Head of SEND Sufficiency

Job Title: Head of SEND Sufficiency
Salary range: £81,803 to £90,664 pa
Hours: 37
Location: Stevenage
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Services

As part of our Making SEND Everyone's Business (MSEB) programme, we are further expanding our directorate with this Head of Service post, as we make significant progress with our improvement journey towards excellence for our children and young people with SEND.

Our team is dedicated to supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across Hertfordshire, ensuring they have access to high-quality education and specialist support. We work to develop and maintain a network of special schools and Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs) that meet the diverse needs of our community, striving to create an inclusive education system where every child can thrive.

The Head of SEND Sufficiency plays a critical role in shaping this provision, leading on strategic planning, commissioning, and performance management to ensure there are enough high-quality places for children with the most significant needs. Working closely with panel managers, placement officers, and commissioning specialists, this role ensures that resources are effectively allocated and that services align with both local and national SEND policies. They will also hold responsibility for overseeing critical decision making on EHC Needs Assessments and specialist placements, alongside the operational team that manages complaints and appeals process when these decisions are not agreed with, so experience and understanding of leading on the implementation of SEND legislation is essential.

Collaboration is key to our work, and this role interacts with a wide range of internal and external partners, including schools, multi-agency teams, parents, carers, and national SEND networks. The team is well established but evolving, offering the Head of SEND Sufficiency a unique opportunity to influence future developments and drive improvements in SEND provision across the county. If you're passionate about making a lasting impact on the lives of children and young people with SEND, this is a role where your expertise and leadership can truly shape the future.

You will lead the strategic planning and commissioning of special school placements and Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs), ensuring there are enough high-quality places to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. By analysing demographic trends and working with schools and local partners, you will identify gaps in provision and implement solutions to improve sufficiency and accessibility.

You will manage the budget of £84m for Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs), SEN units & Special Schools, overseeing contracts with special schools, specialist SEND units, Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs), Delivering Specialist Provision Locally (DSPL) providers, and Special School Outreach to ensure the highest standards and value for money, evaluating the effectiveness of existing SEND provisions, using data-driven approaches to identify strengths and areas needing enhancement.

You will also lead on compliance with the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice, ensuring all commissioned services meet statutory requirements and deliver positive outcomes for children and young people in Hertfordshire.

You will work closely with schools, parents, carers, and multi-agency partners to develop an inclusive and effective SEND system. Leading a team of four Panel Managers and indirectly overseeing four Specialist Placement Officers and panel clerks, you will ensure that EHCNA and placement decisions are needs-led, transparent, and fair. You will oversee the work of the Resolutions and Reconciliation Team as we work to resolve disputes at the earliest opportunity, within both a council and legal framework, delivering Accurate, Compassionate and Timely (ACT) communications and working with partners and families towards the best outcomes. Your leadership will also support service improvements across areas such as Home to School Transport, making a real difference to families across Hertfordshire.

• Extensive experience in SEND strategic planning, commissioning, and provision development, with a strong understanding of special school and resource provision sufficiency.
• Your background will include working at a senior level within education, local government, or a related field, where you have successfully delivered service improvements and managed complex projects. Evidence of working with data to inform decision-making and future planning will be essential.
• Strong leadership and partnership skills are key to this role.
• You will have experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and working collaboratively with schools, local authorities, health and social care partners, and parents/carers to improve SEND provision.
• A proven ability to influence and negotiate at a senior level, along with experience presenting strategic reports to senior management and elected members, will be highly valued.
• A thorough knowledge / experience of leading on SEND legislation, including the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice, is essential.
• Stakeholder engagement and co-production - ability to work effectively with parents, carers, and young people to shape services.
• You will also demonstrate financial acumen, with experience managing and allocating budgets effectively.
• A relevant degree or equivalent experience is required.
• This role will involve travel across Hertfordshire, so access to transport is essential.
• Experience in capital planning and school place sufficiency - understanding how to forecast and develop SEND provision to meet future demand.
• Knowledge of education funding models - particularly High Needs Block funding, to ensure effective resource allocation.
• Project management expertise - experience in overseeing large-scale initiatives, from planning through to implementation.
• Change management skills - experience in driving organisational or service transformation within SEND or education settings.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools - to interpret trends and make evidence-based decisions.
• Understanding of wider social care and health services - to ensure joined-up working across education, health, and social care.
• A background in education, social care, or a related sector would be beneficial.

This job role is within the Organisational Leadership, level LDR16 job profile. Please locate this via: Job families.

To hear more about this opportunity please contact who will arrange an informal conversation to take place with Hero Slinn.

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert/job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.