Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to take on the role of jointly leading the EYS (Early Years) team. You will be working closely with the 8a EYS clinical lead and fellow Band 7 EYS leads carrying out a similar role. As one of the Early Years Leads, you will provide a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to children 0-5 living in Newham. The role will involve working within clinics, EYS education settings, Family Hubs and other community settings across the borough.

The postholder will:

• Contribute to the development and improvement of care pathways, intervention packages and training for parents and our partner agencies
• Jointly manage shared team caseloads and contribute to the planning and fair allocation of work across the EYS team
• Provide a service which takes account of the needs of children and families from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• Deputise for the EYS Clinical Lead & other Band 7 EYS leads when appropriate.

Main duties of the job
To provide specialist assessment and therapy for children under 5 with speech, language and communication needs. This will include multi-agency working and working closely with families and early years settings to build confidence and skills to enable children's needs to be identified and supported early at the right time and in the right place.

The role will involve leading on improvement projects and contributing to the development of the service we offer to children and families in Newham.

There may be opportunity to work one day a week within the autism diagnostic service (dependent on interest and experience).

About us
Based at the child development centre, in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham, close to the Olympic Park in the heart of London's East End (with excellent transport links with the rest of London and Essex). The children's speech and language therapy service has a strong multi-agency work ethic with other services both within the trust and with partner agencies, and offers services across a wide range of care groups in the borough.

We can offer you:

• A warm, welcoming and supportive team of SaLTs and colleagues who bring experiences from all over the world.
• 1:1 monthly supervision, appraisal and CPD
• Team learning programme
• Protected service development time and regular team away days
• Opportunity to supervise and develop junior staff
• Monthly team meetings and band 7 leadership meetings
• On-going clinical skills development, MDT working
• Opportunity to lead on audit and service quality improvement projects.

Details
Date posted: 16 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £55,524 to £62,652 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 363-SS8358179
Closing date: 01 November 2026

Job responsibilities
Working within the Early Years Service you will hold a caseload of children under 5 who present with a variety of speech language and communication needs. This includes children with social communication differences, developmental language disorder, stammering and speech disorders.

The post-holder will manage their own caseload and will support more junior staff through supervision, competency development and annual appraisal. Part of the role will involve training education staff and other partner agencies within Newham. The role will involve managing shared team caseloads and jointly planning and allocating work equitably across the team. There will be opportunity to lead service improvement work along with audit and pathway development. The post holder will on occasion deputise for the Early Years 8a Clinical Lead.

The successful applicant will have relevant experience of working with children and families, especially where a diagnosis of autism has been given, in providing support within early years settings including writing EHC needs assessment reports and participating in annual reviews. Previous experience of autism diagnostic work is desirable but not essential.

Person Specification
Education/ Qualification (Essential)

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree/Post graduate degree Qualification or equivalent
• Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Evidence of successful completion of relevant specialist short courses

Experience (Essential)

• Relevant clinical experience
• Relevant specialist experience post qualification
• In-depth experience within specialist area

Knowledge and Skills (Essential)

• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
• Well developed concentration
• Skills in planning, assessing and implementing intervention for client group
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs of clients from a range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal including ability to write clear and concise reports
• Excellent organisational skills

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Contact
Speech and Language Therapy Service Manager, Jo Lester, jo.lester3@nhs.net, 02085866380

Apply through our website