Enhanced Language and Communication Initiative Coordinator

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 £45,117 per annum for working 36 hours per week across 42 weeks per yea r , pro-rata to £48,698 per annum. The 42 weeks will cover term time, with an added 3 weeks for activity which will take place outside of the school term. We are excited to be hiring a new Enhanced Language & Communication Initiative Coordinator to join our fantastic Enhanced Language and communication Initiative team (ELCi). Due to the positive impact of the initiative, funding has been provided as part of the Experts at Hand offer to expand the team. This role will lead the team in the East of the county. All staff are provided with a laptop and mobile phone to support an agile work style , and we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance, considering flexible working wherever possible. Our Offer to You 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 ELCi team supports children with a range of additional needs in their reception year by working with key school staff, at the whole class level. We facilitate and empower school staff to implement approaches which enable children with speech and language development, social communication and emotional regulation needs, to learn and thrive in their local school. ELCi is a county-wide service. It will be expanded to sixteen ELCi Communication Support Workers, in teams based in the East and West of Surrey. Each team will be led by the ELCi Coordinator and supported jointly by a Speech and Language Therapist and Educational Psychologist. The team sits within both the Educational Psychology Service and the Speech and Language Therapy service, therefore benefitting from dedicated advice and support from both. We are looking for a dynamic leader with excellent interpersonal skills to help lead and shape the ELCi service, working with other Team Leads and wider partners across EYFS and Key Stage 1. Your key responsibilities as a Enhanced Language & Communication Initiative Coordinator will include: Leading, managing and supporting the team to provide a high-quality service which positively impacts on the inclusion of children with social, communication and emotional regulation challenges Coordinating the delivery of the ELCi team input in East Surrey, ensuring that each stage of the programme is implemented effectively, and with clear communication to school staff Supporting the induction and initial training of new staff, and supporting service development and planning as appropriate As the lead for monitoring Communication Support Workers, you will also participate in performance reviews and supervision. You will be part of a supportive team with regular access to supervision and support from the Educational Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapist. Your role will sit within the Educational Psychology Service and you will be line managed by an Educational Psychologist. Your work will have a profound social impact, as you will be directly contributing to the development, well-being and inclusion of children with significant needs; helping them to achieve their full potential alongside their peers. The ELCi team input has been evaluated to show improvement in social, communication and learning skills for all children within the class, enabling school staff to feel empowered and confident, and the impact has been positively evidenced within OFSTED inspections. Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours : Excellent understanding of the impact of language, communication and emotional regulation needs, the importance of relational approaches and the value of whole-school approaches in promoting meaningful inclusion for all Excellent skills in planning and evaluation of work at individual, group and whole school levels Experience of leading and managing a team, including delivering supervision and induction Well developed interpersonal and communication skills to be able to quickly establish trusting and supportive working relationships Experience of delivering training to a range of audiences both in person and remotely Demonstrable experience of using the SCERTS framework for assessment and programme planning Demonstrable understanding and implementation of a range of evidence-based interventions at a whole class level as relevant to this cohort of children Experience in developing and piloting creative solutions to identified problems The job advert closes at 23:59 on 20/07/2026 with interviews planned to follow. Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description 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 Fiona Hewin or Nicole Berry via 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.