City Solicitor / Monitoring Officer

Up to 107,888

Over 3,300 new homes built.

A 47% reduction in rough sleepers.

809 new jobs created as a result of regeneration projects.

We’ve made great progress here in Salford over the last few years.

But in truth, we’ve only just got started. So as we emerge from lockdown, we’re looking to transform this city like never before. To create a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city. One built on a vibrant, green economy. One that embodies our unique heritage, but also our pride and passion – the Spirit of Salford.

As our City Solicitor, you’ll play a key role in making this happen.

You’ll do that by ensuring our decision-making is legal and fair, and made within proper governance arrangements. It’s a high-profile appointment. Acting as our chief legal adviser, you’ll be a key member of the corporate management team, advising the City Mayor, his Cabinet and political groups, together with the Chief Executive ensuring all decisions are lawful and fair.  You’ll provide expert advice on everything from major service transformation to regeneration projects and the latest developments in law and regulation but you’ll also be solutions focussed to reach desired outcomes and deliver key priorities.

There’s another dimension to this role, too. As our statutory Monitoring Officer, you’ll be responsible for ensuring lawfulness and fairness of decision-making, the operation of the Council’s constitution and ensure the Council, its officers and its elected members maintain the highest standards of conduct in everything they do.

So what are we looking for?

Put simply, a lawyer with the communication, leadership and political acumen to operate as an effective and credible Monitoring Officer. Right now, you could be a practising solicitor or barrister. What’s not in doubt is that you have a detailed understanding and command of law as it relates to local authorities. As well as technical expertise, you’ll be solutions focussed, know how to communicate complex issues of law and democratic procedure to senior colleagues with real clarity and confidence. You’ll also ideally have a proven track record of acting as Local Authority Monitoring Officer or Deputy Monitoring Officer.

Join us and make Salford the place to live, work, invest, learn and play. To find out more about this opportunity, please visit https://www.salford.gov.uk/seniorrecruitment or contact our retained consultants at Penna Julie Towers on 07764 791736 or Az Ahmed on 07717 810 481.

To apply please click the apply button below.

Closing Date: 12pm Friday 9th July 2021

Strategic Director – Place

Up to £126, 238

Over 3,300 new homes built.

A 47% reduction in rough sleepers.

809 new jobs created as a result of regeneration projects.

We’ve made great progress here in Salford over the last few years.

But in truth, we’ve only just got started. So as we emerge from lockdown, we’re looking to transform this city like never before. To create a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city. One built on a vibrant, green economy. One that embodies our unique heritage, but also our pride and passion – the Spirit of Salford.

As Strategic Director for Place, you’ll be at the very forefront of this.

As a key member of the corporate management team you’ll provide strategic leadership and service expertise to our City Mayor and his Cabinet in the development and delivery of our Great 8 priorities.  You will play a pivotal role in delivering the ambitions of the Inclusive Economy Strategy to deliver real change – driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.  You will take the lead on the development of city place shaping strategies to drive inclusive growth and regeneration delivering high quality employment opportunities for local people.  Alongside this you will lead the development of the City’s culture, heritage, arts, and leisure activities maximising the opportunities that the culture and visitor economy can bring to the city.

It’s a high-profile role that will see you not only heading up our Place Directorate and taking responsibility for a wide range of services and functions locally but also fostering key strategic relationships across the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), regionally, and nationally.  

It’s a wide-ranging brief. But if you’re excited rather than daunted by it, the job satisfaction will be like no other. You’ll have a direct hand in the continued regeneration of a city that is already the fastest growing in Greater Manchester.  We are rapidly becoming the UK’s hot spot for new business in distinct sectors, with a digital and creative hub and we already have one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in Greater Manchester. Salford is the home of MediaCityUK and the BBC and the site of the fifth national RHS Garden, Bridgewater.

To be part of it, you’ll need to be passionate about connecting people with opportunities and delivering inclusive and sustainable economic growth.  You’ll have ideally successfully led a similar portfolio of services within an organisation of comparable scope and complexity. Dynamic and driven, you’ll know how to deliver results but also how to engage and communicate with clarity and build strong relationships with our community, and our stakeholders across both public and private spheres. Now, you’ll be ready and eager to bring your talents and spirit to a role where you can have real impact across the whole council agenda.

