SEND Reforms Mobilisation Team Programme Manager
Full Job Posting
The Role
3 Year Fixed Term Contract / Secondment Opportunity
Are you a Project Management professional passionate about using your skills to improve lives? Hackney Children and Education Directorate is looking for a Programme Manager to support our Children & Education SEND Reforms Transformation programme.
Following the submission of Hackney’s SEND Reform Plan, work is underway to prepare the infrastructure for changes as outlined in the Schools White Paper . To ensure that we can commence work on the Plan as soon as possible, Hackney Council is establishing a team to oversee the implementation of our three-year plan.
As a highly experienced project manager and strategist, you will use your leadership expertise to shape our services. You will have strong knowledge of legislation, statutory guidance shaping Education, and related policy areas, understanding the wider partnership arrangements, with a sound grasp of finances and budget management.
Dynamic, innovative, committed, and passionate, you’ll bring a comprehensive knowledge and skill base to the challenge of ensuring efficient delivery and excellent outcomes. You will be able to demonstrate your understanding and use of systemic, trauma-informed, and anti-racist approaches as the foundation for our systems change. Your attuned project management and leadership skills will enable you to mobilise the abilities of professionals and colleagues, in the Children and Education Service, in partner agencies, and across other areas of the council, ensuring the very best outcomes for children in Hackney.
The postholder will support the Head of SEND/ Senior Responsible Officer, defining, developing, and overseeing an integrated programme delivery plan, monitoring project deliverables, setting key milestones, and forecasting progress across all workstreams. The role is located in the Children & Education (C&E) Performance, Systems & Monitoring Team within the Children and Education Directorate and has responsibility for project and programme management across the multi-agency partnership to effectively engage partners in fully delivering these reforms.
About Us
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
The post holder will have lead responsibility and accountability for the following:
- Delivery of the SEND Reform Programme, in accordance with legislative requirements, all relevant policies and procedures and agreed plans and performance targets.
- Define, develop and oversee an integrated multi-agency programme delivery plan and budget, monitoring project deliverables, setting key milestones and forecasting progress across all workstreams.
- Oversee the completion of activities to agreed service priorities, ensuring efficient and effective approaches and performance to ensure workflow and programme demands are met.
- Develop and maintain consistent working practices across agreed programmes of work, accountable for achieving project milestones and deadlines, as well as managing risk and identifying solutions.
- Deliver consistently, to time and budget targets, whilst continuously identifying synergies and efficiencies.
- Identify and resolve issues and risks across the programme and all workstreams.
- Understand and work with strategic partners, develop and maintain effective relationships with Commissioners, service users, stakeholders, partners and providers in a way which supports responsiveness to need and sustainability.
- Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework, to track the development and impacts of the programme, integrating risk management and quality assurance measures and to report these to the Department for Education.
- Line-management of a Project Manager, Programme Service Coordinator and matrix line management of a Data Analyst.
Who are we looking for?
You will be a highly motivated, experienced and engaging programme manager with a strong capacity to communicate effectively with a range of professionals. Excellent stakeholder engagement skills with an ability to build effective working relationships. The post holder will have a strong performance record in a comparable setting and be able to thrive in a high pressure environment. You should be committed to improving outcomes for children and families in Hackney and our Systemic, Trauma-Informed, and Anti-Racist (STAR) practice model.
Responsibilities
- About the role
- Essential Skills & Experience:
- - Qualification at degree level or above
- - Substantial experience in a programme management role, preferably within an Education or Children’s Services context.
- - Extensive knowledge and experience of project management approaches and frameworks, including the practical use of project management methodology and techniques.
- - Proven experience of managing and delivering large-scale complex projects, including the development and implementation of project plans, risk management, and budget management.
- - Excellent stakeholder engagement skills and experience, with a proven track record.
- - Experience of setting objectives, strategic planning / prioritisation, and the ability to identify improvement opportunities.
- - Experience of financial management, including a track record of achieving budget reductions and maintaining service quality.
- - Experience of successful service redesign and improvement.
- - Extensive experience of enabling and supervising a diverse staff group to ensure service user’s needs are met effectively and efficiently against agreed targets and timescales.
- - Experience of developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
- As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.
- If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.
- We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.
- To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.
- As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.
Skills & experience
- We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.
- This application process replaces a supporting statement.
- Prior to applying for a vacancy for a secondment opportunity, please liaise with your line manager and inform them of your interest in applying for the role.
- Closing date for applications: 08/10/26
- Interview date: 16th October 2026
- We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud. In order to achieve this, we are seeking individuals who embody our "PROUD" values: Purpose and Respect, where we foster belonging through active inclusion, kindness, and open dialogue; Ownership, where we champion proactive collaboration and accountability for our shared success; and Unity and Diversity, where we work as one Council to break down silos and champion anti-racist behavior.
- Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.
- The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: [email protected]
About Hackney Council
Government local authority serving Hackney residents with housing, education, social care, waste, transport and other municipal services.
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