Business Operations & Corporate Support Lead

Hurst Green; Dudley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Dudley Council is seeking a senior leader to shape and lead the new Corporate Business Operations & Support function, providing infrastructure and coordination that enable the Council to operate effectively.

You will oversee executive support, governance, information management and corporate events, with a broad portfolio spanning regulatory compliance and forward planning.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience in a large public sector or similarly complex organisation.
• Proven track record leading large corporate support functions and delivering services at scale.
• Experience designing and implementing modern operating models and standardising services.
• Strong knowledge of corporate governance, processes and statutory requirements.
• Experience driving transformation, process improvement and use of digital tech and automation.
• Credible influencing skills with senior officers and elected members.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness with experience managing large budgets.
• Commitment to high-performing teams and customer-focused culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Council’s Corporate Business Operations & Support function, managing a resources of around £5m.
• Develop and embed a modern operating model with clear standards and flexible resources.
• Strengthen governance and ensure meetings, forward plans, actions are visible and managed.
• Oversee executive support, member enquiries, mayoral and civic activity, and corporate requirements.
• Coordinate Freedom of Information requests ensuring compliance and high standards.
• Drive process and systems improvement to boost efficiency and customer experience.
• Champion digital technology, automation and data to improve productivity and information quality.
• Build a resilient, professional function with capacity to adapt to priorities.
• Provide advisory challenge on corporate operations and processes.
• Embed performance, risk, governance and assurance across the function.

Skills

Leadership experience

Corporate services leadership

Operating models

Governance

Digital technology & automation

Stakeholder influence

Budget management

Team development

Job description

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Business Operations & Corporate Support Lead

Job Reference DUDLEY/TP/203/5353

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Full time permanent

Working Hours:

37

Closing Date:

05/11/2026

Job Type:

Management

Sector:

Local Councils

Business Unit:

Core Business

Job Introduction

Business Operations & Corporate SupportLead

Dudley Council is seeking an outstanding senior leader to shape and lead our new Corporate Business Operations & Support function at an important point in the Council’s improvement and transformation journey.

This is a significant corporate leadership role with visibility across the organisation, working closely with senior officers, elected members and services . You will lead a large and diverse function responsible for providing the organisational infrastructure, coordination and support that enables the Council to operate effectively .

You will have responsibility for a broad portfolio spanning executive and business support , corporate governance and forward planning, member and mayoral support , Freedom of Information coordination, organisational processes, records and information management, corporate events and wider organisational coordination .

The Opportunity

• Lead the Council’s Corporate Business Operations & Support function, providing visible leadership to a large corporate service managing resources of around £5m.
• Develop and embed a modern corporate business support operating model, creating clear standards, consistent ways of working and a flexible approach to deploying resources where they are needed most.
• Strengthen corporate coordination and governance – ensuring key meetings, decisions, forward plans, actions and organisational activity are effectively managed and visible.
• Lead high-quality support arrangements for senior leaders and elected members, including executive support, member enquiries, mayoral and civic activity and wider corporate requirements.
• Oversee the Council’s arrangements for Freedom of Information requests, ensuring effective coordination, statutory compliance and strong corporate standards.
• Drive process and systems improvement – simplifying activity, removing duplication and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and customer experience.
• Champion digital technology, automation, data and emerging solutions to improve productivity, collaboration and the quality of management information.
• Build a resilient, professional and customer-focused function that can flex capacity in response to changing organisational priorities.
• Provide authoritative advice and constructive challenge on corporate business operations, organisational processes and support arrangements.
• Embed strong performance, risk, governance and assurance arrangements, ensuring the function delivers demonstrable quality, value for money and organisational impact.

About You

We are seeking a high-calibre senior leader with:

• Significant leadership experience within a large, complex public sector or similarly complex organisation.
• A strong track record of leading large, diverse operational or corporate support functions and delivering high-quality services at scale.
• Experience of designing and implementing modern operating models, standardising services and improving organisational ways of working.
• Strong knowledge of corporate governance, business operations, organisational processes and regulatory or statutory requirements.
• Demonstrable experience of leading service transformation, process improvement and the effective use of digital technology and automation.
• The credibility and judgement to influence senior officers, elected members and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness, with experience of managing significant budgets, resources and organisational capacity.
• A clear commitment to developing high-performing teams, strengthening accountability and creating a professional, responsive and customer-focused culture.

You will combine strategic leadership with strong operational grip – able to see the organisation as a whole while ensuring the corporate processes, systems and support arrangements underpinning it work effectively every day .

Why Join Dudley?

This role offers a rare opportunity to shape a significant part of the Council’s corporate infrastructure and establish a modern, resilient and high-performing business operations and support function .

Your leadership will directly influence how effectively the organisation operates – strengthening corporate coordination, improving the experience of senior leaders, elected members, services and colleagues, and ensuring our resources are deployed effectively against the Council’s priorities .

You will also have the opportunity to modernise the service, making better use of technology, data and automation while developing a more flexible and consistent One Council approach to business operations and support .

If you are ready to operate at corporate scale, lead a substantial organisational function and play a key role in Dudley’s continued improvement and transformation journey , we would welcome your application.

Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata)

All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.

Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.