Job info	Job info details
Job title	SEND Project Manager
Strategic team/Directorate	Children’s Services (on behalf of the SEND Partnership)
Service	Education, Inclusion and SEND
Business unit	SEND
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Divisional Director, Education and SEND
Accountable to (line manager)	Divisional Director, Education and SEND
Salary grade	K
JE ref	JOT182B

1. Key purpose of job

• To work across the SEND partnership including all external organisations to manage the delivery of the SEND Improvement Priority Impact Plan (PIP) which will transform services and deliver real and significant benefits to SEND children, young people and their families in Torbay.
• To manage multiple workstreams taking full ownership for all aspects of delivery, ensuring that all stakeholders are fully engaged and that actions are delivered and evidence gathered ready for a forthcoming Ofsted re-inspection (18-month monitoring visit). 
• To support the partnership to be fully prepared for the monitoring and deep dive cycle led by the DfE and NHS England. 
• To be responsible for the overall integrity and coherence of the SEND improvement programme.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Define, plan and manage the PIP improvement and change programme across the partnership and with external partners, with a view to transforming and improving services to ensure an inspection result sees an improvement in services.
• To collate and collect ongoing evidence to show improvement and coordinate all activity surrounding the PIP and its oversight and scrutiny from outside agencies. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• Responsible for safeguarding and always promoting the welfare of children.
• Work closely with the Independent Chair of the SEND Board, Chair of the Parent Carer Forum, PIP workstream leads, Heads of Service and other senior officers across the Council and Integrated Care Board to champion and drive through significant areas of change.
• Manage multiple significant workstreams at one time delivering required outcomes to time and budget.
• Responsible for effective quality assurance and overall integrity of projects and programmes.
• Actively identify risks, issues and pursue resolution, minimising risk to the partnership. 
• Actively identify and support opportunities for co-production and co-design from Torbay’s SEND families . 
• Work with leads across the SEND partnership to gather evidence of progress and impact, ensuring all related documents and frameworks are updated regularly and in line with reporting cycle of the board. 
• Effective co-ordination of project/programme workstreams and management of the independencies including oversight of any risks and issues arising.
• Ensuring effective project/programme governance including rigorous reporting and briefing Systems between all relevant groups and individuals.
• Build strong working relationships across the SEND partnership, including associated groups and forums, e.g., SEND Youth Forum
• Work with the Independent Chair, Chair of the Parent Carer Forum and Senior officers to fully prepare for the range of monitoring requirements led by the DfE and NHS England.
• Initiating activities and management interventions wherever gaps in projects/programmes identified or issues arise.
• Assist in developing an organisational culture which encourages innovation, creativity, learning, and ensures ownership through employee involvement.
• Communicate effectively delivering concise, pertinent project documentation and reports as required.
• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• Manage multiple significant projects at any one time delivering required outcomes to time and budget.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• No direct line management responsibility. 
• Work alongside and influence key leads from across the SEND partnership, senior leaders within the Council and Health, Chairs of the SEND board and SEND Family Voice Torbay (Parent Carer Forum) and corporate teams in Council and Health, e.g., communications, data. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working environment.

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• IT equipment (i.e. laptop). 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• Torbay’s SEND partnership, Consultants, contractors, commissioned service providers, other key partners and stakeholders, other local authorities, the public, the media.

Internal:

• Elected Members, Chief Executives of Council and ICB, Directors, Divisional and Assistant Directors, Heads of Service, Council Officers, Commissioning Partnerships, Senior Business Partners and External Consultants.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• This post is office based Town Hall but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	SEND Project Manager
Strategic team/Directorate	Children’s Services (on behalf of the SEND Partnership)
Service	Education, Inclusion and SEND
Business unit	SEND

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• The ability to manage multiple and complex projects taking full accountability for all aspects of delivery, owning the business case and ensuring that all stakeholders are fully engaged.
• Effective management skills to supervise and line manage staff, manage workload, delegate tasks and coach and mentor staff.
• Ability to work to tight budgets and time schedules. This requires excellent personal time management skills plus high level of productivity.
• Organisational skills – including the ability to prioritise workloads within timescales and meet deadlines – to operate effectively across complex work cultures and environments.
• Excellent leadership, communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills.
• Managing production of project deliverable i.e. business cases.
• Risk analysis methods and management.
• Task scheduling and prioritisation.
• Direct, develop and motivate people working on the programme/project ensuring all programmes are developed in line with ‘Managing Successful Programmes’ methodology.
• Ensuring all projects comply to PRINCE2 standards to a practical level.
• The ability to present complex and sometimes contentious information in an easy-to-understand and concise manner to a range of different audiences.
• The ability to make decisions and recommendations, sometimes at short notice and take responsibility for them.
• The ability to manage conflicting deadlines and identify and manage constant change.
• Tact, consideration and diplomacy skills are required by the post holder, e.g., to manage the expectations of customers.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Good understanding of the SEND system, expectations for Local Area Partnerships and national agendas. 
• Proven knowledge and expertise in a project management approach to delivery of improvement and change.
• Detailed knowledge of the production of project management documentation including project briefs, project approach project plans, project initiation documents, work packages, resource plans, risk and issues logs.
• Understanding of the SEND Local Area governance process to ensure that deadlines are met for effective decision-making timelines.
• Up to date knowledge of computer systems i.e. the ability to use software packages such as Microsoft Office (including Project, Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint).
• Theoretical and practical knowledge and experience of PRINCE2 project methodology (or similar). 

Desirable knowledge

• Business Process Reengineering skills, or similar.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of the successful delivery of improvement and change.
• Experience in responding to quickly changing priorities and competing deadlines.
• Experience of problem solving, being innovate and creative in terms of designing and implementing solutions.
• Positive track record of motivating and influencing colleagues and others.
• Experience of full contribution.
• Experience of working on own initiative and making and justifying robust and sometimes contentious decisions.
• Experience of working across multiple departments/organisations and dealing tactfully and persuasively with complex and sensitive matters.
• Experience dealing with staff at all levels in professional situations.

Desirable experience and achievements

N/A

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Professional qualification in programme/project management such as Prince or equivalent.
• Educated to degree level standard (including HND, professional/enhanced skill qualification) or equivalent or demonstrable work-related experience in appropriate areas.
• Evidence of continued professional development. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

N/A

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate occasional homeworking.