Service Director – People, Culture & Traded Services

Kirklees Metropolitan Council; West Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Kirklees Council is seeking an exceptional leader to join our Corporate Leadership Team as Service Director - People, Culture & Traded Services. This newly configured role places strategic people leadership at the heart of the organisation, while providing leadership across a diverse portfolio that supports our communities and the borough's future success.

You will shape a modern, high-performing workforce, overseeing culture, venues, tourism and traded services, ensuring financial

Qualifications

• Senior leader with a track record of leading organisational change.
• Strong strategic HR expertise with credibility to operate across a broad corporate portfolio.
• Experience in local government or the wider public sector preferred.
• Politically aware, commercially astute and able to manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of a modern, high‑performing workforce.
• Oversee culture, venues, tourism, markets, bereavement services and traded services.
• Ensure services remain financially sustainable, customer‑focused and clear about their future purpose and direction.
• Collaborate with Heads of Service to drive workforce transformation, organisational design and terms and conditions reform.

Job description

Lead Kirklees

Kirklees Council is a place of ambition, opportunity and change. Serving a diverse borough of more than 440,000 residents, we're committed to delivering excellent services, driving inclusive growth and creating thriving communities. As we continue our transformation journey, we're looking for exceptional leaders who can help shape the future of Kirklees and make a lasting difference for our residents.

About the role

We're now looking for an exceptional leader to join our Corporate Leadership Team as Service Director - People, Culture & Traded Services. This is a newly configured role that reflects our ambition to put strategic people leadership at the heart of the organisation, whilst providing leadership across a diverse portfolio of services that support our communities and contribute to the borough's success.

You'll lead the development of a modern, high-performing workforce, helping Kirklees respond to changing demands, workforce expectations, financial pressures and the opportunities presented by new technologies and ways of working.

Alongside responsibility for People Services, you'll oversee a diverse portfolio spanning culture, venues, tourism, markets, bereavement services and a range of traded services. Working with experienced Heads of Service, you'll help ensure these services remain financially sustainable, customer-focused and clear about their future purpose and direction.

As a member of the Corporate Leadership Team, you'll play a key role in some of the council's most important priorities; from workforce transformation, organisational design and terms and conditions reform, to driving commercial thinking, securing external investment and ensuring services are equipped to meet the needs of future generations.

About you

We're looking for an experienced senior leader with a track record of leading organisational change within a complex environment.

You will bring strong strategic HR expertise, combined with the confidence and credibility to operate across a broader corporate portfolio.

Whether your experience comes from local government, the wider public sector or another large and complex organisation, you'll be politically aware, commercially astute and comfortable managing competing priorities.

Most importantly, you'll be someone who can build relationships, challenge constructively, make difficult decisions when needed and support others through change. You'll recognise that successful organisations are built through great people, clear direction and a culture that enables individuals and teams to perform at their best.

If you're looking for a role that will challenge you, stretch you and give you the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a borough with real ambition and enormous potential, we'd love to hear from you.

Closing date – Midnight Thursday 24th September