and strengthen our locality-based approach.

We offer:

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible working arrangements and flexi-time scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Derbyshire Rewards employee discount scheme
• Wellbeing support services
• Learning and development opportunities
• Inclusive staff networks

Join Us

Join our SEND Assessment and Review Service and help shape better outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Derbyshire.

Please state on your application which bases you would like to be considered for.