Speech & Language Therapist Advanced Practitioner - Band 8a

NHS Jobs; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Essex ICB is seeking an experienced Speech and Language Therapist Advanced Practitioner to provide strategic, population-level leadership across education, health and SEND partnerships for children and young people aged 0-25 with speech, language and communication needs.

The role focuses on workforce development, system leadership, and contribution to SEND reform, with hybrid working across Essex and a commitment to advancing advanced practice, education, research and service improvement.

Qualifications

• HCPC-registered Speech and Language Therapist.
• Evidence of advanced practice or working towards NHSE Advanced Practice Framework requirements.
• Significant experience with children and young people (0-25) across education settings.
• Experience of workforce development, co-production, system leadership and partnership working.
• Understanding of SEND reform and education systems.
• Ability to use data and evidence to drive improvement, lead learning, supervision, innovation and culture change.
• Awareness of population health and emerging policy.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, population-level clinical SLT leadership to improve outcomes for children and young people (0-25) with speech, language and communication needs.
• Strengthen the SLT workforce pipeline across education settings through placements, apprenticeships and supervision capacity.
• Increase access to Speech and Language Therapy expertise within mainstream education settings.
• Support delivery of SEND reform and the Experts at Hand programme across Essex.
• Work with commissioners and system partners to implement evidence-based, scalable solutions which improve access to speech and language expertise within education.
• Develop sustainable partnerships with Higher Education Institutions, providers and wider stakeholders to strengthen workforce supply, capability and sustainability.
• Lead evaluation, quality improvement, research and use of data to demonstrate impact.

Skills

HCPC registered SLT

Advanced practice leadership

System leadership

Data-driven improvement

Workforce development

Partnership working

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Speech & Language Therapist Advanced Practitioner - Band 8a

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Speech and Language Therapy across Essex. As the Speech and Language Therapy Advanced Practitioner, you will provide strategic leadership across education, health and SEND partnerships to improve outcomes for children and young people aged 0-25 with speech, language and communication needs. Working at system level, you will strengthen the workforce pipeline through placements, apprenticeships and workforce development, increasing access to speech and language expertise within mainstream education settings and supporting national SEND reform.

Joining NHS Essex ICB offers the chance to influence change at scale across a whole health and care system, working with 3 local authorities, education providers, universities and NHS and Local Authority commissioned providers. This role provides exceptional professional development, with opportunities to further develop advanced practice, strategic leadership, system transformation, education and research skills across the four pillars of advanced practice. You will work alongside senior leaders across health, education and social care, gaining unique experience in population health, workforce transformation and service improvement. If you are looking to make a lasting impact while progressing your career in an innovative, collaborative and forward-thinking organisation, this is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future for children and young people across Essex.

Main duties of the job

Please note this role will only be offered as a secondment

Interview Dates: 5th - 9th October 2026

Main Duties:

Provide strategic, population-level clinical leadership to improve outcomes for children and young people (0-25) with speech, language and communication needs.

Strengthen the Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) workforce through placements, apprenticeships, supervision and workforce development.

Increase access to SLT expertise in mainstream education and promote inclusive practice.

Work across health, education, local authority and SEND partnerships to support reform and system improvement.

Collaborate with universities and training providers to expand placements and develop sustainable workforce pipelines

Provide expert clinical advice to commissioners and partners, influencing service design and workforce planning.

Lead evaluation, quality improvement, research and use of data to demonstrate impact.

Qualifications, Experience, Skills and Knowledge:

HCPC-registered Speech and Language Therapist.

Evidence of advanced practice or working towards NHSE Advanced Practice Framework requirements.

Significant experience with children and young people (0-25) across education settings.

Experience of workforce development, co-production, system leadership and partnership working.

Understanding of SEND reform and education systems

Ability to use data and evidence to drive improvement, lead learning, supervision, innovation and culture change.

Awareness of population health and emerging policy.

About us

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.

Job responsibilities

ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY

The Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

The Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Advanced Practitioner is a strategic, population-level clinical leadership role working across education, health and care systems to improve outcomes for children and young people aged 0-25 with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

The role will provide advanced clinical leadership across the Essex SEND partnership, working collaboratively with local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, NHS providers, education settings, universities, parent carer forums and professional networks to strengthen the Speech and Language Therapy workforce and increase access to SLT expertise within mainstream education settings. The post is aligned to the NHSE Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Practice and operates across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research.

The post holder will:

• Provide strategic, population-level clinical SLT leadership to improve outcomes for children and young people (0-25) with speech, language and communication needs.
• Strengthen the SLT workforce pipeline across education settings through placements, apprenticeships and supervision capacity.
• Increase access to Speech and Language Therapy expertise within mainstream education settings.
• Support delivery of SEND reform and the Experts at Hand programme across the Essex system.
• Work with commissioners and system partners to implement evidence-based, scalable solutions which improve access to speech and language expertise within education.
• Develop sustainable partnerships with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), providers and wider stakeholders to strengthen workforce supply, capability and sustainability.

