SEND Tribunal & Mediation Manager

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

About the role

This is a challenging and rewarding opportunity for a highly motivated individual to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people with SEND. As Tribunal Manager, you will play a central role in ensuring their needs are met and their rights upheld.

• Lead and Influence: You will manage a team of multidisciplinary professionals, representing the local authority in SEND appeals and mediations, and working closely with legal teams to achieve the best possible outcomes.

• Strategic and Operational Excellence: You will be responsible for continually improving internal systems and processes, ensuring effective decision-making and impactful outcomes for children, young people, and their families.

• Problem Solver and Advocate: Beyond managing appeals, you will proactively identify and resolve issues to prevent cases from escalating, acting as a strong advocate for children and young people with SEND.

• Expert in SEND: A deep understanding of SEND legislation and case law is essential, including the Children & Families Act, Children Act, and Equalities Act.

• Build Strong Relationships: You will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the resilience to build positive relationships with families during challenging times.

If you have any further questions or queries please email Chikeluba Nnalue at chike.nnalue@achievingforchildren.org.uk

About you

Are you passionate about making a difference for children and young people with SEND? Do you thrive in a challenging yet rewarding environment? If so, we are seeking a dedicated individual to join our team in this pivotal role.

• Champion for Change: You will advocate for the needs of children and young people with SEND, promoting their independence and ensuring their voices are heard.

• Legal Expertise: A strong understanding of SEND legislation (Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice 2015) is essential, with experience in Tribunal settings highly desirable.

• Collaboration and Communication: You will build strong relationships with education providers and families, communicating effectively and confidently in both written and verbal formats.

• Leadership and Management: Proven people management skills and the ability to coordinate service delivery within a multi-disciplinary setting are crucial.

• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: You will possess exceptional problem-solving and decision-making skills to navigate complex situations and achieve positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month(Or for term term workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract.)
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of staff benefits and discounts
• An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here . For our social work offer click here .

Important Information

Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.

Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.