Interim SEND SAS Sensory Specialism Lead (Countywide)

Job Title: Interim SEND SAS Sensory Specialism Lead (Countywide)
Starting Salary: Level 14 - 18 Leadership Scale £ per annum (pro rata for part time) - Pay award pending
Hours: 32.50
Base Location: Apsley or Stevenage (subject to applicant) with countywide travel required.
Contract Type: Fixed Term/Secondment until 1st April 2028 - Teachers T's & C's
Directorate: Childrens Services

Would you like an opportunity to support Hertfordshire delivering better outcomes for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

About the team

Education Directorate is a multi-disciplinary service comprising of SEND Specialist Advice and Support services (SEND SAS), Early Years, School Planning and Admission, Access & Inclusion Services and Statutory services.

SEND SAS consists of a range of advisory support services such Sensory teams, Cognition & Learning team and Speech, Language, Communication & Autism team.

The post holder will lead the specialist support provision for the County for Children young people (0-25) with Deaf and Hearing, Vision Impairment needs and Multi-Sensory Impairment needs, ensuring quality and equity of service delivery.

This is an interim role until April 2028, which will be reviewed as SEND Reform and Local Government Reform progress.

As part of Education Directorate the post holder will work collaboratively with colleagues across Education, Social Care and health both within and outside Education Directorate to promote early intervention, assessment and excellent inclusive practice.

Another key part of your role will be to support Children’s Services and the SEND SAS team with the implementation of the SEND Reform Plan and Local Government Reorganisation programme.

About the role

As the interim Countywide Specialism Lead for Sensory Needs, you will lead and develop Hertfordshire’s specialist support offer for children and young people aged 0-25 with hearing impairment, vision impairment and multi-sensory impairment. You will ensure high-quality, equitable services that help children and young people achieve positive outcomes and thrive in education.

You will provide strategic leadership across the county, working with schools, early years settings, post-16 providers, families and partner agencies to promote inclusive practice, early intervention and effective support in line with the SEND Code of Practice and local SEND priorities.

You will lead and support a team of specialist professionals, including Countywide Lead Teachers and the Educational Audiologist, ensuring high standards of practice, advice, training and service delivery. You will oversee quality assurance, performance management and the continuous development of the sensory support offer.

Working as part of the SEND Specialist Advice and Support Service leadership team, you will evaluate service impact, identify development priorities and help shape strategic planning. You will also manage the SEND Highly Specialist Equipment Service and contribute to the effective use of budgets and resources to secure the best outcomes for children and young people.

You will build strong partnerships across education, health, social care and parent networks, representing the service at strategic forums, panels and projects. Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will maintain a small advisory caseload, modelling excellent practice and providing specialist advice to support children and young people with sensory needs.

Another key part of your role will be to support Children’s Services and the SEND SAS team with the implementation of the SEND Reform Plan and Local Government Reorganisation programme.

About you

Essential:

• Educated to degree level and hold Qualified Teacher Status
• In-depth specialist knowledge and understanding of the range of sensory impairments and best practice in relation to meeting these needs
• Minimum five years relevant and successful teaching experience e.g. teaching in a specialist setting or advisory service
• Thorough understanding of high-quality teaching and learning
• Ability to model excellent practice and lead by example
• Commitment to promoting equal opportunities and diversity
• Able to travel independently – current driving licence
• Excellent communication and technology (ICT) skills
• Ability to work collaboratively and proven track record of motivating and developing a team
• Ability to set and maintain high standards of professional practice
• Ability to prioritise work within a multi-professional team reflecting service priorities
• Experience of leading strategic developments or innovations within SEND education
• Ability to work creatively to support service development in a rapidly changing environment
• Thorough knowledge of SEND legislation and policy including the SEND Code of Practice, Equality Act and Early Support and ambitions in the SEND reforms
• Ability to use data and performance measures to evaluate practice, evidence outcomes and identify areas for development

Desirable

• Specialism Lead for Sensory Impairment: hold mandatory qualification in either HI, VI or MSI
• Significant experience in a senior leadership role

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

To hear more about this opportunity please contact patricia.walker@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: 5th October (PM) & 8th October

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

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.

Secondment
This role is open to secondments for eligible employees who work for HCC. If you wish to apply on a secondment basis, you must have your line manager’s approval before submitting your application. You will be asked to confirm this within your application form. If you are not eligible for a secondment (e.g., you are currently on a fixed‑term contract that would end before this positions ends) or you indicate that your manager cannot support a secondment, your application will be considered on a fixed‑term contract basis instead.

Additional information

We are changing
Hertfordshire County Councilis undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

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.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

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 (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.