Medway Council is seeking an experienced and highly effective Interim Principal Educational Psychologist to provide senior leadership and strategic oversight during a pivotal period of improvement and change. This interim assignment represents an excellent opportunity for a seasoned leader who can deliver immediate impact, drive innovation in statutory EP functions, and support the council through a planned service review linked to wider SEND and Children's Services reforms.
With national SEND changes underway and rising demand for statutory services, Medway is entering a critical phase of development. We need a confident, strategic and solution-focused interim leader who can help stabilise, strengthen and modernise our Educational Psychology Service while longer-term structural work takes place.
As their Interim Principal EP, you will provide visible, decisive leadership and ensure that statutory responsibilities are met to a high standard. You will also play a key role in preparing the service for future redesign and improvement activity. This is a role for someone who can quickly understand a complex system, build credibility fast, and make informed decisions that support both immediate delivery and longer-term transformation.
You will lead on:
- Oversight and quality assurance of statutory EP functions
- Innovative approaches to increase capacity and manage growing demand
- A service-wide review, contributing to recommendations for structure, practice, and workforce
- Embedding efficient, research-led processes across assessment and intervention pathways
- Maintaining strong operational performance and compliance
- Providing professional supervision to EPs and senior practitioners
- Supporting the wider 0-25 SEND leadership team
A core priority for this interim position is to lead smarter, more streamlined and innovative approaches to statutory EP work, including:
- Reviewing and improving statutory pathways and operating models
- Introducing practice changes that create capacity for anticipated increases in demand
- Strengthening early intervention involvement to reduce pressure on formal assessment routes
- Exploring and implementing multidisciplinary solutions to improve workflow and impact
- Ensuring compliance remains strong while creating room for preventative and systemic EP work
We are seeking an interim professional who is:
- An experienced Principal EP comfortable in complex environments
- Able to deliver steady and confident leadership during periods of change
- Skilled at balancing operational delivery with strategic planning
- Highly knowledgeable about SEND reforms and local authority statutory duties
- A creative thinker with a track record of driving improvement
- Comfortable leading service reviews, redesign, and transformation activity
- Solutions-focused, resilient and able to build strong relationships quickly
- HCPC registration and a recognised EP qualification are essential.
If you are interested in this role please send your updated CV in the first instance.