Location: Council House
Hours: 37 hours a week
Closing Date: 18 June 2026
Contract Type: Permanent
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our friendly and supportive SEND Team as part of Learning, Inclusion and skills service as a SEND Team Manager. We have 2 Team Managers posts and are excited to welcome new managers as part of our expanding team.
We are looking for people who share our belief in Derby and our commitment to improving the lives of children and young people. You must have a passion to work in SEND and experience of working in education or children’s services.
You will lead and manage the SEND Team with your peers, both will supervise, manage and develop team members in order to deliver the service efficiently and effectively.
We are looking for 2 Team Managers to take the lead in the following areas:
1. Lead on secondary/post 16 and annual reviews
Manage the annual review, phased transfers process and have oversight of the secondary and preparing for adulthood agenda for pupils with SEND.
2. Lead on complaints/tribunals
Manage the SEND tribunal, mediation and complaints area.
The post holders will work alongside one other SEND Team Manager who oversees primary and new assessments to ensure that all statutory duties are added too. These posts will require the team managers to lead and manage officers across the service and may fall outside of the initial remit across the service.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you’ll also receive:
- Flexible work/life balance scheme (depending on your role)
- Hybrid working
- Modern office environment
- Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
- 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
- Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
- Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
- Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
- Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
- Support for colleagues who are carers
The Opportunity
In the role of SEND Team Manager here’s an example of what you’ll be doing to make an impact:
An interesting and diverse role, you will be working within a team to assist in delivering the best possible outcomes for Derby children and young people with special educational needs and disability.
This is an exciting time to join a busy, committed and motivated team. In accordance with the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice, the post requires partnership working. You will be working with families and colleagues within Derby and the wider community to deliver excellent services and effective support to children and young people who have special needs and disability.
About You
We are looking for people who share our belief in Derby and our commitment to improving the lives of children and young people. You must have a passion to work in SEND and experience of working in education or children’s services.
To be successful in this role, you will ideally have….
Detailed knowledge and understanding of mechanisms to support schools and other settings to meet the educational needs of children and young people with SEND.
Decision making within statutory frameworks, with financial implications and where decisions are subject to legal challenge.
Relevant legislation/guidance: Detailed knowledge and understanding of relevant legislative and regulatory framework for SEND and Government initiatives
You should have experience of manging team members inspire and lead and is skilled in engaging and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
You must be an excellent communicator with good interpersonal skills and the ability to work under pressure. Self-motivated with a high level of organisational skills, able to work within prescribed timescales and deadlines.
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an application form, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website.
The closing date for this vacancy is at midnight on 18th June. Any applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held: 24 June 2026, at the Council House
If you would prefer to apply for this job using your CV, then please download the attached Declaration Form and send it to [email protected]. Without a completed declaration form, your application will not be accepted. We also encourage you to download the Equalities Form and return this to [email protected], however this is optional and will not affect your application.
Important Information
Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are below.
As part of our safer recruitment checks the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the job.
Before you complete your application, please read our guidance on filling in your application form.
Remember to align your personal statement to the essential criteria in the Person Specification.
Please be aware that where there are colleagues within the organisation who are 'at risk' of redundancy, requirements to redeploy to another suitable role will apply and take priority.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We recruit for diversity and value difference. As many of our roles can now be home-based, we are able to offer more opportunities for people who need this facility.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you are a disabled person, you have the choice to apply under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme so long as you demonstrate that you meet the essential requirements for the job.
We feel it is essential that we recruit a talented workforce that is as diverse as the community we work for.
Please let us know of any individual requirements or reasonable adjustments you may have during the application, interview, or onboarding process and we’ll do all we can to help. We strongly believe in social understanding of disability and for us it’s all about removing barriers to equality.
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy or are having difficulty applying, please contact our Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK - 18001 01332 640 844) or at [email protected] . https://www.derby.gov.uk/signing-service/
