The Council is seeking an experienced and strategic Group Accountant High Needs Block to join their Education & Inclusion Directorate. This is a high-profile leadership role providing expert financial management, business partnering, and strategic advice to senior stakeholders across Education, Inclusion, and SEND services.

As the principal finance lead for the High Needs Block, you will play a vital role in supporting service transformation, delivering robust financial planning and forecasting, ensuring statutory compliance, and helping shape sustainable services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified finance professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership, business partnering, and influencing skills.

About the Role

Working within a matrix management environment, you will:

• Lead the provision of high-quality financial management and strategic advice across Education and Inclusion services.
• Act as the key financial advisor for High Needs Block funding and expenditure.
• Deliver monthly and quarterly budget monitoring, forecasting, and financial performance reporting.
• Support service transformation programmes through financial modelling, business case development, and options appraisals.
• Work closely with senior managers to identify savings opportunities, manage financial risks, and develop recovery plans where required.
• Contribute to the production of statutory accounts, financial returns, and external audit requirements.
• Manage and develop the SEND Finance Team, ensuring excellent service delivery and staff development.
• Support senior leadership and directors by providing financial advice for decision-making and governance processes.
• Represent the Council at regional and national forums, promoting the Council�s interests and contributing to sector-wide discussions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Provide expert financial advice to senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Deliver complex financial modelling and scenario planning.
• Support commercial opportunities, investment decisions, and service redesign initiatives.
• Identify risks and develop practical mitigation strategies.
• Prepare reports and present financial information to senior management, Members, and external partners.
  

Financial Management & Business Partnering

• Lead budget monitoring, forecasting, and financial planning activities.
• Develop systems and processes that improve financial control and transparency.
• Support budget holders to deliver value for money and achieve financial sustainability.
• Produce clear and insightful management information to inform decision-making.
• Advise on funding opportunities and financial implications of policy changes.
  

Service Improvement & Transformation

• Provide financial support for business transformation and innovation programmes.
• Conduct options appraisals and sensitivity analysis for strategic projects.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial systems, processes, and reporting.
  

Team Leadership

• Manage, motivate, and develop a team of finance professionals.
• Set priorities and ensure resources are effectively deployed.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and customer focus.

Key Skills & Experience 

The Council are looking for an accomplished finance professional with the ability to influence strategic decisions and build strong partnerships across complex organisations.

Essential Requirements

• CCAB or CIMA qualified, or substantial equivalent senior-level finance experience.
• Evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Significant experience in financial management within a large and complex organisation.
• Extensive experience of financial modelling and forecasting.
• Experience of project management and delivering outcomes across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong track record of influencing and negotiating with senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of local authority finance, financial reporting, and statutory accounting requirements.
• Experience supporting the local authority closedown and Statement of Accounts process.
• Understanding of public sector commercialisation and associated financial risks.
• Experience managing and developing professional finance teams.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance audiences.
• Strong customer focus and relationship-building skills.
• A proactive and strategic mindset.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and challenging deadlines.

The Council are committed to delivering excellent services for residents while supporting innovation, transformation, and sustainable financial management. You'll join a collaborative and forward-thinking organisation where your expertise will directly influence services that make a difference to children, young people, and families across the borough.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

6 months 

2 days in the office, flexible 

To lead, manage and direct the strategy and internal governance for the delivery of facilities building management (FM) across the Council and its partner services

Implement the strategic overview of FM operations and ensure that facilities management operations activities are regularly reviewed regards contract management, and that building related duties and procurement arrangements are followed. This will include FM energy related works and works related to net carbon zero efficiencies through lifecycle repairs and/or upgrades.

To oversee the formulation and delivery of plans for the management of the Council’s property assets to ensure that assets are appropriately inspected and maintained in accordance with all legislative and regulatory requirements.

To develop and implement effective arrangements for Facilities Management in all the premises occupied by the Council, its staff or partners for the delivery of its services. 

To present timely, robust and relevant information and advice to Members and Officers in relation to the Council’s property and land assets

To ensure that the Council’s property assets are regularly inspected, maintained, and reviewed as appropriate to keep them in good repair and maximise the benefit the Council gains from the ownership and use of the properties. 

To ensure that all statutory and legislative requirements are met in respect of the Council’s ownership and use of its property assets, including completing any necessary risk assessments and remedial works. 

To put in place contracts and agreements with appropriate contractors or providers as necessary to deliver the full range of Facilities Management functions in an effective, timely manner, ensuring value for money for the Council. 