Join us and make Salford the place to live, work, invest, learn and play. To find out more about this opportunity, please visit https://www.salford.gov.uk/seniorrecruitment or contact our retained consultants at Penna Julie Towers on 07764 791736 or Az Ahmed on 07717 810 481.

To apply please click the apply button below.

Closing Date: 12pm Friday 9th July 2021

CIPFA-Penna are currently working with a local authority based in Greater London who are looking for an Interim Principal Accountant / Finance Manager to work within Schools Finance. The role is primarily focussing on budget setting and allocation around DSG with a sideline focus on expanding their Traded Schools Service offering.

The right candidate must have Local Authority finance experience in any other demand-led service. Someone who is an articulate communicator with excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.

You will also be managing a team of 3 so will need to have previous experience of management.

For further information, please contact jonathon.sheppard@penna.com

Finance & Customer Services

Salary: £90,205 per annum

Job Details: Full Time, Permanent

This is an exciting time to join Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and an opportunity to make a real difference. We are looking to appoint an outstanding Assistant Director who will bring a track record of implementing the highest standards of corporate governance across a Council. We have examples of excellence within our approach to corporate governance and we want to continue to challenge ourselves to achieve excellence consistently.  

Corporate governance is a critical element in achieving our future ambitions and underpins how we deliver effectively as a Council. You will act as the Council’s Monitoring Officer, reporting directly to the Chief Executive on these matters, to ensure that the Council, its Officers, and its Elected Councillors maintain the highest standards of conduct in all they do. You will also be a member of the Council’s Strategic Leadership Team and will work alongside colleagues across the Council to demonstrate transparent decision making and embedding the principles of good governance through to the front line.   

You will lead the Council’s legal function, contributing to the strategic direction, impact and overall performance of the Finance & Customer Services Directorate as a member of the Directorate Leadership Team. You will also be responsible for the Council’s Registration services, including bereavement and coronial service contract management, and the Council’s Electoral services function.

We are seeking a leader who can meet the challenge through sustainable, innovative and creative ways of working, and who has a passion for providing excellent services to the people, businesses and communities of Rotherham. Effective partnership working both internally and externally is critical to the role. You will need to be able to build and maintain relationships that can provide support and challenge. You will also bring negotiating and influencing skills, working with a diverse range of stakeholders to explain proposals and gain consensus for change.

As a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive Advocate (or equivalent), it is important that you have significant management experience of practising law within a local authority environment in one or more of the following areas – governance, litigation, licensing, property, commercial, planning, adult care or childcare. You will also have proven experience of leading and managing change to achieve improved outcomes, establishing effective performance measures and a performance culture that achieves corporate and service objectives.

You will also hold a positive personal and organisational profile, formulating, leading and implementing successful strategies and programmes that cross service or professional boundaries and provide integrated service outcomes, including providing strategic advice within a statutory framework and experience of applying risk management in setting strategy and in identifying and managing principal risks to achievement of objectives whilst having a thorough understanding of the legislation, issues and agendas facing local government.

So, if you want to work in an innovative, honest and straight-forward culture, managing change to improve outcomes for the people of Rotherham, we would love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Sharon Kemp, Chief Executive at Sharon.Kemp@rotherham.gov.uk and Judith Badger, Strategic Director, at Judith.Badger@rotherham.gov.uk

For further details please contact colleagues at Penna, Rob Naylor on 07922 417 550 or Julie Towers on 07764 791736 or visit https://execroles.penna.com/ where you can submit your application.

CIPFA-Penna are working in collaboration with a leading North-West based local authority organisation in the appointment of a Head of Service Finance for an interim period of approx. 12 months.

Reporting to the Council’s s151 Officer, the successful candidate will take ownership of shaping the delivery of first-rate business partnering to a multitude of services across the council. Liaising with Directors and senior managers of different directorates, the emphasis will be on guiding the strategic direction of these services as well as managing a team to ensure effective business-partnering (aimed at facilitating better decision-making and improved budgetary performance) is practiced at every turn.

Suitable candidates should be qualified accountants, demonstrate good experience of performing a similar type of leadership role of a service-facing nature within another large local authority environment, and be familiar with the typical financial and operational challenges that arise from key services such services as Social Care.

For more information or to express your interest in this assignment please contact Jonathon Sheppard, Senior Consultant at CIPFA-Penna (jonathon.sheppard@penna.com).

