Speech and Language Therapy Advanced Practitioner

The Methodist Church in Britain; England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working model

Potential permanent transition

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain seeks a senior speech and language therapy leader to provide population-level oversight for children and young people with communication needs across education settings. The post sits within NHSE-aligned clusters, focusing on workforce development, placements, and system leadership.

You will collaborate with local authorities and SEND partners to improve access to SaLT expertise, expand placements, and lead strategic clinical initiatives with an eye to permanent

Qualifications

• Master's-level education or equivalent experience in a specialist area.
• Evidence of post-qualifying and continuing professional development.
• Leadership, education or system development qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide population-level SaLT leadership to improve outcomes for 0–25s with communication needs.
• Strengthen the SaLT workforce pipeline through placements and educator capacity.
• Increase access to SaLT expertise within mainstream education.
• Work with commissioners and SEND partnerships on commissioning and service planning.
• Lead education SaLT workforce development and supervision models.
• Enable earlier identification and support for speech, language needs in mainstream settings.
• Lead system-wide SEND reform across the ICB footprint.
• Use data and evaluation to shape scalable SaLT workforce solutions.

Skills

Leadership

System leadership

Education sector knowledge

Strategic vision

Partnership building

Education

Master's-level education

CPD evidence

Leadership qualifications

Tools

PRINCE2

MSP methodology

Job description

This 12-month fixed-term role, with possible permanent transition or secondment, sits in the cluster ICB's Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin footprint across education and SEND partnerships. The postholder gives population-level SaLT leadership for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with communication needs. The work centres on Experts at Hand, widening therapy access in mainstream schools and growing the SaLT workforce through placements and apprenticeships. It follows the NHSE advanced practice framework and requires HCPC registration and master's-level study.

What the job involves

• Provide strategic, population-level clinical SaLT leadership to improve outcomes for children and young people aged 0-25 with speech, language and communication needs
• Strengthen the SaLT workforce pipeline across education through placements, apprenticeships and educator, supervisor and mentor capacity
• Increase access to SaLT expertise within mainstream education
• Work with commissioners and local SEND partnerships on evidence-informed commissioning, service planning and system oversight, including contribution to local area SEND inspections
• Build a sustainable education SaLT workforce by expanding trainee placements, developing supervision models and SaLT career pathways into mainstream education
• Enable earlier identification and support for speech, language and communication needs in mainstream settings to improve pupil outcomes and participation
• Lead strategically with education settings, local authorities and SEND partners to deliver SEND reform across the ICB footprint
• Use data, system insight and evaluation to shape scalable solutions for the SaLT workforce pipeline and system development
• Provide innovative strategic clinical leadership and influence for education and workforce development
• Operate as a system leader across education, health and care
• Provide senior clinical expertise and system-level clinical leadership in speech, language and communication needs
• Provide strategic leadership for evaluation, audit and quality improvement

What’s required

Qualifications

• Master's-level education or equivalent experience at a similar level in a specialist area, with commitment to an MSc Advanced Practice or NHSE portfolio if not already held
• Evidence of post-qualifying and continuing professional development
• Leadership, education or system development qualifications

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration as a speech and language therapist and membership of RCSLT or a relevant professional body

Experience

• Evidence of advanced level practice aligned to the NHSE framework, or working towards it
• Significant clinical SaLT experience with children and young people aged 0-25 in education settings, across a broad range of need
• Experience of workforce development for students, apprentices and support roles
• Experience of co-production with children, young people and families
• Proven significant leadership experience and evidence of system-level working

Skills & knowledge

• Understanding of SEND reform, mainstream schools and education systems
• Understanding of current healthcare policy and the relationships between the Department of Health, NHS England and providers and commissioners
• Advanced clinical expertise in SEND and education settings
• Strong system leadership, influencing and partnership skills across organisational boundaries
• Ability to lead learning, supervision and culture change
• Ability to negotiate on difficult and controversial issues with senior stakeholders and present complex, sensitive information to large groups

Nice to have

• Leadership, education or system development qualifications
• Experience developing placements or apprenticeships
• Experience in SEND system improvement
• Awareness of and experience in population-level health approaches and emerging policy
• Experience of working with a broad range of mainstream education settings
• Knowledge of workforce development models and commissioning
• Understanding of governance and quality assurance frameworks
• Comprehensive experience of project principles and tools such as PRINCE2 and Managing Successful Projects

What’s offered

• Hybrid working under a consistent cluster-wide model with designated office locations
• Possible transition to a more permanent role