Who we are & what we stand for
Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.
We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.
We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.
At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.
Make a difference for children and young people by helping shape and deliver SEND improvement across Gateshead.
Gateshead's Education, Schools and Inclusion Service is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people, particularly those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Working as part of a collaborative improvement programme, you'll support the delivery of key change initiatives, helping to shape services that make a real difference to children, families, schools and partners across the borough. This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside senior leaders, education professionals and external partners to drive innovation, improve practice and support strategic priorities.
Join a team driving change, innovation and better outcomes for children with SEND and their families.
What you will get to do:
- Support the development and delivery of the SEND Reforms.
- Assist the service in reporting progress to the Department for Education (DfE) on key areas of the SEND Reforms.
- Support and facilitate programmes of work, contributing to successful project delivery within agreed timescales and budgets.
- Provide programme management support and advice to teams, senior managers and external partners.
- Help workstreams develop implementation plans that deliver agreed outcomes and improvements.
- Create presentations and supporting materials for workstreams, strategic boards and stakeholder meetings.
- Plan, organise and support meetings, conferences and associated events.
- Monitor progress against objectives and milestones and support the production of performance reports and management information.
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
- Work collaboratively to ensure programmes contribute to the Council's strategic priorities and outcomes.
- Research, analyse and report on related programmes and initiatives to support continuous improvement.
- Contribute to wider corporate projects and initiatives beyond the immediate programme area.
- Undertake additional duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
Play a key role in transforming SEND services through collaboration, project delivery and continuous improvement.
What you will bring:
- Experience of supporting the successful delivery of projects and programmes.
- Strong partnership-working and relationship-management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders.
- Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to manage priorities, meet deadlines and work across multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including experience of producing clear reports and presentations for different audiences.
- Experience of facilitating group discussions, meetings or workshops and supporting positive outcomes.
- An understanding of inspection frameworks relevant to the service area, together with awareness of Gateshead's Thrive Agenda and Health and Wellbeing priorities.
- A relevant Level 4 qualification (or willingness to work towards one within a given timeframe) and a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.
Our commitment to you
We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. We know that we deliver better services when our workforce reflects the full range of backgrounds and experiences in the society we serve. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation
How to apply
You can apply online using the apply now button below. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.
We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.
If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via recruitment@gateshead.gov.uk
Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.
Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.