- Suffolk County Council - Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX - Hybrid
- £27,711 per annum (pro rata for part time)
- 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
- Permanent
We’re focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk. How? By listening to our people learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things. As a Specialist Provision Support Officer in the Provider Services Team, you will be as keen to collaborate and build a bright future as we are.
Reimagine the possibilities.
Your role and responsibilities
- responsible for ensuring that support is in place for the Specialist Provision Officer to guarantee sound operational delivery of commissioning and contract management activity
- support Specialist Provision Officers to effectively procure services, manage provider agreements and hold providers accountable; as we monitor services for financial viability, risk, quality, delivery, and cost
- driving up contract and quality performance, which is vital to ensure the best outcomes are met for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
- support the effective management of contracts and an individual allocated caseload based on the risk profile
- support the regular review and performance monitoring of providers, delivering administrative support to arrange and manage meetings
- attend and be involved in Provider Development review visits to specialist education settings, and support with report writing and follow-up actions that may be allocated
- ensure any underperformance is promptly addressed and escalated through the appropriate channels when necessary
- collate and record data in an accurate and timely manner to inform service delivery in line with the SEND strategy.
You will need
- knowledge of current children and young people’s disability services and structures available locally
- experience or knowledge of special educational needs provision
- to be able to record information in minutes and/or reports accurately
- experience of collaborative approaches through effective partnership working
- experience in service improvement and continued quality assurance.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
This service will lead on all aspects of our provider-facing work for pupils with SEND.
We are responsible for the development and delivery of the SEND Sufficiency Plan to improve the local offer and outcomes for children and young people with SEND and ensure there is high-quality management information to inform need and service gap analysis.
The Provider Services Team is also responsible for provider development and management and quality of specialist education provision. Once learners are placed within specialist provision, this service will ensure that commissioned providers effectively deliver outcomes for learners and take action where standards fall below our expectations.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Emily Driver (she/her) for a casual conversation. You can reach her by calling 01473 263421 or emailing emily.driver@suffolk.gov.uk
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (docx)
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.
1. Describe a situation where you had to manage a difficult conversation or confront a sensitive issue related to safeguarding or risk management. How did you handle the situation, and what did you learn from the experience?
2. Provide an instance where you had to implement improvements or changes to processes or practices related to supporting children, young people, or families. How did you approach the change, and what was the result?
3. Discuss a time when you had to adapt your communication style or approach to suit the needs of a particular audience or individual. What techniques did you use to tailor your communication effectively?
4. Describe a situation where you had to manage your workload effectively and prioritise tasks while responding to unanticipated problems or issues. How did you approach this, and what strategies did you use to stay organised and meet deadline
Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).
Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 12 February 2025.
Interview date: 21 February 2025.
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
diverse and active staff networks
flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .