Service Improvement Lead

The Guildhall Northampton; Northampton; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

West Northamptonshire Council is seeking a Service Improvement Lead to shape Revenues & Benefits transformation, delivering improvement programmes across Housing Benefit, Council Tax, Council Tax Reduction and Business Rates. The role focuses on driving measurable benefits, improving customer experience and compliance through digital innovation and AI-enabled solutions.

You will work with internal teams, external partners and senior leaders to develop business cases, oversee governance and

Responsibilities

• Lead transformation and improvement programmes across Revenues & Benefits.
• Analyse performance data, customer insight and audit findings to identify improvements.
• Champion digital innovation, automation and AI-enabled solutions.
• Provide specialist guidance on Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Council Tax and Business Rates legislation.
• Influence, coach and coordinate managers and project teams to deliver outcomes.

Job description

Service Improvement Lead

Great services don't stand still, and neither do we. As a Service Improvement Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Revenues & Benefits services across West Northamptonshire Council. Working at the intersection of operational delivery, innovation and strategic transformation, you'll lead programmes that improve customer experience, strengthen compliance, increase efficiency and ensure our services continue to meet the evolving needs of residents and businesses. This is a senior specialist role within our Revenues & Benefits Service, responsible for driving service redesign and continuous improvement across Housing Benefits, Council Tax, Council Tax Reduction and Business Rates. You'll work closely with operational managers, Digital, Data & Technology teams, Transformation Services and external partners to identify opportunities for innovation, automation and AI‑enabled solutions that support modern, customer‑focused service delivery.

You'll lead the planning, design and delivery of transformation and improvement programmes across Revenues & Benefits, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable benefits for customers, colleagues and the Council. Working across services and disciplines, you'll analyse performance data, customer insight, audit findings and legislative changes to identify opportunities for improvement, develop business cases and implement sustainable solutions that improve service performance and customer outcomes.

A key aspect of the role will be championing digital innovation, automation and artificial intelligence, working with internal teams and software providers to maximise the use of technology and modernise service delivery. You'll lead complex projects from initial concept through to implementation and benefits realisation, ensuring programmes are governed effectively and deliver value for money.

You will also act as a senior technical expert, providing specialist advice on Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Council Tax and Business Rates legislation. Alongside this, you'll manage audit activity, support governance improvements, oversee supplier and contract arrangements, and prepare reports and recommendations for senior leaders and elected members. Although the role does not have direct line management responsibility, you'll influence, coach and coordinate managers, team leaders and project teams to deliver successful outcomes and embed a culture of continuous improvement.

You're an experienced Revenues & Benefits professional with significant knowledge of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Council Tax and Business Rates legislation. You have a strong track record of operating at a senior level and understand the challenges and opportunities facing local government services in a rapidly changing environment. You bring experience of leading transformation, service improvement or operational change programmes and are comfortable working with complex data, performance information and business cases to drive decision‑making. You have the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, build strong relationships across teams and organisations, and successfully deliver change without direct management authority.

You will be commercially aware, politically astute and passionate about delivering better outcomes through innovation and continuous improvement. Experience of automation, digital technologies, supplier management, governance, audit activity or AI‑enabled solutions would be highly advantageous. Most importantly, you'll share our THRIVE values and be motivated by creating modern, efficient and customer‑focused services that help West Northamptonshire thrive.

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like‑minded people. Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear from our Chief Executive, Martin Henry, about building a career at WNC.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximise their full potential.

We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email [e-mail] for support.

• Salary £51,224 - £54,605 (pro rata)
• Salary Frequency Annual
• Working Hours 18.5
• Job Reference Ref/162341/9618
• Contract Type Temporary
• Contract Details Fixed Term Contract until 30/11/2028
• Closing Date 9 November, 2026
• Job Category Revenues and Benefits
• Location Northampton, United Kingdom
• Job Posted Date 2 November, 2026