Send Operations Assistant

£25,959 to £27,613 per annum (full time equivalent)

Location:

Colchester

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity until 31st March 2027. This is a part‑time role working 29.6 hours per week; the pro‑rata salary will be £20,767 to £22,090 per annum.

• Receive, log and co‑ordinate responses to incoming Section 23 and 24 notifications from health colleagues regarding children with SEND; liaise with Senior Inclusion Partners to ensure effective monitoring, provision development and sign‑posting systems are in place.
• Receive, log and co‑ordinate all incoming post‑16 requests for assessment, liaising with schools, settings and other key stakeholders, including the Preparing for Adulthood Team.
• Support the preparation of papers for and coordination of the Annual Review process, ensuring that schools and settings are informed of pupils for whom Annual Reviews should be held for each academic term and appropriate people are invited to attend.
• Triage all incoming contacts to the SEND Operations team, acting as the first contact for parents/carers, CYP, schools, settings and other partner agencies; sign‑post service users to relevant teams and respond to queries wherever possible.
• Provide administrative support to SEND Operations Coordinators by sending formal consultations to schools and settings, as part of the EHC Assessment Process, and coordinating responses.
• Receive, log and direct inward transfer notifications, liaising with SEND Operations Partners and Coordinators, to ensure statutory processes and timescales are fully complied with.
• Maintain tracking systems for all students at the point of phase transfer each year, supporting SEND Operations Partners and Coordinators to ensure statutory processes and timescales are fully complied with and, where appropriate, EHCPs are ceased in a timely manner.
• Ensure data is recorded accurately and in a timely manner to allow the Council to report to stakeholders on statutory timescales, out‑of‑authority placements and CYP with alternative education offers; the data is also used to monitor and track pupil records.
• Achieve individually defined targets and objectives as part of the performance management framework.

• Educated to RQF level 2 (GCSE) or equivalent by experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in the relevant professional area.
• Thorough working knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice 2015.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective time‑management and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage own workload and adapt quickly and effectively to changing circumstances.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We are committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We are also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements of the role.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.