Head of Service - Education Quality & Inclusion
- Exeter
- Full Time
- £77,130 per annum
Join us and make a difference in Devon.
Are you passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people? Are you looking for an opportunity to be part of a transformative redesign of Inclusion & Learning in Devon?
Devon County Council invites applications for the position of Head of Service Education Quality & Inclusion. This pivotal role offers a unique opportunity to lead on the strategic delivery of educational outcomes for all children and young people, within a geographical area, and to drive continuous improvement across education and early years provision.
This is Devon
Devon County Council is a large and diverse organisation that is responsible for a wide range of services, including education, social care, highways, libraries, waste management, public health, and economic development. We work with our partners and communities to make Devon a great place to live, work, and visit.
We are ambitious for Devon and our people. We have a clear vision and strategic plan to guide our actions and decisions. We want to create a prosperous, resilient, and healthy county, where people can fulfil their potential and enjoy a high quality of life. We are committed to tackling the challenges and opportunities that face us, such as climate change, population growth, increased demand on Childrens services, and digital transformation.
We are also committed to our principles and behaviours, which shape how we work and interact with each other and our stakeholders. We are honest, respectful, courageous, and solutions focused. We value diversity and inclusion, and we strive to be collaborative, innovative, and accountable. We are proud of our achievements, and we learn from our mistakes. We are always looking for ways to improve and develop ourselves and our services.
Devon County Council is on a mission to create a child-centred and future-focused inclusive education system. We are looking for dynamic and experienced leaders to be part of this change and work with us to provide impactful support through relational, needs-led practice and effective leadership so that every child and young person can thrive and go on to lead a fulfilling adult life.
Our Devon SEND Transformation Programme is well underway and our new Local Area SEND Strategy highlights a turning point for the partnership in improving the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
This is the role
As the Head of Service for Education Quality & Inclusion, you will report directly to the Deputy Director of Inclusion & Learning. You will be responsible for providing strategic leadership within a defined geographical area, ensuring that the educational needs of children and young people are met through high-quality provision.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic oversight and leadership within your geographical area, ensuring the highest quality of service delivery to schools, early years settings, children, young people, and their families.
- Partnership Building: Develop and maintain effective partnerships with stakeholders, challenging and supporting education leaders and providers to take accountability for the education of all children and young people.
- Service Scope: Oversee functions including Early Years and Childcare, School Standards and Improvement, Attendance, Elective Home Education, Children Missing Education, Inclusion and Alternative Provision, and SEND Support & Advice.
Geographical Teams:
- North & Mid Devon: 134 schools and 382 early years & childcare settings.
- Exeter & East: 103 schools and 392 early years & childcare settings.
- South & West Devon: 128 schools and 476 early years & childcare settings.
The Inclusion & Learning Leadership Team works collaboratively, valuing strong leadership and a unified approach to continuous improvement. Each Head of Service holds individual accountability for their area's performance while jointly owning all service areas to meet the needs of children and young people in Devon.
Ideal Candidate:
- Qualifications: Degree or equivalent relevant professional qualification or experience. Leadership qualification or evidence of leadership and management study, and continuous professional development relevant to the job.
- Experience: Proven leadership and management experience at a senior level in education, early years, or local authority, including operational delivery, performance, budget, and people management. Substantial experience in effective partnership working to improve outcomes for children and young people.
- Skills: Ability to influence, lead, and deliver major cultural and organisational change in a complex environment. Experience in co-production with children, young people, families, and carers, using their feedback to improve service delivery.
- Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of statutory responsibilities across education, including SEND, relevant legislation, regulatory and inspection regimes, Ofsted frameworks, and education finance, including the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).
What we can offer you
Devon County Council is committed to providing good or better services for children and young people, so they can thrive and go on to live meaningful adult lives. As part of the Inclusion and Learning Leadership Team, we will work together as one entity, valuing and demonstrating strong leadership and developing a collaborative approach towards continuous improvement. Each Head of Service will hold individual accountability for the results and performance improvement of their own area, alongside joint ownership of all service areas to meet the needs of children and young people in Devon.
We appreciate the adaptability and provide options for flexible working, yet we also recognise the significant benefits of maintaining a solid in-office presence. Physical presence fosters superior collaboration, relationship development, and a community feel and is a requirement for this role.
We are committed to the health and wellbeing of our staff, and we have a range of initiatives and schemes to help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. If you are passionate about public service and want to make a difference in Devon, we would love to hear from you.
Working for Devon County Council has all the benefits that you can expect from a large employer. In return for the vital contribution that you make, we offer:
- 26 days annual leave per year (rising with length of service) plus Bank Holidays effective from 1 April 2024
- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme - more information can be found on the Peninsula Pensions website
- Access to our confidential Employee Assistance Programme – available 24/7 to support you with personal and work life
- Flexible working opportunities, including home-working (subject to the needs of the role)
- Discounts from local and high street retailers through the Devon Discounts scheme
If you feel you have the qualities to bring to these roles, we would very much like to hear from you. For further details about these exciting roles please contact Kellie Knott on kellie.knott@devon.gov.uk or Jack Newton on jack.newton@devon.gov.uk
Interview details: Provisional interview dates week commencing 24/03/2025.
Interviews will be held in person at County Hall, Exeter.
Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.
Click ‘Apply Now’ to view the job description and person specification.
Additional information
- DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages.
- Happy to Talk Flexible Working - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
- We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
- This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
- Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice.
- For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page.
- We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required. For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- This role requires a DBS disclosure
REQ007501
Interview Date: Provisional - w/c 24/03