SEND Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Manager

Role Responsibility

An opportunity has arisen within our SEND IAG Service for a SEND IAG Manager to both oversee the Local Offer and develop and manage our range of SEND IAG events and activities. 

In Kent Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Service we have listened to families when they tell us that they don’t know how to find information or it is often overwhelming. That is why we have created the SEND Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) Service 

The SEND IAG service combines:

• The statutory website the Local Offer which we call the SEND Information Hub and is managed by our Local Offer Coordinator. Read our Local Offer Annual Report (PDF, 965.9 KB) for detailed feedback results and the actions we've taken.
• The SEND Enquiries Hub is our telephone information helpline with a dedicated team of IAG specialists. Find out more about our SEND Enquiries Hub by reading our annual report (PDF, 598.7 KB) including parent feedback and our targets for the year.
• And a range of IAG events including podcasts and our very popular SEND Roadshows. To find out more see SEND information roadshow feedback - Kent County Council. These events are run in partnership with Kent Family Hubs and involve key stakeholders within our communities and services

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate exceptional person-centred practice by putting families at the heart of what they do and strong stakeholder leadership and coordination. 

The post holder will;

Over see Kent’s Local Offer by line managing the Local Offer Coordinator ensuring the information is comprehensive, up-to-date and serves the needs of Kent’s families and the requirements of the council’s communication standards. 

Develop and deliver our SEND IAG Roadshows across all the twelve districts in Kent and explore new ways of reaching families with the right information at the right time and the right way that is accessible for them

This post is subject to a Basic Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service. 

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

• Deadline for applications Friday 18th September 2026
• Shortlisting Monday 21st September 2026
• Interviews Friday 25th September 2026

Interview will consist of value-based questions. These are questions designed to assess not only what you can do, but how you work, the choices you make, and the impact you deliver. These questions often start with How did / would you…? When answering this type of question using the mnemonic STAR can be helpful

• SITUATION: What was the circumstance /issue /concern you are addressing 
• TASK: What did you need to achieve / do to resolve the situation 
• ACTIVITY: Describe what you did 
• RESULT: What was the outcome / impact of your activity and decisions 

Within the interview there will also be a five minute presentation about how you would tailor the same message to different audiences. The message you are being asked to consider is Why Early help and Prevention is better for children and young people with additional needs and or SEND - The different audiences could include families, community groups and elected officials.

Contact Details

Any enquiries regarding this post, please contact Sharon McLaughlin - SEND Engagement and Operation Manager - Sharon.McLaughlin@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.