Assistant Tribunal Officer

The starting salary for this full-time position is £31,262 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

The role is offered as a 12-month fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity.

This role is open to hybrid working meaning you aren't required in the office 5 days a week. In support of our people and our greener futures strategies, we'd welcome a conversation with the successful candidate on what remote working may look like for you.

If you have a thorough knowledge of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) legislation, a keen eye for detail and confidence communicating with a wide range of audiences, we would be delighted to tell you more about an excellent opportunity for an Assistant Tribunal Officer to join our SEND Tribunal Team!

Rewards and benefits

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the team

The SEND Tribunal Team operates in a fast paced, interpersonal environment involving children and young people with high level and complex special educational needs, their parents/carers, schools and other professionals (including legal representatives).

The Area SEND Team administers and is responsible for statutory functions and has significant contact with members of the public and other professionals from within and outside of the County Council, approximately 408 schools and other settings.

There are four Area SEND Teams who cover the four areas of the county (NW, NE, SE, SW), working across 11 Boroughs and Districts, each managing crucial interfaces with support services, Children's Services and the Corporate Parenting Team, as well as maintaining excellent multi-agency working.

Area SEND Teams provide the SEND Tribunal Officer with instructions relating to appeals. The Tribunal Officer represents Surrey County Council at Tribunal hearings, working directly with parents, schools, legal representatives and other professional bodies related to the SEND Tribunal process. The Tribunal Officers manage a complex range of issues utilising effective case management and it is essential they operate in a positive, collegiate and respectful manner to ensure county-wide service effectiveness.

About the role

The role of Assistant Tribunal Officer (ATO) will be crucial in providing support to the Tribunal Team.

On a day to day basis this will include:

• Supporting the Tribunal Officer with their appeal case management
• Responding to and resolving (where possible) day to day enquiries
• Preparing the local authority's response to refusal to assess appeals and liaising with families where required
• Maintaining the team inbox and organising calendars to ensure adherence to Tribunal deadlines
• Producing legal bundles in accordance with Tribunal regulations
• Making proactive contact with parents/carers, educational settings and others; escalating complex and urgent issues as required

Shortlisting criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Ability to quickly assimilate information and make informed decisions within short time-frames
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to deal sensitively with challenging conversations and situations
• A positive outlook that celebrates success, builds on a framework of good practice and seeks constructive solutions to problems
• Willingness to accept accountability for the management of risk
• Competent in a range of IT tools
• Ability to prioritise and plan own workload in the context of conflicting priorities
• A methodical approach to tasks, recording and reporting with high level analytical and organisational skills

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 02/05/2024 with interviews to follow.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.