I'm working with a council who are looking for an Interim Executive Director of Resident's Services, August start date, 9-12 months. Please send your CV to: Zeynep.esen@penna.com if you would like to have an initial discussion on the role.

Grow your own network by developing ours

Director - District Councils' Network

up to - £82,052

The District Councils' Network (DCN) is a cross-party, member led network of 180 district councils. We are a Special Interest Group of the Local Government Association (LGA).

As the new Director, you will have a leading national role promoting the work of the councils, that cover over two thirds of England, to the heart of Government, Parliament, and the sector.  You will enable and co-ordinate a range of partners with the aim of building better lives and stronger economies across our cathedral cities, market and new towns, and our rural and coastal communities.

In a challenging time of post -Brexit and post- pandemic, the need for stronger local economies and communities has never been more important - the local decisions that are delivered locally will allow a national recovery one economy at a time, ensuring non-metropolitan England reaches its full potential. You will be responsible for creating and promoting workable policy solutions using your influencing, research and communication skills to local and central government respectively.

It's an exciting role providing the operational leadership of the District Councils Network and working in partnership with the DCN Chairman and Chair of the DCN Chief Executives you will have and build effective and productive relationships with senior civil servants across a wide range of government departments on high profile policy issues, from finance to planning, and homelessness to waste.

If you are interested in a high profile, exciting opportunity to build a career at the influential end of Local and Central government, we'd like to hear from you.

For further information, please click the apply button to download the Candidate Briefing Pack.

For a confidential discussion, please contact our partners at Penna – Jordan Mumford on 07729 600 685 jordan.mumford@penna.com or David Slatter on 07500 828610 david.slatter@penna.com

Closing date for applications: 9:00am Friday 25th June 2021

Director of Public Health – Berkshire West

Full time, permanent

Up to £125k

It’s an exciting time for our Public Health teams across Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire.  Over the last year we’ve taken great strides to redesign our arrangements for public health.  Where it makes sense to do so, we have brought services and functions together within our Berkshire West Integrated Care Partnership footprint.  Now we are ready for a new Director of Public Health to make the finishing touches to our new model and put it into action.

We are serious about improving health and reducing health inequalities across our population.  We recognise that this needs a team effort, not just across Councils but with all our partners including a unique opportunity to build a joint public health service with the Royal Berkshire Hospital as an opportunity to further drive improvements in inequalities in health. This new post of Director of Public health for Berkshire West will lead this team effort, building on our already strong partnerships to accelerate progress across our system of public services.

We’re looking for someone who can galvanise our new system across three local authorities as part of an Integrated Care Partnership. We will need you to combine technical expertise with inspirational leadership, to make things happen, without losing sight of the goal of improved health and a reduction in health inequalities.

You should be an experienced public health professional with a strong track record of influence across systems and of managing teams to deliver.  You will be a real collaborator, able to spot opportunities and inspire commitment and action across organisations.  You will be adept in delivering in democratically led organisations and as comfortable in a senior leadership environment as in a public meeting. You will be skilled in leading indirectly, shaping ideas and thinking, but able to prioritise and make swift decisions when required.

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career across a strong and maturing system. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

For further information and to apply, please visit: https://execroles.penna.com

For an informal discussion about this exciting role, please contact our consultant at Penna: Nick Raper on 07715 690463.

Closing date: Friday 9th July

AAC/Final Panel: W/C 19th July 2021

Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

To download the candidate pack, click apply now.

Assistant Director of Public Health

Salary: Up to £91,000

Here at Bracknell Forest we are committed to putting our customers at the heart of everything that we do. We are transformational and progressive in our approach and now have a great opportunity to join our leadership team and help us to deliver our ambitions.

We are a small but ambitious public health focussed organisation, and as our new Assistant Director of Public Health you will lead the delivery of the Bracknell Forest Council Public Health functions and duties, continuing to embed public health practice throughout the organisation and working closely with partners and residents to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population and reduce inequalities. As a key member of the senior leadership teams in the Council, you will help to drive forward this vision.

As part of the innovative East Berkshire Public Health arrangement this exciting post also represents a unique opportunity to work with colleagues from across East Berkshire, whilst providing local public health leadership in Bracknell Forest. This is a role where you will be able to progress your leadership career in a progressive organisation within a vibrant and successful community.

