Assistant Director of People Planning & Change

Coventry City Council; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive remuneration package

Generous annual leave entitlement

LGPS membership

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Coventry City Council is seeking an exceptional and influential senior professional to join us as Head of People Planning & Change, a pivotal Chief Officer role responsible for shaping the future of our workforce and supporting the delivery of the One Coventry vision.

Drawing together workforce planning, organisational change, employee relations and wellbeing, this role will ensure our people strategy translates into meaningful outcomes for employees, services and residents.

Job description

Assistant Director of People Planning & Change

Contract Type: Full Time Permanent

Working Hours: 37

Job Category: Human Resources / OD / Training

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

It’s an exciting time to join People Services at Coventry City Council. Our new People Strategy sets out how we’ll support 5,300 colleagues to deliver great services for the people of Coventry, with a clear focus on wellbeing, inclusion, leadership and development. We’re strengthening how we work with managers and teams so they have the support they need to get things right first time.

To help us deliver this ambition, we’re recruiting to a range of roles across People Services. Whether you’re starting your career or bringing established skills and experience, you’ll have the opportunity to make a difference, develop your skills and build your career with us.

We offer flexible working, development opportunities and an inclusive environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute and thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and want our team to reflect the city we serve.

Explore our roles and find out how you can help bring our People Strategy to life.

What is the job role?

We are seeking an exceptional and influential senior professional to join Coventry City Council as our Head of People Planning & Change, a pivotal Chief Officer role responsible for shaping the future of our workforce and supporting the delivery of the One Coventry vision. Drawing together workforce planning, organisational change, employee relations and wellbeing, this role will ensure our people strategy translates into meaningful outcomes for employees, services and residents.

Operating at a strategic level across the organisation, you will provide direction and oversight for complex workforce transformation programmes, helping services adapt to changing demands whilst ensuring the Council has the capability, capacity and culture required for future success. Working closely with senior leaders, elected members, trade unions and external partners, you will influence critical decisions and help create a modern, responsive and high-performing organisation.

You will oversee significant organisational change and workforce redesign activity, ensuring programmes are delivered effectively, ethically and in line with employment legislation, organisational values and corporate priorities. Through the use of workforce insight, data and evidence, you will identify emerging challenges, shape solutions and drive continuous improvement across the Council.

All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced senior professional with a strong track record of delivering large-scale organisational change, workforce transformation and service improvement within a complex environment. You will bring substantial expertise in workforce planning, organisational development, employee relations and change management, alongside the credibility to influence senior stakeholders and navigate challenging and politically sensitive issues with confidence.

You will be recognised for your ability to build trusted relationships, develop high-performing teams and create the conditions for others to succeed. With a strong commitment to inclusion, innovation and continuous improvement, you will help ensure Coventry City Council remains an employer of choice and is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges of the future.

What We Offer

This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact across Coventry City Council. Working at the heart of the organisation, you will help shape workforce strategy, support major organisational change and play a key role in delivering the Council's ambitions for the city and its communities.

In return, we offer:

• The opportunity to influence the future direction of a large and complex organisation.
• A role with significant visibility and impact across services, communities and partnerships.
• The chance to work alongside senior leaders, elected members and regional partners to deliver meaningful change.
• A competitive remuneration package, generous annual leave entitlement, Local Government Pension Scheme membership and flexible working arrangements.
• Ongoing opportunities for professional growth, development and networking at a regional and national level.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements. As a senior leadership role, there is an expectation that the successful candidate will maintain a regular on-site presence, with a minimum of two office-based days per week.

Discover more about People Services
We’re recruiting across People Services. Visit our careers microsite to meet our teams, discover the impact we make and explore our other current opportunities People Services

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. We recognise that you might use AI tools to help with your application. While these tools can be useful, please make sure that all information you provide about your experience, skills, and qualifications is accurate. What matters most to us is hearing about your experience and the achievements that truly reflect you!

Interview Date(s): 17th December 2026

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.
At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry

Job Category
Human Resources / OD / Training