Speech and Language Therapy Area Lead

Job Introduction We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all. The starting salary for this position is £64,486 - £69,898 per annum for 36 hours per week, across 52 weeks per year (inclusive of market supplement). Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people? Join Our Leadership Team as a Speech and Language Area Lead in Surrey ! Surrey County Council's Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service is excited to invite dedicated professionals to apply for an Area Lead opportunity supporting teams working in the East of Surrey, based at Woodhatch Place in Reigate. Our Offer to You Paid RCSLT membership and HCPC fees Belonging to a team of students, therapists and assistants led by a Therapies Manager who is an SLT Comprehensive clinical supervision programme including 1:1 meetings with line manager, extensive in house training programme and formal external training opportunities, access to clinical effectiveness groups, case study groups and enhanced probation support, termly whole-team study days, and encouragement to join and attend CEN's relating to practice 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave A generous local government salary related pension Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year Paternity, adoption and dependents leave An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents About The Role The School-Aged Speech and Language Therapy Service is a vital part of Surrey County Council's local SEND offer. We collaborate within the Early Intervention and Prevention Service, working closely with Educational Psychology and specialist teaching teams to provide integrated support. We are also working closely with colleagues to design and deliver our 'Experts at Hand' offer, as part of the proposed Government SEND reforms. Our mission is to deliver tailored assessments and interventions; empowering families and professionals with the skills to support children with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN). We offer universal, targeted and specialist support across all our mainstream and specialist provisions. We are searching for an enthusiastic leader who is motivated by the opportunity to lead and manage an area based team of Speech and Language Therapists and Assistants working within both specialist provision and mainstream, ensuring positive outcomes for children and young people in Surrey. As our Area Lead, you will: Support and contribute to the strategic leadership of the service alongside the Principal Therapy Lead Be responsible for monitoring performance of individuals, teams and the service Lead on service development and key projects aimed at improving services and collaborative working with other agencies Collate, analyse and report on data on a regular basis Work collaboratively with colleagues both within and external to SCC to provide coordinated child centred services that ensures good outcomes for children/ young people and their families Ensure that the financial and performance targets for their area teams are met Contribute to the service plan for 2026-2027 which includes delivering to the SEND reforms and specifically the Experts at Hand model Contribute to the development, monitoring and review of the Speech and Language Therapy service plan which links into the organisation’s strategic goals Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your CV and personal statement will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours : A BSc (Hons) in Speech and Language Therapy (or equivalent), HCPC registration and membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Extensive postgraduate experience as a Speech and Language Therapist in education settings Experience of line management and supervision of Therapists and Assistants working across a range of mainstream and specialist settings An understanding of, and experience in, managing and monitoring performance Experience of collaborative working both within the Speech and Language Therapy service and with other internal and external services Experience of leading on service development and project working Good oral and written presentation skills Up to date knowledge of key legislation impacting on Speech and Language Therapy service provision within an educational setting An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role. This role is subject to an online / social media check as part of our safer recruitment processes, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance. Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job. The job advert closes at 23:59 on 5th July 2026 with interviews planned to follow very shortly after. Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey Handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. Contact Us Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Barbara Paulger by MS Teams or email. We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities. Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council. Our Commitment We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.