Job Vacancies

Family Voice Surrey: Strategic Lead – Change (Change Manager)

Contract: 1‑year fixed‑term, part‑time (25–30 hours/week, flexible by agreement)

Start: October 2025 (subject to onboarding)

Salary: £40,000 pro rata (interim consultants also considered)

Location: Remote/home‑based, with travel across Surrey for meetings and events

Reporting to: Chair of Trustees / Board of Trustees

Closing date: Friday 26 September 2025, 4pm (we may close early if we receive sufficient applications)

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Help us steady, strengthen, and re‑energise Surrey’s Parent Carer Forum

Family Voice Surrey (FVS) is Surrey’s official Parent Carer Forum and a parent‑led CIO. We exist so parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can shape local services. We’re recognised by the Department for Education and work with Surrey County Council, NHS partners, schools and settings, and the wider SEND community. Independence and accountability to our thousands of members are at the heart of what we do.

We’re entering a new chapter following a period of significant change, including staff redundancies and a review of our operating model. We want to recruit a Change Manager (Strategic Lead – Change) to provide stability and clear direction through our transition and into a stronger, more sustainable future.

The opportunity

As Strategic Lead – Change, you’ll provide practical transition management in the early weeks, while laying the foundations for long‑term organisational health. You will:

– Lead the transition post‑restructure—capturing handovers, clarifying roles, and putting robust plans in place.
– Ensure continuity for members—so parent carer voices remain central and influential.
– Strengthen governance and compliance—safeguarding, funding, and charity obligations.
– Engage stakeholders openly—building trust across SCC, NHS partners, schools, and the wider SEND community.
– Work closely with national partners and forums—including NNPCF, Contact, and peer Parent Carer Forums—to bring best practice, insight, and connection into FVS.

What you’ll do

Transition management (first 4–6 weeks)
– Map responsibilities and live workstreams with outgoing/retained staff.
– Deliver a practical transition plan (handover notes, timelines, responsibilities).
– Produce a Board‑approved risk assessment with mitigations, shaped collaboratively with staff.
– Support Trustees to ensure retained staff are confident in new lines of accountability.
– Provide an initial report summarising risks, mitigations, and recommendations.

Change & stabilisation (throughout the contract)
– Provide strategic direction alongside day‑to‑day steadiness and responsiveness to members.
– Keep parent carers central to our planning and decision‑making; champion co‑production.
– Identify and mitigate risks around staff turnover, morale, continuity, and engagement.
– Document and systematise processes to preserve organisational knowledge.

Organisational oversight
– Support day‑to‑day decision‑making with Trustees, ensuring accountability to members.
– Oversee compliance across legal, funding, safeguarding, and governance requirements.
– Monitor budgets, funding agreements, and financial planning during transition.
– Uphold high standards of safeguarding, confidentiality, equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Stakeholder engagement
– Act as a key liaison with Surrey County Council, NHS partners, schools, and the SEND community.
– Maintain open, transparent communications with members and partners.
– Represent FVS at strategic meetings and events.
– Connect FVS with NNPCF, Contact, and other Parent Carer Forums—sharing learning, bringing national insight, and embedding emerging best practice in our work.

Recruitment & capacity building
– Support trustees to plan and run recruitment for permanent roles.
– Co‑design clear job descriptions and induction.
– Mentor and support new staff, volunteers, and parent representatives.
– Strengthen governance capacity within the Trustee Board where needed.

Reporting & communication
– Keep a clear transition roadmap with milestones.
– Provide regular updates to Trustees and funders.
– Communicate openly with members and relevant stakeholders about changes.
– Deliver a final handover and review report with recommendations for sustainability.

About you

  • Essential
    Proven experience in leading change in voluntary, community, or SEND-related sectors.
  • Strong understanding of governance, safeguarding, Parent Carer Forums, and co-production.
  • Experience of project management, risk assessment, and organisational stabilisation.
  • Strong communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills.
  • Demonstrable experience of working collaboratively with Trustees, staff, parent carers, and the Local Authority (including building constructive partnerships and influencing practice).
  • Knowledge of the challenges faced by parent carers and families with SEND.Desirable
    – Lived experience as a parent carer.
    – Previous involvement in Parent Carer Forums or SEND co‑production.
    – Familiarity with local authority and NHS structures.

What success looks like (key deliverables)

– Initial transition & stabilisation plan within 4 weeks.
– Comprehensive risk assessment with mitigations.
– Monthly progress and summary reports to Trustees.
– Recruitment and succession planning support delivered.
– Active engagement with NNPCF and Contact, sharing learning with Trustees and staff.
– Final review and handover report with clear recommendations for the incoming team.

How to apply

Please email your CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) explaining how your experience fits this role—and confirm your preferred working pattern—to Jobs@familyvoicesurrey.org

For any questions, please contact Sally Allen, Chair at sally.a@familyvoicesurrey.org.

Closing date: 28th September 2025, 4pm. Early applications are encouraged; we may close the advert once sufficient applications have been received.

Accessibility, safeguarding, and inclusion

FVS is committed to safeguarding and to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly encourage parent carers and those with lived experience of SEND. If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply.

Thank you for considering joining Family Voice Surrey at this pivotal time. Your leadership could help thousands of families have a stronger voice in shaping the services they rely on.

View the attached job description for further details. Strategic Lead Change FVS Job Description