To procure where appropriate, suitable providers/contractors to undertake specialist work.

To direct and monitor such providers and contractors so as to ensure that all services are delivered to specified standards and within agreed budgets and timescales. 

To be conversant with the relevant statutory and regulatory requirements (in particular as they relate to Local Authority owned and occupied property) and the provisions of the Council’s constitution and to develop the full range of managerial and professional skills and knowledge to satisfy the requirements of the post. 

To present timely and relevant information and advice to the Deputy Director Finance and Property and to Cabinet Members and to deal promptly with other matters requiring the postholders attention.

• A degree in Facilities Management or similar 
• CIWFM or similar professional accreditation
• Project Management qualification – PRINCE 2

To find out more about this role, please forward a CV with your contact details so that we can review and call you to discuss.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Purpose of the Role

To lead on the management and resolution of Stage 1 SEND complaints, ensuring concerns are handled promptly, fairly and in accordance with statutory guidance, local policies and best practice. The Inclusion Lead will work collaboratively with families, schools and professionals to seek early resolution of complaints and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Key Responsibilities

Manage and coordinate all Stage 1 SEND complaints.

Acknowledge, investigate and respond to complaints within agreed timescales.

Gather and review relevant information, records and evidence to inform investigations.

Communicate effectively with parents, carers, schools and professionals throughout the complaints process.

Prepare clear, accurate and professional Stage 1 complaint responses.

Investigation and Resolution

Identify key issues, concerns and learning arising from complaints.

Work with services and partner agencies to resolve concerns at the earliest opportunity.

Ensure complaints are considered fairly, objectively and consistently.

Escalate complex or high-risk cases to the Senior Inclusion Lead as appropriate.

Quality Assurance and Improvement

Maintain accurate complaint records and monitoring information.

Identify themes, trends and lessons learned from complaints.

Contribute to service improvements through recommendations and action planning.

Support compliance with SEND legislation, local authority policies and complaints procedures.

Partnership Working

Develop positive relationships with families, schools and partners.

Promote a culture of openness, learning and continuous improvement.

Represent the service at meetings relating to complaint investigations where required.

Accountability

Accountable to the Senior Inclusion Lead.

Responsible for delivering high-quality Stage 1 SEND complaint investigations and responses.

Works within delegated authority and escalates matters requiring senior decision-making.

Person Specification

Essential

Knowledge of SEND legislation, guidance and processes.

Experience of investigating complaints or resolving complex concerns.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

Commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Desirable

Experience working within a local authority, education or SEND service.

Knowledge of statutory complaints procedures and dispute resolution processes.

Experience of working with families and multi-agency partners.

Key Outcome: Ensure Stage 1 SEND complaints are managed effectively, resolved wherever possible at the earliest stage, and used to drive service improvement and better experiences for children, young people and their families.

To find out more about this role, please forward a CV with your contact details so that we can review and call you to discuss.

contactus@bamberry.co.uk

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

To leading financial strategy and business partnering across the Housing Revenue Account and General Fund housing services, including housing capital investment, temporary accommodation and homelessness prevention. 

To lead and deliver a value adding, customer focused finance function that collaborates with service colleagues and other professional functions to meet the needs of the Council, whilst also delivering on corporate objectives and responsibilities. To drive Council efforts in delivering the changes and improvements needed to meet its challenges in the short, medium, and long term.

To ensure the provision of high-quality finance and accountancy service that integrates best practice and customer focus with all aspects of service delivery and complies with statutory and policy requirements.

To pro-actively ensure the financial strategies and transformation in relation to these services are consistent with the longer term political and service aspirations as set out in relevant organisational and service strategies.

To lead, develop and drive the changing role of finance in becoming a function that is proactive, takes ownership, and maximises benefit from technological changes, focuses on becoming a data led, value adding professional advisory function.

To provide professional leadership as part of the Council’s finance community, ensure and promote the professional competence of staff involved in finance and driving a collaborative, customer, and outcomes focused approach.

Support the S151 Officer and Director of Finance in the effective planning, monitoring, and delivery of the Council’s financial strategy.

Lead and have overall responsibility for all aspects of a directorate’s finance activity and ensure pro-active, effective, value adding customer focused support for Directorate Leadership Teams/ Corporate Leadership Team and budget holders, including access to sound and timely financial advice on policy and strategic issues.

Overall responsibility to drive and increase financial competence, enable, and get buy-in from budget holders and Directors so they manage their own day to day finances and forecast through the appropriate financial systems of the organisation on a regular basis.

