Job requirements
Essential
17 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Qualifications
Relevant qualification in the area of Children and Young Peoples Services e.g. Nurse, Doctor, AHP, Social Worker, Teacher
- Qualifications
Member of relevant professional body
- Qualifications
Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
- Qualifications
Extensive evidence of working across varied organistional settings.
- Values and behaviours
Consistently thinks about how their work can help and support clinicians and frontline staff deliver better outcomes for patients
- Values and behaviours
Actively develops themselves and supports others to do the same
- Values and behaviours
An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
- Values and behaviours
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda
- Knowledge and Experience
Knowledge and experience of working with Providers of Health and Social Care
- Knowledge and Experience
Experience of managing and successfully delivering high level boards responsible for key NHS /Social Care policies and programmes.
- Knowledge and Experience
Experience of managing an evaluation programme with a view to contributing to future service improvements and change; delivering programmes responsible for service configuration and transformation
- Knowledge and Experience
Significant senior management experience with a focus onto strategic programme management
- Knowledge and Experience
Extensive knowledge of Children and Young Peoples Services
- Knowledge and Experience
Experience of working alongside ICS’s/TCP on the deliverable of Transformational Change.
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Strong leadership skills to take forward a challenging agenda where others may doubt the validity of the programme
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups
- Skills Capabilities & Attributes
Demonstrable experience of delivering results through the development and management of teams to ensure success and use a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility
Desirable
1 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Knowledge and Experience
Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to oversee the SEND agenda across the Midlands and help health and care systems translate national policy into meaningful improvements for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families.
The Head of SEND will provide visible and influential leadership, supporting systems to strengthen delivery, address complex challenges and develop sustainable, joined-up approaches that improve outcomes and reduce inequalities.
Working closely with Department for Education colleagues, Cluster Integrated Care Boards and local authorities, the postholder will strengthen SEND leadership, governance, planning and assurance; align health and education priorities; and translate national policy and reform into coordinated regional action informed by shared intelligence, learning and local needs. They will build strong relationships with NHS England regional and national teams on behalf of the Nursing Directorate and ensure that the voices of children, young people and families remain central to improvement.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be responsible for the following key areas:
- Act as the primary relationship lead for the Midlands for the SEND agenda providing support, guidance and coordination of improvement interventions to help systems and organisations deliver national priorities and achieve sustainable improvements in people’s lives.
- Support the development of Clusters and ICBs by sharing best practice and tailoring support to their level of maturity, improving their resilience, capability and autonomy
- Maintain oversight of cluster ICB delivery and system maturity in line with regional frameworks and approaches, working with systems to strengthen capability and delivery.
- In conjunction with the Regional and National Programme Teams and other functions ensure that there is coordination between improvement activities and systems to provide aligned and helpful support.
- Work with wider regional and national teams to develop sustainable strategic solutions, facilitate pan-system discussions where appropriate and sign-post to support.
- Ensure the directorate’s business functions are delivered effectively, including business planning, risk management, governance, reporting and workforce responsibilities.
- Work collaboratively with the Children and Young People team to align priorities, share expertise and support coordinated delivery.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The successful candidate will build and maintain strong strategic relationships across NHS England regional and national teams on behalf of the Nursing Directorate, providing expert leadership, constructive challenge and trusted advice. They will act as an influential advocate for children and young people with SEND, ensuring their voices and lived experiences are at the heart of decision-making, service development and system improvement.
You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
For further details / informal visits contact: jacqueline.barnes10@nhs.net
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for MRP - Head of SEND with NHS England in Any office across the Midlands, B2 4HQ, West Yorkshire. It is listed as a Band 8 Head of service role. The advertised salary is £79504.00 to £91609.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 28 Oct 2026.
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