Principal Educational Psychologist

Interim Principal Educational Psychologist (Head of Service) Competitive Interim / Agency Day Rate | Immediate Start Closing Date: 31/03/2026, 5pm 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 is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned leader who can deliver immediate impact, drive innovation in statutory Educational Psychology functions, and support the service through a planned review aligned with wider SEND and Children’s Services reforms. With national SEND developments and increasing demand for statutory services, Medway is entering a critical phase. We are looking for a confident, strategic, and solutions-focused leader to stabilise, strengthen, and modernise the Educational Psychology Service while longer-term transformation plans are progressed. The Role As Interim Principal EP (Head of Service), you will provide visible and decisive leadership, ensuring statutory responsibilities are delivered to a high standard. You will play a key role in preparing the service for future redesign while maintaining strong operational performance. Key Responsibilities: Provide oversight and quality assurance of statutory EP functions Lead innovative approaches to increase capacity and manage rising demand Deliver a service-wide review, including recommendations on structure, practice, and workforce Embed efficient, research-led processes across assessment and intervention pathways Ensure strong operational performance, compliance, and service delivery Provide professional supervision to EPs and senior practitioners Support the wider 0–25 SEND leadership teamKey Priorities: Review and improve statutory pathways and operating models Introduce practice changes to create capacity for increased demand Strengthen early intervention to reduce reliance on formal assessments Develop and implement multidisciplinary solutions to improve outcomes and workflow Maintain compliance while enabling preventative and systemic EP practiceWe are seeking a professional who: Has substantial experience at Principal EP level within complex environments Demonstrates confident, steady leadership during periods of change Can balance operational delivery with strategic development Has strong knowledge of SEND reforms and local authority statutory duties Has a proven track record of driving service improvement and innovation Is experienced in leading service reviews and transformation activity Is solutions-focused, resilient, and able to build credibility quickly Holds HCPC registration and a recognised Educational Psychology qualificationWhy Choose Ackerman Pierce? Ackerman Pierce calls upon over 15 years' worth of experience in recruiting directly into the Social Work Sector. We can offer a unique experience within recruitment where you have your own personal consultant, a DBS and Compliance service with a quick and easy registration process. We pride ourselves on a guaranteed weekly payment process. To discuss this vacancy further or any other opportunities, please contact Elise Revett or email in your updated CV to us at Ackerman Pierce