Opus People Solutions are partnering with Suffolk County Council to recruit an experienced SEND Transformation Project Manager for an initial 16-week interim assignment.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the delivery of Suffolk's Inclusion Base Programme, supporting the mobilisation of approximately 18 primary and secondary schools as part of a significant SEND transformation initiative.
Reporting to the SEND Reform Senior Transformation Manager, you will work closely with Local Authority teams, education settings and partners to ensure successful implementation of the Inclusion Base model and establish strong foundations for long-term programme success.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day implementation and mobilisation of the Inclusion Base programme across participating schools.
- Coordinate onboarding activities and facilitate engagement, planning and progress meetings with schools and stakeholders.
- Drive delivery against agreed implementation plans, ensuring milestones and deliverables remain on track.
- Support schools in understanding and implementing the Inclusion Base model, service specification and operational requirements.
- Work collaboratively across SEND, Education, Finance, Property, Capital, Admissions and Health partners.
- Monitor school readiness and ensure launch criteria are achieved within agreed timescales.
- Support the implementation of governance arrangements, referral pathways and operational processes.
- Coordinate workforce planning, training and development requirements.
- Manage programme risks, issues and dependencies, ensuring timely escalation where required.
- Produce highlight reports, governance papers and programme updates for senior stakeholders.
- Maintain programme documentation including risk registers, action logs and implementation trackers.
- Support evaluation activities and the collection of impact evidence to inform future rollouts.
About You
We are keen to speak with candidates who have:
- Proven experience delivering transformation projects within SEND, Education or Children's Services.
- Previous Local Authority experience.
- Experience working with schools and education settings.
- Strong project and programme management skills.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management abilities.
- Experience managing risks, governance and reporting within complex programmes.
- A track record of delivering change in multi-agency environments.
Expected Outcomes
During the assignment you will:
- Successfully mobilise all 18 Inclusion Base schools.
- Ensure schools are prepared for launch and operating against agreed specifications.
- Establish clear governance, operational processes and referral pathways.
- Deliver key milestones to agreed timescales.
- Provide robust implementation and evaluation evidence.
- Support a smooth handover to the permanent Local Authority postholder.
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