Overall responsibility to lead, manage and deliver all aspects of financial planning, production of management and statutory accounts, reporting and statistical returns (including returns to government departments and tax returns) to the highest professional standards and facilitate their internal and external scrutiny as appropriate. To ensure the Council’s accounts reflect the true accounting position and transactional postings to the chart of accounts are correct at source, and effective controls are in place.

Hold budget responsibility for your team.

Lead and develop a forward looking, pro-active team of finance staff that take ownership, personally responsibility, accountability, and work in a collaborative manner to deliver a value adding, customer focused finance function, ensure outcomes are delivered which is positively recognised by service colleagues, Members and others involved.

Co-ordinate expert and technical advice around management and project accountancy for large and complex capital programmes and the accounting treatments that are applied to these programmes.

Proactively engage and work with Directors on the scheduling of and producing reports to formal Council committees and other governance bodies that detail the financial implications of any proposals together with any other financial advice as may be necessary under S151 of the 1972 Local Government Act.

Advise Directors in managing their current budget position taking into account changes to funding and grants on the financial horizon and leading the financial support to deliver changes to their operating model, through the provision of detailed and specialist advice.

Take personal responsibility to develop and influence others’ thinking and negotiate to achieve optimal outcomes for the Council, working extensively with senior management, external partners, regulators, and members, and have significant influence on the authority’s financial strategic direction and effective financial stewardship.

Provide personal, customer focused advice and support to Corporate Directors, Cabinet Members and Committees.

Provide the operational leadership to ensure there is a robust process for monitoring the in-year financial position and reporting on that position to the highest professional standards and to meet statutory requirements and full internal and external scrutiny as appropriate, in a timely way to both senior management and elected members.

Lead on the assessment of the effectiveness of existing financial management approaches against both internal and external “best practice” comparators and recommend innovative enhancements to support the continuous improvement of service provision across the council.

Lead, manage and support transformational change implementations as required, securing the co-operative support of senior colleagues and partners as necessary to ensure consistency of approach and evidencing of financial impact.

Act as an authorised signatory for respective service delivery area under the delegated authority of the Director of Finance.

​Organisational Expectations

All Council managers are expected to work in a way which meets the Council’s Core Values and Behaviours and supports the achievements of the Borough Plan outcomes.

​Key skills & experience 

Proven knowledge of the following: operating in a complex multidisciplinary organisation; programmes and projects; people management 

Detailed understanding of local government (or other appropriate public sector body) finance, funding, and financial techniques.

Knowledge of the current financial challenges and issues being faced by local government.

Understanding of the requirements of accounting standards, CIPFA Local Authority Accounting Code of Practice, the Financial Management Code.

Relevant Experience

Experience in working at a senior level of local government finance for budget setting (both revenue and capital), monitoring, closing and project management.

Experience of providing financial advice to senior officers and members including partners and formal committees.

Working with extremely large and complex budgets, financial systems and accounts

Significant experience of leading and managing a team of staff, including developing and motivating them to deliver a highly skilled, effective, customer focused service

Qualification

CCAB (or equivalent) qualified accountant 

Additional professional management qualifications and/or training will be advantageous

​

Responsible For:

Education provision quality and sufficiency in the borough; pupil facing services including: Education Psychology service, Virtual School, Inclusion services, Outreach services, Special Education Needs & Disability Team, School Admissions Service, Vulnerable Pupils Data and Pupil Place Planning.

Job Purpose:

To report to the Director of Education and Learning with the Assistant Director, School Quality Assurance and Partnerships and be part of the senior management team in the Education and Learning Division as well as the wider Children's Services Directorate and other Council services.

As strategic lead on Education Strategy to have oversight of pupil place planning and education provision, sufficiency and ensuring high quality is maintained; school access and admissions and services for vulnerable pupils including the SEND and inclusion services.

To provide strategic leadership of services to vulnerable pupils in the context of the overall provision of services to children with Special Educational Needs and their families working closely with other teams across Children's Services.

To ensure a traded service with schools to provide non-statutory Educational Psychology services as well as non-statutory outreach services including behaviour, sensory support is maintained 

To drive and implement the strategic and operational vision of the Council and wider Children's Services and to successfully manage the cultural change required to achieve excellent service delivery in relation to education inclusion and outreach. This will involve holding collective responsibility for developing the agenda of service improvement and the ongoing development with partners, including schools and voluntary organisations, to achieve effective and excellent multi-agency working focused around the child. 

