Description

The salary for this position is £38,746 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. The salary is pro-rated to £19,373 per annum, based on working 18 hours per week. This is a 24-month fixed term / secondment opportunity. 

We are excited to be hiring new Commissioning Officers to join our fantastic Commissioning Team (Inclusion Pathway Planning). The team is based in Woking, and currently have two positions available. These are:

• 1x 36 hours per week, 24-month fixed term / secondment 
• 1x 18 hours per week, 24-month fixed term / secondment

This role is open to a hybrid of office based working andremote working meaning that although some office time will be necessary, much of your week will be working within settings and schools creating and building trusting relationships with the people who work around the children. In support of our people and our greener futures strategies, we would welcome a conversation with the successful candidate on what remote working may look like for you.

Please note, this role will involve some travel to sites around Surrey, therefore access to your own vehicle, which is insured for work purposes, will be required. 

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

The Commissioning Team is at the centre of children's services in Surrey, driving change and innovation with a relentless focus on improving outcomes. Our ambition is to develop a deeper understanding of our communities and the challenges they face - but also recognise their strengths, assets and aspirations; looking to work with them to improve the outcomes for children, young people and families. Whilst providing a high-quality service that offers good value for money, we look to commission evidence-based models of support and innovative approaches to achieve our objectives.

You will be working with friendly and supportive colleagues who are committed to delivering excellent outcomes. 

About the Role

One of the main focuses for this role will be working closely with families and facilitating engagement with education settings for those children transitioning into their first school. This is a new role to Surrey County Council and will be developed further with our successful candidates. From previous Early Years Inclusion Pathway Planning work that has been in place over the past three years, we will be building trusting and professional relationships with the parents/carers and the professionals around them that will be paramount to planning what the individual children will need to have in place to thrive within any educational setting/provision. 

Many children with additional needs and disabilities and their families have a multitude of professionals working with them. To be successful in this role, you will need to understand the complexities of working with professionals from multi-disciplines and have the skills to bring everyone together around the needs of the child and their family.

We are looking for an organised professional who will play a crucial role in supporting the inclusive education of children with additional needs and disabilities within early years settings and schools. You will bring experience of working collaboratively across teams and services for the benefit of children and families and the communities in which they live. You'll need to be passionate about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices and use your experience and knowledge of SEND practices within Schools to work alongside education, health and social care colleagues to enable children to be educated in their local community, close to where they live.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Commitment to inclusion, knowledge of early identification and interventions for children and families
• Understanding of reasonable adjustments and the challenges faced by mainstream schools
• Experience of working collaboratively and bringing families, education and health professionals together
• Confident in arranging and chairing meetings to ensure that all voices are heard including that of the child and their family
• Ability to professionally challenge partners where necessary and on occasions have difficult conversations
• An understanding of the remits across Early Education, Health and Social Care
• Knowledge and experience of operating within a complex environment

We would welcome applications from people who have knowledge and experience of school/early years SEND support and practices. You'll need both a strong understanding of what children need to thrive in mainstream education and how schools can put interventions and support in place in the classroom. 

We require the applicant to hold a practical knowledge of relevant legislation for children with additional needs and disabilities and processes and procedures in line with the SEND Code of Practice. Just as importantly you will also need the ability to apply this knowledge in multi-professional meetings that could sometimes be of a challenging nature.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Julie Barker by e-mail at julie.barker@surreycc.gov.uk. 

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 08/05/2024 with interviews planned for 22/05/2024. We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit. 

Our Values

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values. 

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also attached provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council. 

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where: 

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application 
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form 

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups. 

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