EHC Operational Lead
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
About this job
The EHC Operational Lead provides senior operational leadership within the Statutory SEND Service, with responsibility for service access, customer communication, complaints coordination and business support functions supporting the Education, Health and Care (EHC) pathway.
The role ensures that families, professionals and partners experience clear, timely and consistent communication, that enquiries and complaints are managed effectively, and that administrative processes enable the service to meet its statutory duties under SEND legislation. Acting as a key escalation point, the postholder oversees the handling of complex enquiries, complaints, MP and Councillor correspondence, and supports information governance and service assurance.
The role works closely with EHC managers and partners to reduce escalation risk, improve service experience and strengthen operational grip, while enabling casework staff to focus on statutory assessments, plans and reviews.
Special requirements for this post
The postholder will be required to work with sensitive and confidential information relating to children, young people and families and must adhere to all information governance and data protection requirements at all times.
The role requires effective use of council IT systems, including case management, complaints tracking, data and reporting systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
The postholder must be willing to undertake relevant training, including information governance, equality and diversity, complaints handling and safeguarding, as required. The postholder will be expected to work flexibly across the service, including supporting service improvement activity and responding to emerging operational pressures.
About you
You are an experienced operational lead with a strong background in customer‑facing or statutory public services, ideally within SEND or a related environment. You bring a calm, organised and solutions‑focused approach to managing service access, enquiries, complaints and complex correspondence.
You are confident communicating with a wide range of stakeholders, including families, schools, health and social care professionals, and elected representatives. You are able to handle sensitive and emotionally challenging situations with empathy and professionalism, while maintaining clear boundaries and focus on resolution.
You have experience overseeing administrative or business support functions and understand the importance of clear processes, accurate record‑keeping and strong information governance in a statutory context. You are comfortable working with data and systems to track performance, identify risks and support service improvement.
You work collaboratively with colleagues and partners, exercise sound judgement under pressure, and are committed to equality, inclusion and delivering a high‑quality service experience for children, young people and their families.
About us
Barking and Dagenham is one of London’s most diverse and fast‑changing boroughs. We are an ambitious council, committed to delivering high‑quality services that improve outcomes for our residents and support our communities to thrive.
Our Statutory SEND Service works with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, their families, schools and partner agencies to meet our legal duties and deliver inclusive, child‑centred support. We operate in a complex, high‑demand environment and are focused on strengthening communication, service access and operational consistency, while continuing to improve the experience of families.
We are committed to equality, transparency and collaboration, and to creating a working environment where staff are supported to do their best work. We value professionalism, accountability and continuous improvement, and we are proud of the role our services play in supporting some of the borough’s most vulnerable children and young people.