This is a pivotal role within CFL Commissioning for AND & Social Care, right at the heart of Surrey's Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Directorate (CFLL). Here, you'll help shape and deliver the continued transformation of SEND services, guided by Surrey County Council's priorities and the needs of local children, young people and families. As the SEND Education and PfA Service Manager, you will provide strategic leadership to a diverse service made up of operational teams and specialist commissioning functions. Your work will ensure that children and young people receive high‑quality, timely and appropriate support - and that Surrey continues to meet its statutory duties. A key part of your role will be steering the service through cost‑containment and savings ambitions, while maintaining a clear focus on outcomes for children. You'll communicate progress confidently to senior leaders and councillors, and build strong partnerships with other services. This is a challenging role, but it's also highly rewarding. Every day you'll see the impact your leadership has on the experiences and opportunities of the young people we serve. The work is varied and fast‑paced, so you'll thrive if you enjoy problem‑solving, thinking creatively and bringing people together around shared goals.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and develop four core commissioning teams, including: SEND Admissions, SEND Placements (including Alternative Provision Placement Officers), Contract & Provider Management, SEND in Care / Coming Home Project
* Drive strategic and operational performance, including: Delivering cost‑containment and savings targets, reporting clearly through KPIs, leadership updates and contributions to the Safety Valve return, and ensuring all statutory responsibilities are fulfilled
* Shape and oversee specialist education provision, including: Specialist schools and specialist centres, the annual high‑needs place change funding process and the development of new specialist provision
* Strengthen relationships and partnerships by working with providers across all sectors of education provision, building strong collaborative relationships that support service improvement and innovation
* Lead key operational processes including overseeing the annual key‑stage transfer process and in‑year specialist placement movement, ensuring high occupancy of the specialist estate and robust funding oversight
* Drive improvement and alignment by leading process and policy development across all teams, responding to national changes, Ofsted priorities and Surrey's strategic direction
* Communicate with impact by producing clear and insightful briefings, decision reports and performance submissions
Qualifications & Experience
* Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage positively with a wide range of partners
* Strong collaborative approach, working confidently with colleagues in education settings and local services
* Experience managing busy operational teams, with the ability to track and drive performance against key KPIs
* A solid understanding of SEND operations, including the legal frameworks that shape SEND and Education delivery
* Experience working within the SEND Code of Practice, particularly around key stage transfers and movement of pupils with EHCPs
* Confidence communicating with senior leaders and councillors on areas of high priority
* Creativity, adaptability and pace, with the ability to identify opportunities and deliver solutions
Benefits
* Position has a starting salary of £70,975 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.
* Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
* A generous local government salary‑related pension
* Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
* Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
* An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
* Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
* Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
Selection Process / Assessment Questions
1. Please describe a time when you have led busy operational teams with a SEND or School Placements focus? How did you keep the team working at pace, and how did you communicate the performance and progress against KPIs?
2. Please tell us about a time you have successfully worked across services within Children, Families & Lifelong Learning, or other directorates. Describe why this was successful, what barriers you came across and what was your approach to mitigating these?
3. Please describe your approach to leading a busy service with multiple deadliness and different focuses? How would you ensure you are organised, how you would communicate progress and how would you ensure you are communicating with the right people at the right time?
4. What do you think will be the key priorities/challenges within the first 6 months of the role?
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