To lead significant aspects of school policy and performance and to maintain close links with schools including acting as a School Improvement Adviser to a number of schools.

To ensure that School admissions, services for excluded pupils and Fair Access Protocols and Panels are managed appropriately and effectively

To have full knowledge and experience of relevant education and children's services national and local legislation, policy, procedure and practice requirements. To continually learn from best practice locally and nationally

Main Duties and Responsibilities: Leadership and Management

To ensure that children and families are placed at the heart of the Service, are treated courteously and fairly and are consulted on all aspects of their service provision and involved in the design of service provision.

To lead and deliver departmental, directorate and corporate performance plans as required and to set objectives to ensure that the service develops in line with changing needs, including service users and national standards.

To seek ways to develop the multi-agency services provided so that they model best practice and ensure the safe care of children and young people. To take part in the multi-agency strategic and operational planning process and to jointly manage services with key partners where appropriate and agreed.

To be responsible for the oversight and management of relevant budgets.

To lead and monitor the SEND and Educational Psychology Services and other professionals who report to the postholder to ensure high quality service delivery

To be responsible for relevant staff development and training.

To co-ordinate the service contribution to children's service and borough wide priorities and strategies led by staff in your team and analyse the resulting outcomes to ensure continuous improvement.

To lead and promote the use of inclusion and outreach services in a reflective and creative way to enhance teaching and learning, improve attendance and reduce exclusions in schools, early years and alternative education settings.

To develop and lead effective partnerships with internal departments and external agencies, including schools, in order to promote the safety and well-being of children and young people and to achieve excellent outcomes.

To ensure staff and managers receive the supervision, appraisal, support,  training and development necessary for them to provide high quality, safe care for children. To carry out quality assurance, audits and analysis of staff supervision and exit interviews and ensure service and departmental improvements are made based on the outcomes of this analysis.

To provide elected Members with professional expertise and to write and present committee reports and briefings.

Performance management

12.     To jointly deliver the overall operational and strategic management of the Education and Learning Service, wider Children's Services and the Council, with other agencies including the voluntary sector.

13.     Directly manage and deliver performance of both staff and the service, ensuring early intervention where performance falls below national or organisational standards, or threatens to fall below, required standards and to implement HR procedures, including disciplinary procedures where necessary.

14.     To develop systems for the effective monitoring of performance and recognising and commending good performance and to demonstrate high expectations of performance.

15.    Review and develop services for own area of responsibility and take a corporate approach to ensure it is in line with the local and national context.

16.     Provide and write management and other reports in a timely way, as needed, required or directed by the divisional management team or the departmental leadership team.

17.     To lead and deliver the work connected to Ofsted, CQC and other external regulatory bodies- including: preparing for inspections, developing and implementing action plans in a timely manner.

18.     To investigate and respond to complaints as required relating to Children's Services, in accordance with the Council's Complaints Procedure and within specified timescales.

19.     To engage and contribute to the service and divisional management teams and to actively lead the operational and strategic management of Children's Services and the Council.

Finance and Resources

20.     To effectively manage the budgetary performance of the service within the Council's delegated scheme.

21.     To take personal and professional responsibility for ensuring that expenditure is on track, and appropriate action is taken to address any risks in order to achieve a balanced budget at the end of the financial year.

22.     To prepare all necessary documentation for the Council committee processes where appropriate. To commission and deliver services within the best value framework and the Council's Efficiency Savings framework.

23.     To report in timely manner to the Director any issues where there may be budget or fraud risks and to produce and implement an appropriate action plan.

24.     To work within the existing financial systems and implement any new systems within the appropriate regulatory framework and make service savings wherever possible, ensuring the needs of children and young people are met.

25.     To ensure that staff and managers understand the Council's budgetary framework and ensure that invoices are paid on time.

26.     To proactively seek and manage external grants and funding sources and comply with associated requirements.

Information and IT

27.    Ensure that service user information is comprehensive and accurate and that IT systems are updated by staff and managers. Ensure that data protection standards, information sharing and access to files protocols are in place and are fully complied with, within the legal framework.

28.      To ensure that information technology is used to its fullest potential to provide management information and to inform future service delivery.

29.       To develop and implement the Directorate's and the council's agreed IT strategy.

30.    To develop and implement information systems to ensure the communication and cascading of information and business planning objectives.

Communication

31.     To consistently ensure reputation management; to promote a positive image of the Council and the Borough, both internally and externally, and support the implementation of the Council's values.

