Introduction
This role presents a unique opportunity to support the Council in delivering high quality services to the residents of Warwick District.
Welcome from Chris Elliott
Thank you for your interest in this important role working for Warwick District Council.
We are clear about our vision to ensure that Warwick District is a great place to live, work and visit, and be carbon neutral by 2030. As an experienced professional, you will be fundamental to shaping the future strategic direction of the Council.
You will join our Senior Leadership Team, tasked with developing strategies, delivering change to reshape our services, as well as identifying and planning resources, and reviewing the cost effectiveness and value of the Council’s services for our diverse communities.
If you are excited by this opportunity, then please read on and find out more about the role, and why we think Warwick District Council is a great place to work.
Chris Elliott – Chief Executive
Warwick District Council
About Warwick District
Our vision is to make Warwick District a great place to live, work and visit, and be carbon neutral by 2030. The Council’s Fit for the Future Strategy is designed to support and deliver our vision for the District and is split into three strands, people, service and money, and with the key aims of:
- Providing high quality, effective and efficient services that customers value
- Empowering and motivating our staff to influence and improve the services we provide
- Delivering a balanced budget for the Council and meeting future budget challenges
- Working effectively with our partners to the benefit of our customers and communities
- Using our resources flexibly and to the maximum effect
The Council has 44 elected Councillors made up from five political groups. There is no overall control of the Council. Our net revenue fund expenditure is just under £20.7m, funded mainly by Council Tax (£10m) and Business Rates (£7.6m). Our approach emphasises the importance of growth in the local economy and of ensuring our communities benefit from that growth.
We are confident that we can put in place a Change Management Programme that will address the future service and financial needs of the Council over the next five years and beyond. Across all services we employ around 500 staff and our organisation structure sets out our leadership portfolios.
This is an ambitious Council that is eager to work with and deliver improvements for our local communities to fulfil our vision. These improvements include:
- Building new council homes
- Improving the fire safety and energy conservation throughout our housing stock
- Funding new/extended leisure centres
- Creating new public parks
- Enhancing bio-diversity throughout our green spaces
- Regenerating our town centres through use of our land and the Future High Street Fund
- Supporting community development and renewal through new community centres and similar facilities
- Addressing health and well-being issues by creating new accessible hubs
- Promoting our local economy to attract inward investment
- Supporting new local infrastructure such as forward funding a new secondary school
- Introducing a new waste management service to further improve recycling rates
- Implementing a Climate Change Action Programme working towards our aim to become a carbon neutral organisation by 2025 and for the District to be as close to carbon neutral as possible by 2030.
To find out more about Warwick District Council click here.
About The Role
Up to £99,367 (pay award pending)
We are looking for a new Deputy Chief Executive who loves Warwick District just as much as we do. With our easily accessible central location, and Royal Leamington Spa rated the best place to live in the Midlands, it’s not hard to see why businesses, residents and visitors are drawn to our vibrant and unique area.
We are clear about our vision to ensure that Warwick District is a great place to live, work and visit and be carbon neutral by 2030 and we are looking for a new forward thinking Deputy Chief Executive who will bring innovation, challenge and change across the Council to help us achieve this.
With direct leadership of Housing, Neighbourhood and Assets, and Customer and Digital Services portfolios, you will also take the lead in creating and delivering our Change Management Programme; reviewing and reshaping our services to meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve.
Financially, we are in a good position, but we want to explore further income generation opportunities and improve our organisational effectiveness, whilst ensuring we maintain a strong social purpose to improve the lives of those living in our communities.
As an experienced professional, our new Deputy Chief Executive will be fundamental to shaping the future strategic direction of the Council. You will have an innovative approach and a proven track record in improving services and addressing resource issues including generating new income. You will have previous experience working in, or closely with local government and also in building positive, authentic relationships with Councillors, stakeholders and partners.
Our people are at the heart of our organisation. In the past few years, we have embraced all the benefits of new ways of working in order to boost productivity, service delivery and staff-wellbeing, which is why we offer a comprehensive employee benefits scheme, which includes 33 days annual leave, agile working and we have recently introduced our Working for Warwick Pay Award.
This ‘Working for Warwick award’ is to recognise employees hard work and to demonstrate our commitment to rewarding and retaining the high calibre of dedicated staff we have working at WDC.
What is involved?
- This award is for all staff on WDC terms and conditions
- It means that salaries will go up by one increment this year on 1.4.23 and again next year on 1.4.24.
- This award will be in addition to any annually negotiated pay awards.
We are an ambitious Council with unique attributes, and as part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will be working with colleagues and Councillors, to help us realise our vision and ensure our District fulfils its full potential.
Excited? So are we! If you are innovative, forward thinking and want to work for an ambitious Council where you can thrive, then we want to hear from you.
How to Apply
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact West Midlands Employers, Executive Search Associate Anna Jay on 07904236348 or a.jay@wmemployers.org.uk
Closing Date: – 14th May 2023
Candidates will be required to attend an assessment centre and final member panel interview on the dates below:
Assessment Centre: – 5th and 6th June 2023
Final Panel Interview: – 14th June 2023
