Project Manager - SEND Reform (Experts at Hand / Inclusion Bases)
Contract
Interim - 16 Weeks
Reporting to
SEND Reform Senior Transformation Manager
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to support the delivery of Suffolk's SEND Reform Programme on an interim basis. Working as part of a multi-agency transformation team, you will lead the implementation and mobilisation of key SEND initiatives across mainstream primary and secondary schools, ensuring delivery milestones are achieved and programme objectives are met.
This role requires excellent stakeholder management skills and experience delivering complex public sector transformation projects involving Local Authorities, education providers and health partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day implementation and mobilisation of SEND reform programmes across participating schools.
- Manage the delivery of agreed project plans, ensuring milestones, dependencies and key deliverables remain on track.
- Coordinate the onboarding of schools, implementation planning and ongoing engagement activities.
- Work collaboratively with Local Authority teams, education settings, NHS and wider health partners to ensure successful programme delivery.
- Support the implementation of new operational models, processes, governance arrangements and service specifications.
- Coordinate Team Around the Setting (TAS) activity where applicable, including meetings, action tracking and follow-up.
- Monitor project readiness across participating schools and ensure mobilisation requirements are completed within agreed timescales.
- Identify, monitor and manage programme risks, issues and dependencies, escalating where appropriate.
- Produce regular highlight reports, progress updates and governance papers for senior stakeholders.
- Maintain project documentation including project plans, implementation trackers, action logs, decision logs and risk registers.
- Coordinate communications and stakeholder engagement activities throughout the implementation period.
- Collect, analyse and report implementation data, feedback and performance information to support programme evaluation.
- Support the development of case studies, lessons learned and evidence of impact to inform future phases of the SEND Reform Programme.
- Facilitate collaborative working across Local Authority services, schools and health partners to ensure successful delivery and sustainable implementation.
Essential Experience
- Proven experience delivering complex project or programme management assignments.
- Experience working within Local Authority, Education, Children's Services or NHS environments.
- Strong understanding of programme implementation, mobilisation and service transformation.
- Experience managing multiple stakeholders across education, health and public sector organisations.
- Demonstrable experience maintaining project plans, governance documentation, risk registers and action logs.
- Experience producing reports and presenting progress updates to senior stakeholders.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver against challenging timescales.
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
Desirable Experience
- Experience delivering SEND, SEN or Children's Services transformation programmes.
- Knowledge of SEND reforms, EHCP processes or inclusion programmes.
- Experience working with schools, SEND teams or multi-agency partnerships.
- PRINCE2, APM or equivalent Project Management qualification.
Key Stakeholders
- SEND Reform Programme Team
- Local Authority Children's Services
- SEND Teams
- Education Settings and School Leadership Teams
- Educational Psychology Services
- NHS and Health Partners
- Finance, Property, Admissions and Capital Teams
- Programme Governance Boards
Key Deliverables
- Successful mobilisation and implementation of participating schools.
- Delivery of programme milestones within agreed timescales.
- Effective management of programme risks, issues and dependencies.
- Robust governance documentation and reporting.High levels of stakeholder engagement across education, health and Local Authority partners.
- Collection of implementation evidence and performance data to support programme evaluation and future rollout.
- Smooth handover to the permanent Project Manager following completion of the interim assignment.
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