Principal Service Lead

Are you an inspirational, values-driven professional with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people? Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking an exceptional Principal Lead - SEND to play a vital role in shaping the future of education and inclusion across our borough. This is a pivotal position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. With your Associate Director and colleagues, you will drive Dudley's strategic approach to education inclusion and SEND, ensuring that every child and young person, whatever their needs or background can access high-quality education, support, and opportunity. In this strategic leadership role, you will:

• Provide high quality strategic and operational leadership and management to Special Educational Need and Disabilities (SEND) services.
• Lead and manage inclusive teams fostering high performance and ensuring services are compliant, meet legal, statutory and governance requirements.
• Translate strategic intent into effective and high-quality operational delivery, either through direct delivery or through robust commissioning arrangements across Education, Health and Social Care and in partnership with relevant services
• To support the development and delivery of the Children's Services Improvement Plan and the SEND Improvement Plan, embedding a culture of financial responsibility, a children and family focus and service excellence., Please submit your CV and supporting statement with your application. Your supporting statement should be arial 12 and no more than 4 pages.
The recruitment process consists of technical interviews with longlisted applicants to confirm the shortlist. Short listed candidates will be invited to assessment centres, stakeholder panels and attend final interviews. The final stage will be held w/c 20th July 2026. Please indicate any periods you are unavailable.

A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands education/SEND legislation, and brings energy, integrity, and ambition. If you are driven to make a real impact for children, families, and schools across Dudley, we want to hear from you.

Top tip when applying - As we've got a new recruitment system the application process has changed a little and we hope you'll like it! You'll first need to register and create a profile the first time you apply. Creating your profile will enable you do things such as track your application progress, view emails you've received from us and manage communication preferences, manage your interview bookings and offer information if successful. About Dudley Council It's an incredibly exciting time to work in Dudley Council as we embark on numerous multi-million pound regeneration schemes which will be real game-changers for the borough. In addition to the exciting schemes such as the Midland Metro we also have the ongoing and very serious challenges of ensuring vulnerable people across the borough receive the services they deserve. At Dudley Council we have a 'one council' ethos that builds an effective and dynamic organisation which grows the economy and creates jobs, creating a cleaner and greener place and supports stronger and safer communities. We are rightly proud to be the historic capital of the Black Country and, working with our partners, Dudley Council is also committed to looking forward and helping to deliver our borough vision of 'Forge a Future for all' www.dudleyboroughvision2030.org.uk We ensure communities influence council decisions and are committed to delivering services in partnership with communities. We provide flexible and responsive service in partnership and help communities help themselves. In joining a local authority that serves 320,000 residents you will become an integral part of a council that:
• is ready to embrace change, providing an environment in which you will be encouraged to make your mark
• is aware of its key challenges and the need for a new energy to innovate the council, in order to find cost effective ways of delivering services
• has aligned its political and managerial leadership structures and is committed to protecting, securing and transforming the lives of children, families, the vulnerable and older people
• wants borough residents to have their say through our community forums
• dedicates time to meaningful consultation and listen to the views of our residents
• is working with the community to encourage active involvement of our residents