This exciting role offers an ambitious Public Health professional the opportunity to make a real difference and we are looking for a visionary and motivational leader, with a proven track record of success as a Public Health Consultant and extensive experience of partnership working.

If you have the ambition and expertise to develop your career in an ambitious and exciting environment, then we would love to hear from you. You must be a registered GMC, GDC or UK PHR public health specialist with significant experience in all areas of public health practice.

For more information and to apply please visit http://execroles.penna.com or call our advising consultants at Penna: Nick Raper on 07715 690463 or Andy Barton 07922 386 432.

Closing date: Friday 2nd July 2021

AAC/Final Panel: w/c 26th July 2021

To download the candidate pack, click apply now.

Assistant Director HR & OD

up to £86k

Bracknell

This is an exciting opportunity to join a committed and customer focused Council on a transformational journey. The past 14 months have accelerated a rethink of how we work and how we enable and support our staff and communities moving forward. This role will be crucial in leading organisational development and culture change across the Council; motivating managers and staff to pursue efficient and effective approaches to managing resources, developing tools that promote efficiency and consistency. You will lead the work to embed our OD strategy, deliver transformational change across HR and work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure we deliver our corporate ambitions and place the customer at the heart of what we do.

Whether you are currently in the public or private sector, you will be an inspiring and driven HR and OD professional with the ability to lead change and deliver cultural improvement.

You will also bring an exemplar track record in HR modernisation and excellent relationship skills.

For further information and to download a candidate pack please visit http://execroles.penna.com or call our advising consultants at Penna:Rob Naylor on 07922 417550 or Ben Cox on 07809 374692.

Closing date: Friday 2 July 2021

To download the candidate pack, click apply now.

CIPFA-Penna are working with a client who are looking for an Interim Project Accountant for an initial 3-6 months to assist and support the Head of Finance, working effectively within and across different teams in finance and in Adult Social Care to deliver service excellence on a number of different key projects.

Experience of implementing financial systems, significant experience of running a credit control function within Adult Social Care and Local Government experience essential.

CCAB qualified.

For further information please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

Chief Executive

Up to £109,050

Blaby District is a great place to Live, Work and Visit. We have ambitious growth aspirations; which build upon our award winning approach to place shaping, whilst retaining a clear focus on delivering what is important to our residents. We have a new Blaby District Plan which sets out our priorities for the next 3 years. We are truly proud of the culture here at Blaby District Council and, have a reputation as being a great place to work with a highly committed and engaged workforce. We are an excellent partner across the public and private sectors and, truly believe in delivering what matters to residents and stakeholders. We are a very people focussed organisation, adopting a ‘one team approach’ guided by a strong leadership team. Excellent collaborative and communication skills have been key to delivery, but even more important now is our determination to work with our residents to support recovery from the pandemic and re-build resilience and prosperity within our District.

As our new Chief Executive, you will inherit a strong legacy and will bring the customer focus, energy, commerciality and the ambition necessary to take us on the next stage of our exciting journey.  You will exemplify our culture and values, possess excellent stakeholder management and strategic partnering capabilities and be politically astute. Your leadership and strong track record of delivery will speak for itself. If you are seeking the opportunity to work with a forward thinking and ambitious local authority where employees and Elected Members deliver our vision together and which places great emphasis on doing what’s right for its communities we want to hear from you.

For more information about this exciting opportunity please visit: https://execroles.penna.com/?type=1

For a confidential discussion, please contact Rob Naylor 07922 417550 or Ben Cox 07809 374692.  

Closing date: Friday 25th June 2021

CIPFA-Penna are delighted to be working with a client that is seeking an Interim Financial Modeller for a period of 6 months to expand on their current MTFS & MTFP.

You will have a good understanding of Strategic Financial Modelling with experience and knowledge of having worked with local authorities.

CCAB qualified.

For more information, please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

CIPFA-Penna are delighted to be working with a client that is seeking an Interim Finance Technical Lead for a period of 6 months to lead with the Chief Accountant on the end of year accounts.

Experience and knowledge of local authority closedown and UK Gaap is essential.

CCAB qualified.

For more information, please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

Interim Principle Accountancy Assistant needed for a period of 6 months to join a council's Corporate Services Finance Team.

You must be able to switch between providing business partnering support to two key Directors.

You must also be a part qualified accountant (AAT as a minimum), have advanced excel skills, coupled with recent local authority experience. 