32.     To develop and maintain effective relationships with Members and Trade Unions. 

33.     The post holder will work with auditors and other inspectors approved by the Council in any investigations pertaining to the work of the team and the records held and implement the subsequent action plan.

34.     To communicate with service users and consult and involve them in service modernisation, developing innovative and effective approaches to the participation of children and young people and their families.

35.     To develop and implement the Directorate's and the council's agreed IT strategy.

General Accountabilities 

36.     Provide clear, visible leadership and effective management to all functions within the post holder's service area.

37.     Secure sustainable partnership arrangements with key partners (defined in the Children Act 2004 and the Children and Families Act 2014) and others, particularly health, schools, colleges and the voluntary sector, and other Boroughs, where these add value to the work of the service in seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people. 

38.     To ensure relevant services across the Borough work effectively and collaboratively to achieve excellence against all national and locally set targets and to chair and participate in panels.

39.     To ensure that there is continuous, fast vigilance in relation safeguarding children and families and achieving excellent outcomes.

40.     Work closely with other service managers and the divisional management team to ensure that Children's Services are seamlessly delivered and the child is always placed at the centre of decisions.

41.   The post holder will work closely with other Directorates in ensuring that the Council provides safe and joined up services for children and families.

42.     The post holder will be required to provide out of hours cover as and when required and/or as emergency cover rotas dictate.

43.     Ensure service staff use all appropriate Corporate processes and systems to carry out duties.

44.     The post holder will participate and lead meetings and will develop and participate as necessary in formal and informal training exercises, workshops/discussion groups, etc.

45.     To undertake any other duties that may be required to meet the demands of the service. These may be varied from time to time to meet the needs of the service.

Personal qualities

46.     To be results focused to meet agreed national and local deadlines

47.     To be solution focused and to be committed to continuous development of own knowledge and skills in order to maintain expert status within the Service.

48.     To undertake any other duties that may be required to meet deliver safe service, as determined by the Director. 

49.     To demonstrate flexibility in managing a diverse workload in an environment of constantly shifting priorities, including complex legislative changes and operational demands.

50.     To value other professionals and be able to make professional relationships work in order to secure co-operation, achieve partnership working and better outcomes for children and young people.

51.     To have an entrepreneurial attitude in developing and managing budgetary performance.

52.     To deal with conflict in a professional, non personalised way, to challenge colleagues within the management group and to make decisions to the benefit of the whole service.

53.     To understand and accept the fast pace of delivery.

Equalities and diversity

54.     At all times, carry out the duties of this post with due regard to Corporate Equal Opportunities Policy, Bullying and Harassment Policy, Managers Charter and Valuing Diversity, ensure that all staff adhere to these policies and lead on equality impact assessments as necessary.

Health and Safety

55.     To ensure that you carry out the duties of the post in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Data Protection Acts 1984 and 1998 the Federation Against Software Theft Guidelines, Corporate IT standards, The Computer Misuse Act 1990, The Council's Equal opportunities Policies, The Council's security policy, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and other relevant legislation, as well as Council policies, procedures, Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

56.       To maintain an awareness of the risks to the department and the Council and take necessary   action to minimise risks and ensure that the actions of staff comply with the Council's policies and procedures.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Secondary SEMH Outreach Advisor required:

To support improved outcomes for pupils with SEMH needs, behaviour that challenges and/or those at risk of suspension or permanent exclusion. The role strengthens early, coordinated support across mainstream schools through outreach, Experts at Hand and whole-system inclusion practice.

The SEMH Outreach Service is led by the Behaviour and Inclusion Consultant. The team is being developed to include two primary SEMH Outreach Advisors and two secondary SEMH Outreach Advisors, two Family Support Practitioners with one focused on primary and one on secondary, two SEMH Support Officers with one focused on primary and one on secondary, and a Data Analyst. The service is developing in line with national SEND and Alternative Provision reform, with a stronger emphasis on early intervention, ordinarily available inclusive practice, multi-agency working and strengthening capacity within mainstream schools so that children and young people receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

You will be part of a service that supports settings to deliver quality teaching, timely intervention and sustainable whole-school approaches that improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people with SEMH needs and behaviour that challenges in our vibrant and diverse borough. The role will contribute to the local delivery of Experts at Hand, The Council’s model for timely access to specialist SEMH advice and support, by helping schools to access and apply advice quickly, coordinate preventative support and embed effective strategies before needs escalate.

You will work in a multi-professional way with the EHCP team, children’s social care, educational psychologists, the Inclusion team, health and mental health colleagues, alternative provision, other educational support services and families. This is an opportunity to shape a developing local authority model that strengthens early identification of SEMH needs, improves attendance and engagement, reduces suspensions and permanent exclusions, and helps schools build confidence, skill and resilience in meeting needs within mainstream settings.

The role:

• To work across educational settings within the Council to improve the standard of teaching, learning and inclusion for pupils, and to develop early intervention programmes and resources for pupils with SEMH needs or who are at risk of exclusion.
• To contribute to the development and delivery of the Council’s Experts at Hand model for SEMH by coordinating access to specialist advice, supporting schools to identify unmet needs earlier, and ensuring that practical strategies are embedded in everyday classroom and whole-school practice.
• To work collaboratively with local authority officers so that pupils with complex needs referred through the Fair Access Panel or alternative education pathways receive quality teaching, targeted intervention and coordinated support.
• To strengthen school capacity by developing behaviour and SEMH strategies and delivering training for staff across Council settings.
• To build the capacity of school leaders, SENCOs, inclusion leads and pastoral teams to deliver evidence-informed SEMH support, reduce reliance on crisis responses and strengthen ordinarily available provision across the local authority.
• To support a caseload of pupils with SEMH needs or behavioural challenges.
• To develop and maintain effective networks with school staff responsible for behaviour, SEMH and inclusion, supporting the embedding of good practice and sustainable capacity in local schools.
• To facilitate school-to-school support, build capacity and raise standards by developing behaviour and inclusion networks that enable good practice to be shared across Lambeth.
• To support networks by working collaboratively with schools, professionals and families.
• To develop and support educational pathways that promote successful transition, reintegration and preparation for adulthood.
• To deliver a behaviour and SEMH CPD programme for school staff and work collaboratively with school support services.
• To support schools to review behaviour, SEMH and inclusion policies and practice, using evidence-informed reflection, coaching and development planning.
• Responsibilities:
• Provide behaviour and SEMH outreach support within schools and coordinate input with team managers from pupil support services.
• Support schools to develop the role of inclusion leads and make effective use of available resources.
• Work collaboratively with the Inclusion team to compile information and analyse school data, using this to evaluate inclusion practice, draft reports and briefings, inform target setting and agree performance measures with appropriate stakeholders.
• Develop and implement a local authority strategy for early intervention for SEMH and behaviour across school settings and post-16 provision, aligned with SEND reform, alternative provision reform and the principle of providing the right support at the earliest point.
• Support the operational development of the Experts at Hand model for SEMH, including triaging requests for support, coordinating specialist input, quality assuring advice to schools, monitoring follow-up actions and ensuring that interventions are timely, proportionate and focused on building school capacity.
• Provide leadership and day-to-day coordination for agreed SEMH outreach priorities, including allocating and reviewing work, supporting colleagues, contributing to supervision and reflective practice where required, and escalating risks or barriers to the Behaviour and Inclusion Consultant.
• Manage key relationships with schools, alternative provision, health, social care, Educational Psychology, Early Help and other local authority services to ensure that support for pupils with SEMH needs is coordinated, purposeful and focused on early help, reintegration and improved outcomes.
• Support the development, implementation and monitoring of strategies that improve outcomes for pupils at risk of suspension or permanent exclusion.
• Facilitate school-to-school support to build capacity and raise standards across groups of schools, including supporting partnerships, federations and multi-academy trusts in line with local policies.
• Support relevant managers to provide a locally determined school improvement function that is differentiated and champions the needs of pupils within inclusion
• Implement and monitor specified performance objectives, including evaluating the impact of interventions, and use this to plan support for individual schools: at teacher, subject leader, and governor, school, or MAT level.
• Manage the identification and dissemination of best practice, assessment, learning and leadership across appropriate stakeholders.
• Develop and deliver a range of training and development opportunities which contribute to raising standards across the Council’s for pupils in line with Lambeth’s SEN and inclusion Strategy
