Location
London Borough of Hackney

Hours
Fixed Term Contract / Secondment Opportunity until 31/03/2028 with opportunity to extend

Salary
£64,938 per annum

About the Role
Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values. Over the past twenty years, the Council has built first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. Our proactive approach also addresses fairness across gender, neurodiversity, and poverty divides.

Hackney’s Locality Inclusion Teams (LIT) form our innovative “Experts at Hand” service, bringing together a dedicated multi-disciplinary network of Educational Psychologists, Speech & Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Specialist Teachers to transform local SEND provision and build capacity. Designed to shift the system away from reactive statutory assessments, our LIT workforce delivers early, proactive, and data-driven support directly to schools, early years settings, and community hubs across four borough localities. By offering readily accessible advice, targeted interventions, and strategic guidance, our “Experts at Hand” build workforce capacity, strengthen inclusive environments, and ensure children, young people, and their families receive seamless, high-quality support at the earliest possible stage.

The Experts at Hand Service Lead will hold a pivotal system-leadership role, responsible for operationally launching, scaling, and evaluating Hackney’s Locality Inclusion Teams (LITs) to deliver our innovative “Experts at Hand” offer. Reporting to the Principal Educational Psychologist and working closely with the SEND Reform Programme Manager, you will direct a transdisciplinary workforce across education and health specialisms, driving a shift from statutory-led assessments toward a proactive, data-driven, early-intervention model. Across Hackney’s four localities, you will build workforce capacity in mainstream settings, establish streamlined single-point-of-access pathways, oversee joint-commissioning partnerships, and deploy targeted support menus grounded in systemic, trauma-informed, anti-racist principles to ensure every child with additional needs thrives without unnecessary statutory escalation.

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our organisational goals. We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process and encourage candidates to showcase their unique knowledge and skills authentically. We are committed to being a place for everyone, embodying our “PROUD” values: Purpose and Respect, Ownership, Unity, and Diversity. Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, including disabled people and those interested in flexible working.

Experience
Proven experience in system leadership and managing multi-disciplinary teams across education and health sectors. Demonstrable success in driving early intervention models and transforming SEND provision. Experience working within or alongside local authorities and knowledge of joint commissioning is desirable.

About you
Committed to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist principles. Strong strategic thinker with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Ability to lead and motivate a diverse workforce and build collaborative partnerships. Resilient, proactive, and passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people with additional needs.

Qualifications
Relevant professional qualifications in education, health, or social care. Leadership or management qualifications are desirable. Evidence of continuous professional development aligned with SEND reforms and inclusive practice.