Purpose of Post.
 • Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the centre of everything we do.
• Ensure learning and teaching standards, and effective and efficient leadership at Gwynedd schools.
• Ensure high-quality education for every child and young person across the county by working with others to contribute towards school effectiveness, improvement and development.
• Provide appropriate support for schools to promote and sustain improvement and ensure effective challenge to meet the statutory duties of the Local Authority.
• Lead on aspects relating to standards, provision and leadership to support statutory and non-statutory aspects of education at every setting given under instruction. 
• Contribute towards the highest possible attainment standards for everyone by providing appropriate support for schools to promote and sustain improvement and ensure effective challenge to meet the statutory duties of the Local Authority.
• Work in partnership locally and regionally to provide advice and guidance to schools and the Authority on education.
• Contribute to providing positive support which is supportive and challenging for all Gwynedd schools. 
• Advise and support schools and stakeholders (including parents and governors) on leadership matters and education management.
Responsibility for Resources e.g. staff, budgets, equipment
 Responsibility for maintaining literacy standards up to GCSE level.
Computer and mobile phone.
Main Duties. 
 The Subject Support Officer is expected to have a thorough knowledge of literacy standards up to GCSE level.
The Subject Support Officer is expected to identify strengths and areas requiring attention in schools they support, identifying the need and acting accordingly on the full range of aspects that ensure that pupils make the expected progress.
The Subject Support Officer is expected to support headteachers and subject leaders in Gwynedd, working alongside them to improve the experiences and attainment of children and young people in Gwynedd. The Subject Support Officer is expected to be available and to respond promptly and offer quality guidance.
The Subject Support Officer is expected to lead and be responsible for providing support and a professional challenge to schools across the county, especially in their specialist area (literacy).
The Subject Support Officer is expected to be a key part of fostering a culture where schools support each other, with everyone's focus on ensuring that the children of Gwynedd make progress and reach their full potential.
The Subject Support Officer is expected to fulfil the post by referring directly to the Education Acts, the School Improvement Framework, Regulations, Codes of Practice and the associated legislation relating to the post.
It is a challenging post, and the Subject Support Officer is expected to have high levels of specialist knowledge, interpersonal skills, communication and leadership, as defined by the National Standards.
To be effective, the School Support Officer must:
• have relevant experience and credibility that comes from successfully leading in a school;
• relate well with others, reflecting the culture that we wish to foster in Gwynedd; 
• demonstrate the ability to influence and persuade others to act, and also show high-level promotional skills, often under challenging circumstances, and 
• exhibit the standards required to manage and support the individuals and the teams in order to achieve the overall 
⁠aims of the Education Service in Gwynedd.
Responsibilities and Duties
Have direct responsibility for literacy standards up to GCSE standard.
To act as the point of contact for the schools in their area of expertise.
Provide guidance to Headteachers' enquiries, effectively and efficiently.
Promote formal collaboration between schools to implement good and excellent practice by promoting the concept of a learning establishment.
To offer support and challenge learning and teaching in the classroom (pedagogy) by providing support and advice on methods of learning, teaching and skills, and on evaluating the quality of the learning and teaching, as well as identifying effective learning and teaching practices that can be shared within, and across Gwynedd.
Have direct responsibility for co-ordinating curriculum support by setting strategic challenge and support for learning and teaching strategies and curriculum development within specific subject areas.
To provide professional support and challenge across key areas such as: 
• The progress of each Learner (including groups of learners such as ALN, FSM etc.).
• Teaching and Learning
• Curriculum Planning and Support
Offer guidance relating to literacy on the progress of children with Additional Learning Needs, ensuring expert input where appropriate.
To be responsible for ensuring that the Local Authority fulfils its statutory duties by contributing to self-evaluation, improvement planning and quality assurance processes.
Contribute to resolving specific subject/curriculum-related issues.
Ensure quick and effective action when monitoring standards and progress in schools and to broker additional effective support for schools, as required.
The Subject Support Officer may be asked to lead an agreed aspect of school improvement across Gwynedd and if needed Anglesey.
Maintain and develop effective working relationships with national strategies and other external bodies.
Prepare and present information for external monitoring as appropriate, including grant-funded programmes.
Maintain and develop highly effective partnership work with Headteachers and Governing Bodies to ensure that development is enriched by the expertise that already exists in schools.
Contribute to planning and providing a Professional Learning Offer to ensure Schools Improvement across Gwynedd in response to local, regional and national priorities.
Work with the Assistant Head of School Support and school leaders to prepare for Estyn visits (school and Local Authority) and contribute to them, and to support any relevant follow-up activity.
Each Subject Support Officer will be responsible for literacy standards on a county level.
⁠Additional
• The nature of the work means that the post-holder will be undertaking work outside normal working hours. 
• Responsibility for self-development. 
• The post-holder may be required from time to time to attend training courses, conferences, seminars or other meetings as necessary due to his/her training needs and the Service's needs. 
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
• Responsibility for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management standards and guidelines. Ensure that personal information is handled in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• A commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s carbon footprint.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty that corresponds to the salary and responsibility level of the post.
• Responsible for reporting any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
Special Circumstances e.g. the need to work unsociable hours, special working arrangements etc.
 The need to work unsociable hours.