Education Officer: Youth Partnership Service / Inclusion and Alternative Provision Team

About the job
Salary: £47,170 - £51,425 a year plus 3 SPAs
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Fixed term for 1 year

We're looking for someone who is passionate about supporting young people at risk-someone who understands the complexities of exclusion, exploitation, anti-social behaviour, and the youth justice system, and wants to make a genuine difference. This role focuses on early intervention and inclusive practice, working closely with schools, families, and partner agencies to help pupils at risk of disengagement or offending get back on track.

Every day brings new challenges. One moment you'll be designing a bespoke support plan for a young person on the brink of permanent exclusion, and the next you'll be leading a training session to build staff confidence in working with vulnerable pupils. You'll work as part of a multi-agency network, driving forward collaborative solutions that safeguard children and improve their life chances. It's a role that's as strategic as it is hands-on, and the impact is real.

Your insight will also shape local policy and service development. Whether it's contributing to borough-wide inclusion strategies or analysing performance data to identify gaps, you'll play a crucial role in creating a system that works better for everyone-especially those most often left behind.

Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
About you
You've worked with young people who are hard to engage-those at risk of gang affiliation, substance misuse, or who are already showing signs of entering the youth justice system. You know how to build trust with families, how to work in challenging circumstances, and how to remain calm and decisive when safeguarding is at stake.

You bring experience from the classroom, from pastoral teams, or from specialist education support services, and you've developed a solid understanding of SEND and the SEN Code of Practice. You've delivered training, worked across systems, and understand how to navigate the often complex network of services that surround a young person in need.

You're analytical, articulate and strategic. You know how to turn a complicated situation into a clear plan, and you communicate with empathy, authority and clarity. You're committed to equity, you understand disproportionality in education and justice outcomes, and you want to play a key role in closing those gaps.

Most of all, you're someone who sees potential where others see problems-and you're ready to do the work to unlock it.

This is a public facing role so you'll need to show off your fluency in speaking and writing English
About us
Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision - that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty - is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council - and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce thatreflects the diversity of our borough
Application Process
Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person's criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.

Benefits
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

- From 25 to 32 days' annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel