Surrey County Council
Mediation and Dispute Resolution Officer
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This permanent role has a starting salary of £42,958 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.
We have a great opportunity to join our Mediation and Dispute Resolution Team as a Mediation and Dispute Resolution Officer.
We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 2 days per week on average, equivalent to 40% of the working week, and support working from home the rest of the time.
Our Offer to You
- 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
- A generous local government salary-related pension
- Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
- Paternity, adoption, and dependents leave
- An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
- Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
- A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents
About The Role
The Mediation and Dispute Resolution Team is a developing team within Surrey County Council’s SEND service. Our ambition is to provide a solution-focused, relational, and child-centred service which supports earlier resolution, strengthens collaborative working, and reduces the need for families to escalate concerns through formal routes, including SENDIST where this can appropriately be avoided.
As a Mediation and Dispute Resolution Officer, you will play an important role in supporting children, young people, and families where there is disagreement or emerging dispute in relation to special educational needs and provision. You will work with parents and carers, schools, settings, SEND colleagues, and partner agencies to understand the issues, analyse evidence, promote restorative and solution-focused conversations, and help identify constructive ways forward.
This is a varied and rewarding role within a fast-paced statutory environment. You may be facilitating or supporting mediation discussions, representing the Local Authority in mediation, working with colleagues to resolve issues before they escalate, analysing complex case information, or contributing to learning that helps improve practice across the wider SEND system.
We are looking for someone who is confident working in complex and sensitive situations, has strong written and verbal communication skills, and is able to build effective relationships with families, professionals, and colleagues. You will need to be organised, analytical, and able to manage competing priorities while maintaining a clear focus on improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
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What You Will Be Doing
- Supporting the identification, analysis, and resolution of SEND-related disagreement at the earliest appropriate point.
- Working directly with parents, carers, schools, settings, and professionals to support constructive and restorative conversations.
- Preparing for, facilitating, and representing the Local Authority within mediation and dispute resolution activity.
- Analysing case information, statutory paperwork, and professional evidence to understand areas of dispute, risk, and potential resolution.
- Working closely with SEND Tribunal Officers, Area SEND Teams, and other colleagues to ensure joined-up case management and clear communication.
- Supporting the service to identify themes, learning, and opportunities for improvement arising from mediation and dispute resolution activity.
- Promoting relational practice, collaborative working, and child-centred decision-making across the SEND system.
Your Application
In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:
- Knowledge and understanding of SEND statutory processes and the factors that support robust, sustainable decision-making.
- Experience of working with families, schools, settings, or professionals in complex, sensitive, or disputed situations.
- Experience of mediation, restorative practice, conflict resolution, or other approaches that support early resolution and collaborative problem-solving.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review complex information, identify key issues, and consider risk.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly, sensitively, and professionally with a range of audiences.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work within statutory or service timescales.
- A commitment to inclusive practice, relational working, and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
To apply, we request that you submit a CV and answer the following 4 questions:
- Please describe your experience of working within SEND, education, children’s services, or another statutory/public sector setting, including how you have used your knowledge of processes, legislation, or guidance to support effective decision-making.
- Give an example of a complex or sensitive situation where you supported a parent, carer, school, setting, or professional to move towards resolution. What approach did you take and what was the outcome?
- Describe a time when you had to analyse complex information or evidence to identify key issues, risks, or options. How did you structure your analysis and communicate your recommendation or next steps?
- The Mediation and Dispute Resolution Officer role requires strong relationship-building and communication skills. Please provide an example of how you have worked collaboratively with others to manage disagreement, reduce escalation, or support improved outcomes.
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Join Surrey County Council and be part of a service that is ambitious, collaborative, and dedicated to making a real difference for children, young people, and families.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 23rd August 2026 with interviews planned to follow.
Contact Us
Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills, or any barriers to employment. Please contact Rhianwen Best via email on rhianwen.best@surreycc.gov.uk.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1 April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.
Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents.
Our Commitment
We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.
Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we are committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need. We value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.
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