SEN Mediation and Facilitation Officer – SEND Assessment and Planning

Are you an experienced SEND professional with strong mediation and negotiation skills? Are you confident working with families, professionals and partner agencies to resolve complex issues and achieve positive outcomes for children and young people?

We are looking for an organised, calm and solution-focused SEN Mediation and Facilitation Officer to join our SEND Assessment and Planning service.

You will play an important role in supporting the resolution of disagreements relating to special educational needs provision and Education, Health and Care Plans. You will lead and manage mediation activity for children and young people who are at risk of, or are involved in, an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. Working collaboratively with families, schools, colleagues and other professionals, you will help identify solutions at the earliest opportunity. Your work will support positive relationships, reduce the need for formal legal action where possible and help ensure that the Council meets its statutory responsibilities.

You will have experience of working with SEND and Education, Health and Care Plans, or experience of mediation and negotiation. You will be able to remain calm under pressure, manage a varied workload and work effectively to short deadlines.

We’re looking for candidates with:

- strong mediation, negotiation and problem-solving skills;
- excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- the ability to communicate complex information clearly and adapt your approach for different audiences;
- knowledge of the statutory SEND framework, including the Children and Families Act 2014, the SEND Code of Practice and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014;
- the ability to plan and organise your own work and support the work of others;

Knowledge or experience of SEND legal or tribunal processes, Local Authority services, education or a legal environment would be an advantage. Recent professional development and an understanding of the statutory procedures governing support for children and young people with special educational needs would also be beneficial.

This role is subject to a hybrid working agreement currently set at 2 days on site at County Hall, Lewes and 3 days working from home. Please note this is subject to change at short notice dependant on service requirements and demands.

We warmly welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are working towards a workforce that reflects the communities we serve because we recognise the value of different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.

Please download the Job Description and Person Specification for more information.

To apply for this role, please follow the ‘Apply Now’ button, as part of your application, you will need to complete your education and work history and upload a supporting statement, showing how you meet the essential criteria within the job description and job specification. Your supporting statement is the most important part of your application as it will be used in the shortlisting process to determine if you will be invited to attend an interview.

For guidance on how to write an application see our how to apply page and our statement on the use of AI .

Interviews are scheduled for Monday 02 November 2026 and will be in the form of a face-to-face interview, followed by a task. This will be in County Hall, Lewes.

Candidates who meet certain criteria are given priority when we shortlist. See our priority status page for details.

You will be working at County Hall; the Head Office for the County Council, based on the edge of Lewes Town Centre, which is within walking distance to the town and train station. County Hall is also on a bus route and car parking is available on site at a reduced rate for employees.

What can the Education Division offer you?

- A motivated team committed to the continuous improvement of outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
- A commitment to a model of reflective practice based on regular supervision to support all employees in their professional development.
- A continued professional development (CPD) programme to ensure your personal and professional skills and knowledge are enhanced and developed to support the performance of the service.
- A team of motivated and committed peers.
- We also offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page. (https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/jobs/benefits)
- County Hall provides a café with a full range of hot and cold lunches, snacks and drinks with seating both indoors and out.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity contact Dawn Pack, SEND Tribunals Lead Manager on 01273 336740.

For work that makes a difference, choose East Sussex!