Lead Sheffield’s 0–5 SEND Service and help improve outcomes for young children with special educational needs and disabilities.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Service Manager to provide strategic leadership for the 0–5 SEND Service. Reporting to the Assistant Director, you will lead the team, manage performance and budgets, shape policy and work with families, early years settings and partners to deliver inclusive, high-quality support.

What you will do

Key responsibilities include:

Leading the 0–5 SEND team and service development.
Managing people, performance, budgets and resources.
Using data and quality assurance to improve outcomes.
Building strong partnerships and advising senior leaders and elected members.

About you

You will be a confident senior manager with experience in children and families services, strong knowledge of Early Years Foundation Stage, SEND legislation and practice, and a track record of leading people, change, partnerships and budgets. You will need excellent judgement, communication and influencing skills, plus a degree or equivalent and relevant management training or experience.

Further information

Location: Sheffield, with flexible working in line with service requirements

Interview date: 07.09.26

For an informal discussion:Lorraine Wood – Lorraine.wood@sheffield.gov.uk

Apply using the application form, showing how you meet the essential person specification.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.