Assistant Director of Transformation & Change

Oldham Council; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in Greater Manchester seeks an Assistant Director of Transformation & Change. The ideal candidate will lead transformation efforts focused on improving services through user-centered design and evidence-led decision-making. Responsibilities include managing the Transformation Programme Office and working with various stakeholders to ensure coherent service delivery. Strong leadership and experience in public service transformation are essential. This role offers a chance to make a significant impact within the community.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

LGPS benefit pension scheme

Discounted gym membership

Wellbeing support

Peer support groups

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading outcome-focused transformation.
• Experience working with senior leaders on high-profile change.
• Ability to design services around people and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the council’s transformation agenda with visible leadership.
• Redesign services around resident needs.
• Manage the Transformation Programme Office effectively.

Skills

User-centered design

Data-driven decision making

Change management

Excellent communication

Leadership

Education

Degree (or equivalent experience)

Job description

As Assistant Director of Transformation & Change, you will be the council’s senior lead for designing and delivering meaningful, outcome-focused transformation. This role exists to help Oldham Council change how it works, not just what it does. You will create and lead a modern transformation function that works alongside services, not over them, to redesign systems, services and ways of working around people and place. You will act as a trusted adviser to senior officers and elected members, championing user-centered design, evidence-led decision making and practical delivery. You will ensure our transformation activity is focused on what matters most, delivers measurable improvements and supports the council’s long-term financial sustainability. You will also lead the Transformation Programme Office and provide system leadership for public service reform, place-based working and integration, working closely with health partners, Greater Manchester colleagues, the voluntary sector and others.

Responsibilities

Set direction and lead change

• Provide visible, credible leadership for the council’s transformation agenda.
• Champion user-centered design, service redesign and modern change practice across the organisation.
• Work with senior leaders and members to turn political priorities into clear, deliverable transformation activity.

Put residents and place first

• Lead work to redesign services and systems around the needs of residents, families and communities.
• Embed place-based working, prevention and early intervention.
• Champion co-production and meaningful engagement with residents, staff and partners.

Deliver real outcomes

• Lead a Transformation Programme Office that enables delivery without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Oversee a clear, prioritised portfolio of transformation activity.
• Ensure strong business cases, clear benefits and a line of sight to outcomes and financial impact.
• Track progress, manage risk and adapt where things are not delivering the impact needed.

Build capability and confidence

• Work alongside services to build ownership of change.
• Identify gaps in skills or capacity and help address them with People, Digital and Finance colleagues.
• Commission and manage external support where needed, ensuring value for money and skills transfer.

Support good governance and decision making

• Provide clear, honest advice to members and senior leaders on complex change.
• Build strong, transparent relationships with Cabinet Members and Scrutiny.
• Ensure staff and partners understand the purpose, progress and impact of transformation.

Play a wider leadership role

• Contribute to the overall leadership of the council.
• Model our values and support a culture of learning, accountability and improvement.
• Deputise for the Director and Deputy Chief Executive (Health and Care) when required.

You will be a confident, credible leader with a strong track record of delivering complex change in local government or a similarly challenging public service environment.

Application Questions

• Describe how you have used user-centered or service design approaches to redesign services, systems or ways of working.
• How did you involve residents, service users, staff or partners?
• What insight did you gain, and how did it influence the final design or decision?
• Working with politics, leadership and challenge: this role works closely with elected members and senior leaders on complex and sometimes contentious change.
• Please give an example of when you had to navigate political priorities, provide difficult advice or challenge constructively.
• How did you maintain trust, momentum and effective decision making?

If you would like an informal chat about this role, please make contact with [e-mail]. If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the About You or Supporting Statement section of your application.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of leading outcome-focused transformation that improves services and delivers measurable benefits.
• Experience of working with senior leaders on sensitive and high-profile change.
• A strong understanding of how to design services around people, place and outcomes.
• The ability to use data, insight and lived experience to inform decisions.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Resilience, adaptability and the ability to work at pace in a complex political environment.
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) and committed to ongoing professional development.
• Experience of place-based working, public service reform, health and care integration or Greater Manchester would be an advantage, but is not essential.

Why join Oldham?

This is a chance to shape real change in a borough that is serious about improvement. You will have the backing to do transformation properly, the space to work differently, and the opportunity to make a visible difference to people’s lives. If you care about outcomes, believe in user-centered change and want to work somewhere that values honesty, learning and impact, we would love to hear from you.

Our Behaviours

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10‑years service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups

Inclusive recruitment: We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace. If you are an applicant with disabilities, or have previously been or are currently in care, a carer or someone who has served in the Armed Forces and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.