Project Manager

Job Description

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: County Hall Glenfield Leicester LE3 8RA

Salary: £49,221 - £53,826 per annum (Pro rata for part time)

Working Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed term for (2 years), Secondment for (2 years )

Closing Date: 26th April 2026

Interview Date(s): 6th May 2026

SEND Project Manager

We are looking for a Project Manager who will focus on supporting SEND Reform and wider system improvement within Leicestershire’s Children and Family Services. The post is temporary for 24 months.

The 2026 UK SEND reforms, "Putting Children and Young People First," aims to create a more inclusive, consistent system by prioritising early intervention and strengthening mainstream school capacity.

Key changes include introducing new National Inclusion Standards, "Inclusion Bases" in schools, and transitioning to a new specialist Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) system by 2030, aimed at reducing the need for adversarial, expensive legal challenges.

About the Role

We are seeking to recruit an experienced Project Manager to join the team implementing the SEND Reforms in Leicestershire.

As a Project Manager, you will lead and coordinate a programme of activity to support the Leicestershire’s response to national SEND reforms.
Working closely with senior leaders across Children Family Services and wider strategic partners, you will implement national policy into practical, deliverable improvement activity. This will include planning and co-ordinating the necessary workstreams to implement the SEND Reforms. There will also be significant emphasis on financial spend of grant funding and submission of data and reports back to the Department for Education.
You will have strong political awareness and the ability to build trusted relationships in complex environments. You will also have a high level of autonomy, flexibility and initiative, as priorities will evolve in line with national SEND reform.

For information on our approach to the recruitment of ex-offenders, please see our policy statement.

About You

To apply for this post, you must be able to evidence in your application and subsequent interview, the following criteria:

• Relevant Degree in analytical subject or other relevant qualification at this level plus experience of managing complex and demanding projects successfully at an appropriate level to the above qualification.Plus demonstratable relevant experience.
• Qualification in project management or change management or experience of managing complex and demanding projects successfully at an appropriate level
• Managing significant and demanding projects successfully, including experience in the preparation of major project business cases, business change impact assessments and associated budgeting and cost management, ideally within Children and Family Services environment
• Working successfully in an environment requiring extensive liaison, such as across partnerships or within large complex organisations.
• Effective implementation of change and how to manage people through change. Use and application of IT including Microsoft project and in particular an ability to produce reports and presentations
• Local Government structure including policy framework and inter relationships of stakeholders.

• Producing complex and statistical reports with detailed analysis. Prioritising and managing a heavy workload whilst delivering quality results to tight deadlines.

In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and to delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Interested in Flexible Working?

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.

For more information or an informal discussion, please contact:

Olivia Dale - Head of Service Education Strategy and Transformation

Telephone: 01163050287

Email: Olivia.Dale@leics.gov.uk

How to Apply

At Leicestershire County Council we’re looking for top talent from all walks of life. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your background - we care about what you bring to our organisation, not just what’s on your CV. That’s why we’ve designed a recruitment process that’s fair, accessible, and focused on potential. And with benefits that support people at every age and stage of life, we make sure you can thrive - both personally and professionally.

If you share our passion to make a difference for the people of Leicestershire, we’d love to hear from you. Click the apply button to submit your application, ensuring that you upload a supporting statement that explains how you meet the criteria listed in the ‘About You’ section above. Without this information, we won’t be able to assess your suitability for the role, and your application will be rejected. For tips on how to write your statement, see the How to Apply section on our career site.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.

By applying for this post, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

About us

About Leicestershire County Council

At Leicestershire County Council, we're committed to making a real difference in people's lives. Our aim is to work with communities and partners to deliver public services that make Leicestershire the best possible place to live and work for everyone.

Our employees play a key role in supporting this goal and helping us deliver the vital services we provide to the people of Leicestershire. Whether you're starting your career or looking for your next challenge, you'll find a place with us where your ideas are valued, and your work has purpose.

For further information on what it’s like to work for us and the benefits we offer, please refer to the following:

Our Recruitment Process
Our Organisational Values
Our Employee Benefits
Working for Us