Assistant Director Education, Inclusion & Additional Needs
Our vision for Leicestershire’s children and young people is simple and clear: to help them build strong foundations, stay safe, feel they belong, and enjoy and achieve. The Children and Family Departmental plan sets out our vision and the values and behaviours that underpins all that we do. The Director and Assistant Directors ensure that we lead with ambition, integrity and with a clear focus on improving the lives children, young people and their families by designing and delivering high quality services.
Our new Belonging in Education strategy sets out an ambitious, collaborative and evidence-informed roadmap towards a system where every child enters school knowing: This is a place for me. I matter here. I can be myself here. I can thrive here.
This is an exceptional opportunity to join us and help sustain the rapid improvement already underway across Leicestershire. You will lead the full range of Education, SEND and Inclusion services across the county, serving as our principal advisor on policy developments and legislation affecting education and inclusion.
Education sits at the heart of Children’s Services in Leicestershire, supporting 100,000 pupils across early years, primary, secondary and specialist provision. In this role, you will be a visible and influential system leader, driving change across the county. You will oversee a highly motivated and effective team of six Heads of Service, united by a positive culture of self-improvement, ambition and commitment to our communities. Although we face the same structural pressures as other authorities nationally, our innovative and pragmatic approach has delivered sustained progress in recent years, and we will look to you to build on that success.
Candidates will bring a deep understanding of education and the local authority role in delivering excellent services, alongside the political sensitivity to navigate complex conversations about inclusion. You will have a proven track record of delivering meaningful SEND reform within financial constraints, improving inclusion in mainstream schools, and building strong relationships with school and Trust leaders. Experience of managing DSG deficits and High Needs, while expanding high-quality provision, is essential. You will also demonstrate how to sustain strong educational outcomes while supporting vulnerable learners.
For more information on this opportunity, please read the role profile and the structure charts (all linked below).
Assistant Directors structure chart
To apply:
To apply for this job please click on the Apply button below and fill out the requested information. When prompted, please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement of no more than 1000 words.
With your CV, please also provide the names and contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be contacted if you reach the final stages, and we will not contact referees without your permission.
Your supporting statement should express why you are interested in this role and what experience you can bring to the organisation. The statement should tackle the specific requirements of the role; outlining examples and outcomes showing how you meet those requirements.
