WSS Regional SEND Leader for the East of England

WSS Regional SEND Leader for the East of England
Contract Type: Fixed term Secondment contract until 31 March 2027
Salary: £550 per day (payable to the school / education setting)
Hours: A minimum commitment of 40 days a year, equating to an average of one-day a week (flexibility to plan own day or equivalent in part days), during term time

Join our Regional Whole School SEND Teams – help shape the future of SEND

Whole School SEND is expanding its regional teams, and we are looking for experienced SEND leaders to step into seconded Regional SEND Leader positions.

As a Regional SEND Leader, you will lead the strategic delivery of the DfE’s Universal SEND Services programme across your region, enabling schools and colleges to embed inclusive practice and improve outcomes for learners with SEND. Working closely with national and regional partners, you will shape regional priorities, oversee professional networks, guide system level SEND development and champion the use of evidence based practice.

These roles are ideal for experienced SEND leaders who:

• already think beyond one school
• have strong professional networks across their region
• are confident working with senior leaders, MATs, local authorities and other partners
• want to shape policy and practice at a national level
• value collaboration, knowledge exchange and inclusive leadership

You might currently be:

• a MAT SEND / Inclusion Director or Lead
• a trustwide SENCo / Inclusion Lead
• a local authority SEND leader
• an experienced SENCo influencing across multiple schools
• a system leader with credibility and influence in your region

This role is offered on a secondment basis. This means the successful applicant will remain employed by their current organisation, and Whole School SEND (through nasen) will reimburse the employer for the time the individual spends undertaking Regional SEND Leader duties. The secondment fee of £550 per day is paid directly to the employing organisation, ensuring there is no financial loss to the school, trust or local authority releasing the colleague for this work.

The Regional SEND Leader will continue in their substantive role while contributing the equivalent of one day a week (40 days across the year) to Whole School SEND. This model enables leaders to bring current, real world expertise into the national programme while maintaining their ongoing responsibilities within their home organisation.

This is an opportunity to apply your expertise at regional and national levels, while maintaining your connection to your current school, trust or organisation.

This role requires flexibility, occasional travel and occasional overnight stays.

Please note this is a secondment position from an education setting, you must be located in the geographical region stated on the advert to apply, those not meeting this criteria will not be considered.

Closing Date: Thursday 5th March 2026
N.B The application period may be closed earlier if sufficient suitable candidates apply.
Start date: 1st April 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter)

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

Whole School SEND is an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

About Whole School SEND (WSS)

Whole School SEND (WSS), hosted by nasen, is a national community committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The work of Whole School SEND is based on the principle that the knowledge and expertise needed to develop the workforce already exists in the system and that knowledge exchange can occur through effective collaboration.

Since its inception in 2016, the WSS community has brought together key stakeholder organisations, individuals and educational settings from across the SEND community and encouraged collaboration between them.

Regional SEND Leaders are central to the success of the programme, acting as the bridge between national direction and regional implementation. They bring deep SEND expertise and strong regional networks to the role, enabling them to identify local priorities, champion evidence informed practice and work closely with schools, colleges and system partners to build confidence and capability in meeting the needs of learners with SEND.

A regionalised model of delivery and development, responsive to local contexts, will continue to be an essential part of the growth and sustainability of our work. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of SEND in your region. We have a wide-ranging programme of work, including delivering CPD (online and face-to-face) and leading Professional Development Groups, as well as maintaining and extending regional networks.

No agencies please.