SEND Transport Lead Officer
Gloucester
This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.
- Job Title: SEND Transport Lead Officer
- Job Location: Shire Hall, Block 1, 2nd Floor
- Salary: £33,143-£36,363
- Hours per Week: 37.00
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Closing Date: 24th September 2025
- Job Requisition Number: 12448
- This post is not open to job share
Are you passionate about making a difference for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)? Do you have the skills to ensure fair and transparent access to school transport and admissions? If so, we’d love to hear from you.
About the Role - We are seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable SEND Transport Lead Officer to join our team. This pivotal role ensures that children and young people with SEND have timely access to education through fair and lawful transport assessments. You will provide expert advice to professionals, support vulnerable children, and contribute to the assessment of eligibility for mainstream transport, Free School Meals (FSM), and school admissions.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead operational delivery of statutory functions related to admissions, transport, and FSM.
Assess eligibility for school transport and FSM, ensuring decisions are fair and consistent.
Provide expert guidance to staff, parents, and professionals on complex access issues.
Support discretionary transport requests and appeals.
Collaborate with EHCP casework teams and the Integrated Transport Unit.
Deliver high-quality information and advice to stakeholders including senior management and elected members.
Monitor deadlines and escalate risks to ensure timely service delivery.
Represent the service at local, regional, and national events.
What We’re Looking For Someone with:
A Level 4 qualification or equivalent experience.
Strong understanding of Home to School Transport policies.
Experience in children’s services, policy development, and performance management.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and advocacy skills.
Ability to interpret complex legislation and make autonomous decisions.
A commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.
Why Join Us? - This is a rewarding opportunity to influence service delivery and improve access to education for Gloucestershire’s most vulnerable children. You’ll be part of a supportive team, working in a dynamic environment where your expertise and initiative will be valued.
Special Conditions - This role may involve travel to off-site meetings and occasional work outside normal office hours.
Apply now to be part of a team that puts children and families at the heart of everything we do.
Additional Information
Should you want to discuss this Vacancy please contact Lisa Mullis email lisa.mullis@gloucestershire.gov.uk or Tel 01452 426772
The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.
To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-
Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.
It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.
Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.