Interim Head of Development

Stratford-on-Avon District Council; Stratford-upon-Avon; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible leave

Hybrid working

Health plan

Pension scheme

Will writing services

Employee assistance

Cycle to work

Parking

Job summary

Stratford District Council is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Development to lead our Planning teams and drive major housing delivery initiatives in Stratford-on-Avon. You will oversee Planning Policy, Building Control, Heritage, Enforcement, s106 and Economic Development.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive, you will lead a high‑performing, cross‑functional team and secure timely collaboration from statutory consultees to support the South Warwickshire Local Plan.

Qualifications

• Strategic leadership to restore housing land supply and lead planning services.
• Experience delivering housing delivery targets in a local government context.
• Proven senior leadership with change management and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the drive to restore the Council’s five-year housing land supply and foster a positive planning culture.
• Accelerate housing delivery and secure collaboration from planning committee and consultees.
• Provide strategic leadership across Planning Policy, Building Control, Heritage, Enforcement and Economic Development.
• Manage budgets, governance, risk, and compliance within the service area.
• Develop and coach teams, oversee performance and workforce planning.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Housing delivery

People management

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Change management

Policy expertise

Job description

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The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Contractual hours 37

Basis Full time

Region Stratford-on-Avon

Package 6 month FTC/SecondmentFull time37 hours

Job category/type Senior Management

Date posted 06/11/2026

Job reference RSD0000251

About Us:

Based in the heart of Warwickshire, the beautiful district of Stratford-on-Avon is, without doubt, one of the most scenic and historical regions in the UK. Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s headquarters are located in the heart of William Shakespeare’s hometown. In the District, you will find thriving market towns, home to over 146,000 residents and a tourist destination for millions of visitors each year, from across the globe. We are proud to provide public services to residents, businesses and visitors across this magnificent region, making it a great place to live, work and visit.

At the Council, our people are our superpower and by choosing to bring your talents to our organisation, you will be joining a great team where everyone feels that they truly belong, full of dedicated people all working with passion and purpose, across a dynamic portfolio of work providing high-quality services.

As part of our team, you will enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including:

Flexibility:

• A minimum of 32 days of annual leave, plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata for part time posts)
• Hybrid working arrangements with the flexibility to work from home for up to 40% of your hours (dependent upon the role)
• Flexi-time scheme for a better work-life balance.

Lifestyle:

• Health Cash Plan Scheme for medical and dental expenses.

Professional Development:

• Training and Development opportunities.
• Payment of one professional subscription fee
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme to secure your future.
• Access to free Will writing services.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Salary Sacrifice schemes e.g. Cycle to Work etc.
• Free town centre parking

What to Expect in the Role:

Stratford on Avon District Council (SDC) is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Development to lead our Planning teams.

SDC is currently in the advanced stages of the preparation of the South Warwickshire Local Plan. The Regulation 19 Consultation has recently concluded, and it is our intention to submit the plan by the end of 2026 with a view to examination during 2027. Our permanent Head of Development has been seconded to lead this important project.

Following an appeal decision at the end of 2025 SDC is currently unable to demonstrate a 5-year Housing Land Supply; we are actively seeking to restore this, in time for the adoption of the South Warwickshire Local Plan.

The Interim Head of Development will report directly to the Deputy Chief Executive and will be a part of the Council’s Senior Management Team. The role you will be responsible for leading the Council’s Development Management and Planning Policy Service along with Building Control, Heritage and Conservation, Planning Enforcement, s106 and Economic Development.

Reinstating the 5-year housing land supply is a significant challenge which will require a highly positive Planning Culture along with securing timely co-operation from the Statutory Consultees and gaining the confidence of the Planning Committee.

Stratford District has a strong housing market and we have a good track record for delivering housing units so we are confident that our 5-year supply can be restored but to achieve this we will need to initiate a step change in both the speed and the quantum of the Planning Decisions that we issue.

We are seeking someone with proven leadership skills, who can energise this process and drive us on to achieve this goal.

If you can demonstrate that you have the skills to rise to this challenge, we would be keen to have you on our team.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):

• Lead the drive to restore the Council’s five-year housing land supply, fostering a positive planning culture, building confidence with the Planning Committee, and securing effective collaboration from key statutory consultees.
• Accelerate housing delivery in a strong local market, capitalising on the District’s proven track record by bringing energy, leadership and momentum to achieve and maintain a robust five-year housing supply.
• Champion a positive, high-performing culture by fostering trust, collaboration, inclusivity, continuous improvement and a strong customer focus across the Council.
• Provide strategic leadership by promoting the Council’s vision, values and priorities, contributing to corporate strategy, and leading cross-cutting projects and initiatives.
• Build strong relationships and communication channels with Members, Portfolio Holders, managers, staff, partners and external organisations to support effective decision-making and service delivery.
• Drive service excellence and performance through innovation, process improvement, accountability, performance monitoring and swift resolution of customer and corporate complaints.
• Lead and develop teams by managing performance, workforce planning, succession planning, staff development, coaching, recruitment and employee relations.
• Ensure sound governance and compliance, including financial management, risk management, health and safety, data protection, freedom of information and adherence to Council policies and statutory requirements.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively, delivering value for money, identifying efficiencies and income opportunities, and ensuring expenditure remains within approved budgets and governance frameworks.
• Support organisational resilience and corporate responsibilities through emergency planning, business continuity, partnership working, political neutrality and the implementation of Council and Cabinet decisions.

What You’ll Need (Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details):

• Strategic leadership and stakeholder influence – Ability to lead the restoration of the Council’s five-year housing land supply by creating a positive planning culture, building strong relationships with Planning Committee Members, and securing effective collaboration from statutory consultees.
• Housing delivery expertise and change management – Strong understanding of housing land supply and development delivery, combined with the leadership, drive and resilience to accelerate housing growth, maintain momentum, and achieve ambitious housing supply targets.
• People Management experience or experience of managing and motivating a team during periods of change.
• Proven senior leadership experience, with a strong track record of delivering significant service improvements and organisational change.
• Strategic and policy expertise, leading the development and successful implementation of key strategies and policies within relevant service areas.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, building productive relationships with colleagues, partners and customers while providing credible, expert advice on current and emerging challenges.
• Commercially aware and financially astute, with experience managing budgets, driving value for money and applying professional expertise to achieve service objectives

This post is offered as a secondment opportunity for internal staff, allowing employees to return to their original post at the end of the secondment period. All parties must agree to the secondment, so please ensure that your Line Manager is supportive before applying. Full agreement from all parties must be confirmed in writing for the secondment to proceed, therefore candidates must have written agreement from their Manager before making an application. This written agreement must be submitted with the application form.

Right To Work

Applicants must have existing Right to Work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) e.g. ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini etc.

Artificial Intelligence could be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by AI, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal applicants may be subject to disciplinary action.

Interview Format

All interviews for this position will be held face to face, as we believe this offers the best experience for candidates and panel members.

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Tony Perks, Deputy Chief Executive on 01789 267575 or [e-mail]

Applications will close at midnight on Sunday, 15 th November 2026

Interviews will be held Thursday, 26 th November 2026