Team Manager - Special Needs Assessment Service

The role

Are you passionate about making a difference for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?

Do you want to help shape the lives of children and young people in Wandsworth?

Would you like to join a council that promotes positive outcomes for children and their parents?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

We are looking to recruit a full time Team Manager to join our amazing team and help play a central role in achieving positive outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs in Wandsworth

About the service

Wandsworth Special Needs Assessment Service (SNAS) works on behalf of children and young people with severe and complex special educational needs and their parents. Currently the borough administers around 2300 Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. The borough provides highly effective provision and a wide variety of services to meet the needs of our children and young people.

SNAS has undergone a rapid transformation and we are looking for passionate and proactive individuals to join us moving forward with continuous improvement.  The work is interesting, varied and can be challenging at times, although very rewarding. Come and join us on our transformation journey!

About the role

You will manage a team of Senior EHC Coordinators, EHC Coordinators, EHC Assistants and an apprentice to ensure effective delivery of Wandsworth’s statutory responsibilities for children/young people with SEND.

SNAS is organised into an Assessments or Reviews Team. This vacancy is to lead the review team.

To lead a successful team you will need a thorough knowledge and understanding of the SEND legal framework (Children and Families Act 2014, Education Act 1996, SEND Code of Practice, among others) and their application to both effective casework and decision making.

Attitude is equally important to us, so you will need excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate staff. You will need to effectively communicate your passion to make a difference to staff and develop the confidence of parents, schools and other stakeholders.

To be shortlisted for this position your CV and personal Statement will clearly evidence:

• Experience at a senior level of implementing the Code of Practice 2014 and supervising SEN Caseworkers to deliver quality EHC plans within statutory timescales. 
• The ability to take the lead on complex cases, modelling best practice in service delivery and staff management.
• You can work flexibly and effectively under pressure, be resilient and solution focused when facing challenges.
• You can communicate effectively and present data & complex information, including clear and concise reports to managers and partnership groups.
• The ability to make decisions in relation to children and young people based on sound assessment of needs and appraisal of available options.

For more information about the role, please contact the recruiting manager, Jackie McCallum, by email Jackie.mccallum@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk or Emma Maffre by email emma.maffre@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk to arrange a telephone conversation.

Benefits

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including, working from home, compressed or part-time hours, term time only, job shares and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 39 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities.

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 11.59pm on Sunday 1^st August 2021
• Shortlisting date: Week commencing 2^nd August 2021
• Interview date: Week commencing 9^th August 2021

Useful Information: The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

How to apply?

To be considered for interview your CV and supporting statement must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.