Tribunal Officer

This full-time, permanent position has a starting salary of £47,142 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

If you’re someone who brings deep knowledge of SEND legislation, a calm and methodical approach, and confidence communicating with a wide range of people, we’d love to tell you more about an opportunity that truly makes a difference.

We are delighted to be recruiting Tribunal Officers to join our fantastic, dedicated SEND Tribunal team based at Victoria Gate, Woking. We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for two days per week on average (or 40% of your working week) and support working from home the rest of the time.

This is a chance to be part of a service where children and young people are at the heart of every decision we make.

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

As a Tribunal Officer, you will play a vital role in ensuring that children and young people with SEND receive the support they need. Working within a fast‑paced, highly relational and sometimes complex environment, you’ll collaborate closely with families, schools and a range of professionals to navigate the statutory SEND Tribunal process.

No two days are ever the same. You might spend one day representing the Local Authority at a SENDIST hearing, and the next meeting with families to explore solutions together, or chairing multi‑agency discussions to gather and analyse evidence. Whatever the task, restorative practice and partnership working will be central to how you operate.

You’ll need to balance competing deadlines, adapt to rapidly changing priorities, and respond confidently and empathetically in challenging situations. Your work will include preparing responses to appeals within legal timeframes, collating detailed evidence and presenting the Local Authority’s case at hearings.

This role offers the opportunity to use your expertise to influence outcomes for children and young people — and to support families during some of the most challenging moments in their education journey.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• A methodical, analytical and detail‑focused approach to evaluating case evidence
• Strong planning skills and the ability to remain organised when priorities shift
• The ability to build positive, constructive relationships with families and professionals
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, tailored to your audience
• Confidence using your initiative in pressured or unpredictable situations
• Substantial knowledge of SEND legislation and the statutory/legal framework
• Significant experience managing conflict, navigating sensitive conversations and negotiating effective resolutions
  
  
  

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:

• Please describe a time when you had to analyse complex or conflicting evidence to make a recommendation or decision.
• Please tell us about a situation where you had to balance competing deadlines or sudden changes in priorities. How did you organise your workload and what was the outcome?

Please give an example of how you have built positive working relationships with parents, carers, or other professionals during a difficult or sensitive situation.

What experience do you have in applying legislation related to SEND, or conducting work within a legal or statutory framework? Please include examples of how you used this knowledge to influence decisions or case outcomes.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 10/03/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

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.

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 at mailto:rhianwen.best@surreycc.gov.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

A basic DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) check will be required for this role.

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 1st 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! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

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 criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re 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.