Senior Communications Officer (SEND)

Overview

Buckinghamshire Council is looking for a talented, compassionate and strategic, Senior Communications Officer to lead communications for our SEND Improvement Programme.

This is an exciting and meaningful opportunity to support system-wide change, ensuring children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities — and their families — feel heard, understood and supported.

Your work will help build trust, transparency and shared purpose across the SEND system — supporting better outcomes for children and young people, and strengthening relationships with the families and professionals who support them.

This is a fixed term contract for 6 months. 

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to providing clear, accessible and engaging information for our staff, residents, businesses and partners. Our award‑winning Corporate Communications and Engagement Service helps deliver the council’s corporate priorities by promoting our values, telling the stories of our communities and supporting services across the organisation.

You’ll be part of a busy, collaborative and ambitious multidisciplinary team — spanning strategic communications, media, campaigns, internal communications, social media, design and engagement — working together to deliver focused, high‑quality communications that strengthen trust and support our organisational goals.

You’ll also embody our values of being Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy, bringing a positive, flexible and solutions‑focused approach to everything you do.

About the role

What you’ll do

• Lead on data‑led, insight‑driven communications strategies and plans for SEND improvement
• Create accessible, tailored multi‑media content for families, staff and partners
• Lead on SEND events such as conferences and forums that promote shared understanding and best practice
• Build trusted relationships with families, partners, senior managers and councillors
• Take initiative to identify opportunities to improve communications and lead the development and implementation of effective solutions.
  Develop and maintain a clear forward plan of SEND communications activity
• Support crisis and reputation management when required
• Monitor impact, evaluate activity and implement improvements
• Champion inclusive communication across the council and wider SEND system
• Support and mentor colleagues, sharing best practice and encouraging innovation

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

You’ll be an experienced communications professional with exceptional writing and content creation skills, strong political awareness and the ability to turn complex issues into clear, human‑centred messages. You’ll understand the sensitivity of SEND and be motivated by making a genuine difference to children, young people and families.

You’ll be confident working in a high‑profile, fast‑paced environment, often managing multiple requests, priorities and deadlines in a timely manner, while maintaining clarity, calm and good judgement. You’ll thrive on balancing long‑term planning with the flexibility to respond quickly to emerging needs.

You’ll bring your own initiative, curiosity and drive — confidently leading communications for this important area of work and proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen understanding, trust and engagement across the SEND system.

For full details of the person specification and requirements, please refer to the Job Description.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

For more information about this role, please contact Laura Cooper at [email protected] for an informal discussion.

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 12th July 2026

Interview Date: TBC

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

a fair and inclusive culture

• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

 

About the Service Area

A key duty of the Deputy Chief Executive directorate is Policy & Communications. This team works with services across the council to provide staff, residents, businesses, members and partners with the information they need, in the way they need it, when they need it. It enables Buckinghamshire Council and Buckinghamshire communities to tell their stories and serves to inform, educate, involve and inspire our community to create a better Buckinghamshire. 

Our Communications team contains a diverse mix of teams with specialist skills covering various channels. These teams include Campaign and Marketing, News and Media, Social Media and Digital Content, Design, and Internal Communications. Working collaboratively, we help to protect and build the reputation of the council, regionally and nationally, so that we are known as a council that is innovative, responsive and efficiently run. 

These teams are supported by our experts in the Policy team, who develop and maintain principles and protocols that underpin our Equality policy, our communication strategies, and our policies of consultation with the public. This ensures that we are able to listen to and engage with Buckinghamshire’s staff, members, business and residents in the most effective way possible.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/