Head of Place Policy and Strategy

Surrey County Council; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 82,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Woking is seeking a Head of Place Policy and Strategy. This senior role will guide the Environment and Planning team, focusing on strategic initiatives and community engagement. Candidates should have strong leadership and stakeholder management experience, with a relevant degree. The position offers a salary of £81,796 per annum and includes flexible working options along with extensive benefits.

Benefits

26 days' holiday, rising to 31 days after 5 years

Local government pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts

Qualifications

• Authoritative knowledge of relevant legislation and technical requirements.
• Experience managing large, flexible teams in a matrix-management environment.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with partners.

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver the Environment and Planning Division.
• Lead strategic partnerships for Place policy.
• Support the Director in delivering services and smooth transition in restructuring.

Skills

Strong leadership skills

Stakeholder management

Negotiation skills

Financial management

Education

Degree in an appropriate discipline or equivalent professional qualification

Job description

• Category: Estates Planning and Management
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working hours: 36 hours per week
• Posted on: 23 September 2025
• Directorate: PLACE
• Location: Victoria Gate, Chobham Road, Woking, GU21 6JD

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This permanent role has a starting salary of £81,796 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

We are hiring a new Head of Place Policy and Strategy to join our Environment and Planning team.This is an exciting, senior role within the wider Place Directorate which is expected to operate at the highest levels politically, identify strategic priorities (short, medium and long term) and update existing strategies/policies and development of new ones where the need arises.

In addition, a key part of this role will be to lead on the disaggregation and transfer of your services to either the new Surrey Unitaries or the Strategic Authority as appropriate and support others to do the same.

The role requires political astuteness, a passion for great placemaking, collaborative working across a range of disciplines and a real desire to work with communities and stakeholders to secure multiple benefits for the economy, environment and people. Recognising the complex and interconnected nature of Place in a contemporary setting the role will foster new ways of working including digital and data driven approaches alongside hybrid and agile working practices.

The team is based at Victoria Gate with flexibility for remote working and expected regular travel across Surrey for meetings.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

About the Team

The wider Environment and Planning Service is responsible for leading on the development and coordination of Place Policy and Strategy ranging from climate change, nature recovery to digital, transport connectivity and growth, as well as commissioning place-based infrastructure projects and investments and driving the future vision for Surrey as a thriving place for residents, communities and businesses.

Reporting to the Director for Environment and Planning, the postholder will be part of the E&P management team and need to be both a skilled subject matter expert and a collaborator.

About the Role

In this role you will be expected to play a key part in the overall management and delivery of the Environment and Planning Division, supporting the Director in delivering the services and ensuring the smooth transition through LGR. They will champion Place Policy and Strategy across the County Council and with partners and stakeholders to ensure that the Councils strategic objectives are delivered with the department recognised as key to delivery.

You will provide the lead role for strategic partnerships and embedding of Place policy as appropriate working with Directors and Assistant Directors both internally and externally and provide a leading role in supporting the Director in preparing for LGR and the potential transition to a shadow strategic authority or unitary.

A role at this level will encourage learning, development and encourage retention through reviewing learning offers, professional status and by leading a modern and effective continuous improvement culture. The Head of Place Policy and Strategy will work with other Council departments as required on specific project, initiatives and strategies leading multi-disciplinary teams as required.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with ourbehaviours :

• Qualified to degree level in an appropriate discipline or equivalent level professional qualification plus relevant experience.
• Authoritative knowledge of the legislation, regulations, and technical requirements relevant to the role
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing large, flexible teams and contracts in a matrix-management environment.
• Experience managing complex financial budgets and resource allocation.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners/professionals.

How to Apply

To apply, you will be asked to upload a copy of your CV and to respond to the four following application questions:

• What are your motivations for applying for this role?
• Please tell us about your experience of Place Policy and Strategy with examples.
• Describe a time when you used your stakeholder management and negotiation skills to overcome a problem.
• Please tell us about a time you constructively challenged existing practice to bring about effective change.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills, or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Carolyn McKenzie, Director of Environment and Planning by email or on MS Teams.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 07/10/2025 with interviews to follow.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. Your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.