Project Support Officer

Connected Local Government; North East; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading local government organization is seeking a Project Support Officer – SEND for maternity cover within the Home to School Transport team. This role involves implementing a transformation program to enhance services for children and families. The ideal candidate will have a relevant degree or significant experience and be passionate about improving outcomes for young people. A competitive rewards package is offered, including generous leave and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience of working with a broad range of stakeholders to drive forward project delivery.
• Awareness of the importance of Home to School Transport Services.

Responsibilities

• Support children and families for independent and fulfilling lives.
• Implement the transformation programme for the Home to School Transport Service.
• Align services to the needs of Children and Young People.

Skills

Excellent communication and influencing skills

Experience in a Special Educational Needs environment

Ability to manage competing priorities

Proactive and enthusiastic

Highly organized

Education

Degree or significant relevant experience with a professional qualification

Job description

An exciting Project Support Officer – SEND opportunity has arisen within our Home to School Transport team. The role is a maternity cover until approximately 31 October 2026 or until the return of the substantive postholder, whichever is sooner. We’re looking for an individual who is passionate about transforming children’s services and improving outcomes for young people. If you have ambition and the commitment to make a difference, then we would really like to hear from you!

What is involved?

Durham County Council has developed a transformation programme for its Home to School Transport Service. This is critical to our ambition to support children and families to have independent, healthy, and fulfilling lives, whilst ensuring that our services are effective and financially sustainable.

• Sustainable and support the Council’s Environmental policies
• Safe for providers and users of the Service
• Aligned to the identified needs of Children and Young People
• Support the Independence of Children and Young People where appropriate
• Efficient and deliver value for money

We encourage you to contact Aimie Scott by email on [e-mail] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.

What will I need?

Essential qualifications for this post are:

• Degree or significant relevant experience supported by a professional qualification.

We are looking for people with:

• Experience of working in a Special Educational Needs environment and who understand the needs of young people.
• Awareness of the importance of Home to School Transport Services and how this can impact on teaching and learning for children and young people with SEND.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with experience of working with a broad range of stakeholders to drive forward project delivery.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated, proactive and enthusiastic. They will also be resilient, able to manage competing priorities and highly organised.

Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria.

Interviews

Interviews will be held week commencing 26th January 2026.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

Our offer to you

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

How to apply

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail].

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.