Service Director - SEND and Inclusion

Wokingham Jobs; Wokingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

Generous annual leave

EAP

Eye tests

Onsite gym

Salary sacrifice

Discounts

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council is seeking a Service Director - SEND and Inclusion to lead SEND services, champion reform, and work with health, education and social care partners to raise outcomes for children with SEND.

The role requires strategic leadership, robust governance, and the ability to drive workforce development while delivering statutory duties and corporate parenting responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant profession, or equivalent experience.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (or eligibility)
• Significant experience of successfully managing an operational service, including people, budgets and performance.
• Experience of leading complex and major projects to successful outcomes.
• Experience of developing and delivering policies and strategies.
• Experience of managing areas within the service portfolio.
• Knowledge and understanding of local government and public sector challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provision of high quality, safe and effective services to children, young people and families.
• Delivering high quality support and challenge to schools, education settings and providers to improve outcomes.
• Providing assurance that SEND services are effective and ambitious, fulfilling corporate parenting responsibilities.
• Leading the Council's SEND services as Senior Responsible Officer and coordinating with partner services.
• Developing and implementing strategy and commissioning for children, young people and adults with partners to secure good outcomes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Budget management

People management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree or equivalent

Job description

We have an excellent opportunity for a Service Director - SEND and Inclusion to join our Children's Services team here at Wokingham Borough Council, on a Full-time, Permanent basis.

As a Service Director - SEND and Inclusion, you will lead the council's SEND services, acting as Senior Responsible Officer for our SEND Reform Plan and providing high-quality support and challenge to schools, education settings and providers across the borough. You'll manage a team comprising the Head of SEND, SEND and Inclusion QA Lead, and Area SENCO, delivering strategic leadership, line management, and workforce development while ensuring the Local Authority meets its statutory duties and corporate parenting responsibilities. You'll work alongside colleagues and in collaboration with external partners across health, education, and social care to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

This role involves developing SEND strategy and commissioning, overseeing High Needs funding, leading multi-agency coordination across health, education and social care, and preparing for inspection. You'll promote children and families' voices, champion digital adoption, serve as Silver Duty Officer on an out-of-hours rota, and collaborate with stakeholders including schools, Ofsted, and DfE-prioritising improved outcomes and narrowing performance gaps for the most vulnerable children across Wokingham.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated, strategic leader with sound judgement, strong communication skills, and political acumen to join our team and deliver on our core values of 'Ambitious, Care, Together'.

Staff Benefits

• Generous Annual Leave - 31 days annual leave (rising by 5 days after 5 years of continued local government service), plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• GP Helpline - Available 7 days a week
• Employee Assistance Programme - Including a 24/7 Your Care Helpline
• Free Eye Tests and Flu Vaccines
• Free Onsite Gym - Located at Shute End Offices, Wokingham
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes - Including Car and Cycle to Work schemes
• Local & Lifestyle Discounts - Save on shopping, entertainment, dining out & more
• Move through Menopause Course
• Sports & Social Group Activities - Including running, football, cricket & more
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Employee Networks
• And more!

Key Responsibilities

• Provision of high quality, safe and effective services to children, young people and families.
• Delivering high quality support and challenge to schools, education settings and providers, recognising the Council's enduring responsibility to promote the best outcomes possible for all children and students.
• Provide assurance that the Council is effective, ambitious and successful in its delivery of SEND services and to those children to whom we have corporate parenting responsibilities.
• Responsible for the effective leadership of the Council's SEND services, acting as Senior Responsible Officer and working with other services and departments providing support to Wokingham schools and settings.
• To be responsible for the development and implementation of effective strategy and commissioning for children, young people and adults working effectively with partners to secure good outcomes and best value.

Candidate Requirements

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant profession, or equivalent experience.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (or equivalent) or eligibility for membership
• Significant experience of successfully managing an operational service, including; people, budgets and performance.
• Experience of leading complex and major projects to successful outcomes.
• Significant experience of leading the development and delivery of policies and strategies.
• Experience of managing areas within the service portfolio.
• Knowledge and understanding of developments and challenges facing local government and the wider public sector.

Our Area:

Wokingham Borough Council has recently been ranked 2nd most productive council in England by the Impower Productivity Index, recognising our strong performance and efficient use of public money.

Our Borough is set in the heart of Berkshire with excellent transport links to Reading and central London. Our area comprises of a vibrant and historical market town, attractive villages, and miles of beautiful countryside.

We're home to a range of high performing schools, a host of international businesses and an incredible community. The borough has a strong local economy with accelerated growth, a range of excellent public facilities and low levels of crime, offering an exceptional quality of life.

Closing date: Sunday 8th November 2026, 11pm

Interview schedule:

Shortlisting Monday 9th November 2026

Children's and Partners Panel Interview W/C 16th November 2026

Members Panel Interview Friday 20th November 2026

Alternatively, to arrange an informal discussion about the role, contact Lee Partridge, Recruitment Business Partner via [e-mail] (Strictly no agencies).

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer.

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond to every applicant individually.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We appreciate your interest in joining Wokingham Borough Council and thank you for taking the time to apply.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.