This is a strategic system leadership role and is not intended to carry a clinical caseload or undertake individual casework.

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the delivery of SEND reform, workforce transformation and population health improvement through the NHS 10 year plan priorities.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:

Policy and service development

• Lead the development and implementation of strategic initiatives that strengthen the Speech and Language Therapy workforce across mainstream education settings.
• Support implementation of national SEND reforms and the Experts at Hand programme across Essex.
• Influence policy development relating to workforce planning, education placements, apprenticeship pathways and inclusive practice.
• Ensure compliance with relevant NHS, HCPC, SEND and ICB governance requirements.
• Promote evidence-based practice and innovation across education, health and social care systems.
• Support development of local area SEND strategies and contribute to SEND inspection readiness and improvement activity.

Strategy and analysis

• Analyse complex workforce, service and population health data to identify opportunities for workforce growth and service improvement.
• Use evaluation, audit and outcome measures to demonstrate impact and inform commissioning decisions.
• Develop reports, business cases and recommendations for commissioners and system leaders.
• Apply population health approaches to improve access to Speech and Language Therapy expertise in education settings.
• Use system intelligence to identify barriers, inequalities and opportunities relating to speech, language and communication needs.

Planning and organisation

• Lead and coordinate programmes that increase student placements, apprenticeship opportunities and workforce development across Essex.
• Develop and implement work plans aligned with agreed programme objectives and governance requirements.
• Manage competing priorities across partner organisations and system programmes.
• Maintain robust records, reporting arrangements and programme documentation.
• Contribute to delivery of relevant ICB and SEND partnership priorities.

Communications and Partnerships

• Operate as a system leader across education, health and care.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with:

• Local Authorities
• Education settings (early years, schools and post-16)
• NHS and independent providers
• Universities and training providers
• Parent carer forums
• Designated Clinical Officers
• Professional bodies including the RCSLT

• Present complex information to varied audiences and facilitate collaborative decision making.
• Champion co-production with children, young people and families.
• Influence senior leaders and stakeholders across organisational boundaries to support system-wide improvement.
• Able to manage conflict, find compromise and persuade based on evidence as needed

Financial and resource management

• Support the effective use of programme funding associated with the SLT Advanced Practitioner programme.
• Contribute to business cases and investment proposals relating to workforce development initiatives.
• Support procurement and commissioning activities where required.
• Ensure value for money and achievement of agreed programme outcomes.

Team management and capability building

• Act as an educator, mentor, supervisor and coach to students, clinicians and supervisors.
• Support development of innovative placement supervision models.
• Build workforce capability through professional learning and development initiatives.
• Promote and support Speech and Language Therapy degree apprenticeships.
• Facilitate communities of practice and professional networks across Essex.
• Provide professional leadership without direct responsibility for line management of therapy services.

Other

• Able to use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role
• Primarily desk‑based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on‑line or in person meetings
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel)

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• ICB senior leadership including DCO and Associate Director Strategic Commissioning
• Local Authority partners
• NHS and Independent Speech & Language Therapy Providers
• Early Years Settings
• Mainstream and Special Schools
• Further Education and Post-16 Providers
• Universities and Higher Education Institutions
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
• Children and Young People Participation Groups
• NHS England Regional Teams
• SEND Partnership Boards

Person Specification

Governance & Assurance

• Experience delivering projects that require collective decision-making and how to negotiate success in those situations
• A good understanding effective corporate governance and the route for decision making within the ICB

Personal Attributes and Values

• Personal commitment to the values of the NHS 10-year Plan, the NHS People Plan, the Nolan Principles, to championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the ICB and the wider health system
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to work as part of a team and independently
• Takes personal responsibility and works with a high level of integrity

People & Culture

• Experience in leading and motivating teams, including recognising and promoting talent, as well as appropriately dealing with under-performance, when necessary
• Evidence of compassionate leadership and experience in promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity
• A commitment to continuous improvement, organisation learning and achieving positive outcomes for all staff, patients, service users and carers working in line with the NHS People Promise

Partnerships & Communities

• Experience working across organisational boundaries in the development and delivery of projects
• Able to represent the organisation credibly and positively in internal and external meetings
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, challenging within areas of responsibility and escalating appropriately where necessary

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level (relevant focus) or equivalent managerial experience
• Evidence of sustained commitment to continuing professional development
• HCPC Registered Speech and Language Therapist.

Experience

• Experience as a Speech and Language Therapist working with children and young people aged 0-25
• Experience of delivering complex and contentious change and transformation projects
• Experience of workforce development including students, apprentices and support staff.
• A good understanding of current education, health and social care national aims and policy, and other determinants that impact on healthcare provision
• Able to translate complex information into clear communications for a range of audiences, including to deliver effective reports to senior leadership
• Experience using analytical and problem‑solving skills to address complex problems, ability to recognise policy implications and how to manage potential competing priorities / interests in developing strategies

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.