For further information, please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

CIPFA-Penna are currently working with a client who are looking for a Principal Commercial Accountant who can support the development of their financial processes and provide financial advice.

You will be responsible for setting new procedures and processes and ensure they are aligned to the councils outcomes.

You will have a strong background in corporate financial management, with great communications skills to allow you to collaborate with stakeholders and significant experience of budgeting and financial accounting, as well as providing financial advice to non-finance managers.

Previous experience/knowledge of Housing and Development trading companies essential.

CCAB qualified and able to manage work under pressure.

For further information, please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

Our Client requires an interim Corporate Finance Business Partner for a 6 month assignment to add capacity to the team. You will be CCAB qualified. You will be well versed in all aspects of technical accounting, provide short and long term strategic cash flow forecasts, advising on costs timing and risk; lead on the day-to-day provision of treasury management and banking services; supporting other corporate projects as required.

For further information, please contact philippa.watkins@penna.com or catherine.bush@penna.com

Darlington Borough Council

Assistant Director – Highways and Capital Projects

£77,862 to £93,434 per annum

In the North East of England and part of the wider Tees Valley region, Darlington is a market town that marries a rich industrial heritage with a modern, vibrant and growing economy. Benefitting from superb transport connectivity, Darlington is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work, a proud and innovative town.

Our vision as a Council is to make Darlington a place where people want to live and businesses want to locate, where the economy continues to grow, where people are happy and proud of the borough and where everybody has the opportunity to maximise their potential. Like all Local Authorities, we are not without challenges, but we have developed innovative solutions, created new partnerships and delivered sustainable services. Recently we have announced several exciting new developments including the redevelopment of Darlington Station and the Department of International Trade and the Treasury relocating to Darlington.

We have an excellent team, a progressive growth agenda, with a very exciting forward programme. Following the promotion of the existing post holder, we have a fantastic opportunity to appoint a highly motivated, innovative and forward-thinking leader with significant operational experience and a good strategic vision to join our team and drive our exciting agenda forward.

Also, as an Assistant Director you will be a member of the Council’s Chief Officers’ Board (COB) which is a strategic group that enables integrated working between service areas and cross service contribution to corporate issues.

You will lead a diverse range of services and will be responsible for the delivery of an ambitious and varied Capital Programme of building projects that includes town centre improvements and new commercial buildings to enhance the Council’s portfolio of properties.

You will lead on the effective operation of the highway, infrastructure and transport functions, which are critical to our aspirations for economic growth, and will work closely with the Tees Valley Combined Authority on the delivery of Strategic Transport Plan priorities. We are looking for a skilled professional who can take our ambitious agenda forward and can deliver strategic project governance alongside strong strategic partnership working.

For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact our consultants at Penna, Nick Raper on 07715690463 or Rob Naylor on 07922 417 550.

For more information and to apply please visit http://senior-recruitment.darlington.gov.uk

Closing date for applications: Midnight Sunday 27th June 2021

Long list interviews: 5th /6th July 2021

Final interviews: 12th or 15th July 2021

Energy Systems Catapult – Non Executive Directors

Birmingham

Remunerated ( 15 days per annum)

Established in 2015 the Energy Systems Catapult is at the heart of accelerating the transformation of the UK’s energy system to ensure UK businesses and consumers capture the opportunities of clean growth. As an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence we bridge the gap between industry, government, academia and research. We take a whole-systems view of the energy sector, helping us to identify and address innovation priorities and market barriers, to enable the UK to decarbonise the energy system at the lowest cost and meet the ambitious target the UK has set to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050.

We have an exceptional opportunity for two talented individuals to join our Board and bring their considerable skills, experience and knowledge to support us in meeting these ambitious targets. A successful leader in your own right, you will bring:

• Experience of high level business sector activity and expertise with a general knowledge of the Catapults business sectors
• The ability to provide strategic vision and a clear understanding of commercialising vision into tangible outcomes
• The credibility to be an advocate and champion of the Energy Systems Catapult on the national and international stage
• An understanding of the SME market, consumers and market transformation or
• Proven experienced as a qualified Chair of Audit and Risk with the ability to advise on broader commercial, investment and funding opportunities

For a confidential discussion about the roles contact roger.russell@penna.com 07710 701 570 or claudia.sousa@penna.com or 07763 580368.

To apply for this role please click the apply button below.

Closing date: 9am Friday 25th June 2021