• Support schools to review behaviour, SEMH and inclusion policies and practice with senior leaders, using triangulated evidence, analysis and coaching to strengthen teaching, learning and whole-school approaches.
• Contribute to departmental, directorate and corporate performance plans as required, setting objectives to ensure that early intervention, behaviour and SEMH outreach develop in line with local needs, service user feedback, national standards and SEND/AP reform expectations.
• Develop and lead Behaviour and Inclusion Outreach meetings.
• Seek ways to develop the multi-agency services provided so that they model best practice and ensure the safe care of children and young people.
• Promote the use of inclusion and outreach services in a reflective and creative way to enhance teaching and learning, improve attendance and reduce exclusions in schools, early years and alternative education settings.
• Attend Primary and Secondary Inclusion Panels and tribunals where necessary.
• Carry a caseload supporting the reintegration of pupils presented at the Fair Access Panel.
• Support schools to understand and respond to data on suspensions, permanent exclusions, attendance and behaviour.
• Use data, case tracking and service intelligence to identify patterns of need across the local authority, evaluate the impact of Experts at Hand and outreach support, and inform commissioning, workforce development and targeted capacity-building activity.
• Contribute to the management and continuous improvement of the outreach service, including supporting induction, modelling high-quality practice, contributing to service planning, monitoring agreed performance measures and promoting consistent standards across casework, training and school-facing advice.Qualifications & Experience
• Qualified secondary teacher: PGCE or equivalent
• Qualified SENCO, senior leadership experience with responsibility for inclusion/SEMH, or equivalent demonstrable experience leading whole-school inclusion, behaviour or SEMH provision.
• Detailed knowledge of national legislation, statutory guidance and the legal framework relating to exclusions, suspensions, SEND and alternative provision, including how these duties apply to early intervention, reintegration and mainstream inclusion
• Robust understanding of the needs of pupils with SEMH and behavioural challenges, evidence-informed strategies to support them effectively, and how early intervention, relational practice and coordinated outreach can reduce escalation, suspensions and permanent exclusions
• Secure knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion legislation and policies, and how these apply to pupils, families, schools and local authority decision-making
• Understanding of the impact of racial and socio-economic disadvantage, trauma, unmet need and inner-city deprivation, and the ability to develop appropriate, inclusive and preventative responses with schools and partners
• Up-to-date knowledge of educational research and best practice relating to behaviour, safeguarding, inclusion, SEND reform, alternative provision reform, ordinarily available inclusive practice and whole-school approaches to SEMH
• Understanding of multi-agency early help, Experts at Hand approaches and workforce capacity building, including how specialist SEMH advice can be translated into sustainable classroom, pastoral and whole-school practice in mainstream schools.
• Experience of analysing and using data, case tracking and service intelligence, including suspensions, permanent exclusions, attendance and behaviour trends, to inform early intervention, operational practice and targeted capacity-building support.
• Experience of coordinating, overseeing and reviewing interventions for pupils with SEMH needs or those at risk of exclusion, including ensuring timely follow-up, clear outcomes and effective communication with schools and families
• Practical experience of designing and delivering professional development, coaching and training for teachers, school leaders and support staff to strengthen SEMH practice and whole-school capacity
• Proven secondary teaching experience, demonstrating the ability to raise standards, improve outcomes and adapt provision for pupils with SEMH needs or barriers to engagement
• Ability to plan, prioritise and manage a varied workload, including holding an individual caseload, coordinating outreach activity and balancing strategic, operational and school-facing responsibilities with minimal supervision
• Experience of effective multi-agency working, contributing to collaborative planning, problem solving and coordinated early help across education, health, social care, alternative
• Experience of developing strategic plans to improve inclusion and outcomes, including drafting or contributing to SEND, behaviour, early intervention, reintegration and/or alternative provision policies, guidance or protocols
• Proven experience of working with and advising senior leaders, including headteachers, deputy heads, SENCOs and inclusion leads, to strengthen whole-school approaches to SEMH, behaviour and inclusion, including policy development, strategic planning, ordinarily available provision and workforce capacity building
• Experience of coordinating, supervising or line managing staff, projects or workstreams, including setting priorities, reviewing progress, supporting reflective practice, quality assuring work, managing risks and contributing to service improvement within a multi-disciplinary or school-facing service.

