Specialist Learning Support Clinical Manager

• Suffolk County Council 
• Address: Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich IP12BX / Hybrid working
• Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available 
• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. As a Specialist Learning Support Clinical Manager, you'll see the direct impact of your work on the people and places that make Suffolk special. Join us and turn your passion for progress into action.

Reimagine the possibilities.

We are excited to work with a highly experienced registered nurse (Paediatric or Adult) who can share our values and vision of supporting children and young people with complex medical needs to access education. Our existing Clinical Manager and team of two Clinical Care Coordinators are passionate and skilled and manage highly trained Specialist Learning Support Assistants in supporting children and young people with complex medical needs in school or occasionally at home. 

Your role and responsibilities 

• You will oversee the day-to-day management of the specialist learning support service including management of the care coordinators
• You will use your skills and knowledge to ensure all Specialist Learning Support Assistants are assigned to care coordinators for training, monitoring, and supervision
• As part of your NMC registration, you will ensure care coordinators properly delegate medical interventions to non-clinical staff, meeting all CQC standards
• You will display your financial acumen by ensuring best value and delivering the service to budget
• You will work in partnership with colleagues in education, health and social care, attending meetings, where necessary, to support the clinical needs of each child or young person
• You will communicate effectively with the team and with children and their families and carers with sensitivity to different cultures and contexts
• You will demonstrate your commitment to coproduction by incorporating the voices and experiences of children, young people, and their families when developing and planning service improvements as part of the senior team
• With support and oversight from the Service Manager, you will directly manage and support the professional development of a small team of Care Coordinators who line manage a team of SpLSAs across various school settings
• Using your expertise, you will lead the care coordinators in ensuring the skills and competencies of the team in a variety of medical interventions always align with the service guidelines and assessment frameworks
• Using your leadership skills, you will ensure accurate and up to date care plans and risk assessments are maintained for all children and young people under the service
• Provide oversight and responsibility for performance and quality standards, being clear in your vision and expectations
• You will set the standard for recording and reporting for the service and provide best practice examples
• You will ensure all policies and procedures relevant to the service are in place, regularly reviewed, and adhered to by all staff
• You will display your commitment to developing the team and their professional and personal development by creating a culture of honesty and accountability
• You will maintain the highest standards by working in accordance with all of the statutory responsibilities, policies and service procedures, including upholding confidentiality, training, and equality standards at all times

What you will need 

• Ideally you will have a Current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration.
• A mentorship or teaching qualification
• We hope you’ll bring experience of working with people with complex medical needs who are reliant upon technology such as tracheostomy, gastrostomy feeding, jejunostomy feeding, non-invasive ventilation, oral suction, oxygen therapy
• Ideally you will have experience of managing people or supervising
• It would be desirable to have a comprehensive understanding or experience of delivering clinical care under a CQC framework

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word).If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

The team 

• The team is part of the wider Community Health Services provided by Suffolk County Council with robust clinical governance in place
• The team is overseen by a Clinical Manager who is a trained children’s nurse
• There are currently two Clinical Care Coordinators (one full time and one part time) who are children’s trained nurses 
• The team consists of 23 Specialist Learning Support Assistants who are matched to CYP and support them in a school setting or occasionally at home if they are too unwell to attend
• The care coordinators spend their time in schools with time each week to work from home or in the office
• We are a friendly, supportive and multi skilled team who are passionate about giving every child or young person the best opportunities in life.

Empowering Everyone 

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in ourWorkforce Equality Report.

For more information 

Please contact Alex Watt (He/Him) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by emailing[email protected].

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word)

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application. 

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use theSupporting Statement template.  

1. Tell us about a time when you led on training a team in a new medical procedure. How did you ensure all staff had the appropriate knowledge and skills to perform the procedure safely?

2. Provide an example of when you had to work collaboratively with professionals from different sectors (e.g., education, health, social care). How did you ensure effective communication and coordination?

3. Tell us about a time when you had to manage a challenging situation with a staff member or colleague. How did you approach the situation and what was the result?

4. What steps would you take if you noticed that a policy or practice was unintentionally disadvantaging a particular group?

5. Can you share an example of how you have empowered a colleague or service user to achieve a positive outcome?

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. 

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [email protected]or calling 03456 014412.If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process. 

Closing date:11.30pm, 13 October 2025.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.