To apply for this post, please forward your CV with your contact details and a consultant will call you to discuss.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Overall responsibility for 5 members of staff

The Head of Finance Business Partnering is responsible for leading and implementing the business

partnering function for the service area. They will act as a partner with the service leadership

teams to develop, challenge and support service plans and project delivery and take responsibility

for managing and reporting on operational performance for the business partnering team.

The post-holder’s primary activity is to ensure the provision of an effective Business Partnering

function which will challenge the status quo and work in partnership with services to develop new

delivery models to deliver significant cost savings and maximise the outcomes for residents.

Heads of Finance Business Partnering will work to ensure that finance staff deliver to customers in

an efficient manner, within a professional business framework.

As a senior Finance Manager, you will be expected to be a professional lead within your respective

area of finance, provide expertise and high quality financial services to senior stakeholders,

proactively contribute to the achievement of the finance service’s vision and contribute towards an

innovative, high performance and continuous improvement culture.

The post holder will have a body of theoretical and practical knowledge commensurate with a fully

qualified accountant.

This role helps discharge Section 151 responsibilities and will lead by example, striving to help

build a sustainable, nhigh effective service that delivers exceptional value for its residents through

leadership on financial stewardship,insight and innovation.

The post will support the council’s leadership at all levels and develop a strategic and workable

response to the financial challenges the council faces. The post holder will have a body of

theoretical and practical knowledge with a CCAB or equivalent qualification.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

The Role:

To provide effective leadership and management of the team, delivering the required outputs for the HA and residents.

To support delivery and compliance with all applicable asset management legislative and regulatory obligations.

To lead on the development of intelligent Major Works programmes utilising accurate, reliable data, systems and reporting.

Lead for condition data for homes and programming works that ensure all homes meet the Govt’s Decent Homes legislative standard and also accurately reporting on this, (which must be reported to the Regulator for Social Housing Regulator, (RSH) and Govt’s MHCLG department annually).

These are critical regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing, without which we would not have achieved our C1, (highest possible) from the RSH. The majority who “fail” the RSH’s inspection, (C3 or C4 rating) fail on these issues.

Attached below is the RSH’s Safety & Quality Standard and Stock Quality and Decency which this “Head of” post would lead on operational delivery.

1.1 Stock Quality

1.1.1 Registered providers must have an accurate, up to date and evidenced understanding of the condition of their homes that reliably informs their provision of good quality, well maintained and safe homes for tenants.

1.2 Decency.

1.2.1 Registered providers must ensure that tenants’ homes meet the standard set out in section five of the Government’s Decent Homes Guidance and continue to maintain their homes to at least this standard unless exempted by the regulator.

1. Lead on the production of a rolling, resident focused, value for money 5 year Major Works

(Capital) programme.

Lead for developing c£20 million per annum Major Works investment programme. Using the data, including Repairs history, energy efficiency and resident feedback to maximise the return both VFM and resident on this significant annual investment.

This involves developing multi-component, (eg. roofing windows and doors) programmes to achieve the above outputs.

Lead for developing our programmes on the c2.200 homes that need to meet the Govt’s “Minimum

Energy Efficiency Standards” by 2030, (again legislation and regulatory)

If we don’t get this right, we run the risk of becoming financially unsustainable.

1. Lead on the production and delivery of the HA’s Major Works’ Procurement Plan, ensuring compliance with applicable legislation, regulation and the delivery of value for money works.

Lead officer for procuring the c£20m pa works to ensure the HA meet their budget targets set by the Council. We have not been able to deliver this over the last 5 years, albeit increasing spend significantly year on year.

This is a significant workload requiring effective management, organisation and collaborative working with other teams outside of the HA, (i.e. LBS and SLLP), whilst ensuring all legislative and Council procurement regulations are adhered to.

1. Delivery of effective resident engagement and involvement activity, ensuring residents are involved in and informed on Major Works planned for their home and surrounding area.

2. Leading and supporting the delivery of service improvement projects delivering the required outputs for HA and residents.

3. Supporting the delivery of accurate and effective budget planning, management and forecasting.

4. Effective collaborative working with other colleagues and teams delivering the required outputs for the HA and residents.

Skills and Experience:

1. Experience of operating successfully in Major Works (Capital) teams.

2. Unwavering focus and significant capability in delivering real outputs and value for the organisation and residents.

3. Demonstrate ability to lead and motivate colleagues.

4. Proven capability to work collaboratively with other teams and colleagues, delivering the required outputs for the HA and residents.

5. Knowledge of and capability in delivering applicable social housing, asset management legislative and regulatory obligations.

6. Experience of using asset data and resident feedback to develop Major Works’ capital

investment programmes.

7. Significant capability in ensuring data is accurate and utilising it to support effective decision making and add value to the HA’s activities.

8. Experience of leading or supporting the procurement of Major Works’ capital investment programmes.

9. Experience of maximising outputs and value for residents via effective engagement and involvement activity.

10. Experience of supporting accurate budget monitoring reporting.

Qualifications

1. Professional building services qualification, eg. RICS, CIOB. (Desirable)

To find out more about this role, please forward a CV with your contact details so that we can review and call you to discuss.

Bamberry Consulting is a specialist recruitment company for the public sector operating since 2012. We are an equal opportunity recruiter and employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.