Transformation and Innovation Manager

North Yorkshire Council; Harrogate; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government body in Harrogate is seeking a dynamic Transformation & Innovation Manager to lead its strategic transformation agenda. This pivotal role involves identifying new initiatives, engaging stakeholders, and delivering impactful change across services. The ideal candidate will have experience in public sector transformation, excellent strategic and communication skills, and a passion for innovation. A hybrid work model is offered, and the successful applicant will contribute to better services for over 625,000 residents.

Benefits

Shopping discounts including home technology

Green car salary sacrifice schemes

Financial wellbeing and health assistance programme

Local government pension scheme

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Proven experience in transformation, change management, or innovation roles.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Proactive approach to identifying opportunities for improvement.

Responsibilities

• Identify and shape new transformation initiatives.
• Lead proof-of-concept work and ensure benefit realisation.
• Work across services with senior leaders on impactful change.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders.

Skills

Communication and influencing skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Networking

Collaboration

Job description

Are you passionate about transforming services, seeking out innovation opportunities and networks that can help?

Do you thrive in a dynamic and innovative environment?

Would you like to be part of a talented and future focused team?

If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you!

About the Role

We are looking for a dynamic and forward‑thinking Transformation & Innovation Manager this is a pivotal role within our Transformation Portfolio Management team, helping shape and deliver the council’s strategic transformation agenda.

You’ll be at the forefront of identifying, scoping, and shaping new transformation initiatives and ensuring they align with strategic objectives, deliver measurable benefits, and harness innovation from the outset. You’ll work across services and with senior leaders to turn ideas into impactful change, using horizon scanning and external networking to bring in best practice and fresh thinking.

This role is about making things happen. You’ll leading proof‑of‑concept work, understanding the opportunities and challenges to scale these up and ensuring benefit realisation. You’ll be a key contact for new transformation activity, helping services explore challenges and opportunities, and guiding them toward meaningful solutions.

We offer a hybrid working model, with base location determined by business need, and the opportunity to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the council and beyond.

About us

The Transformation team at North Yorkshire Council is at the heart of all planned change programmes, driving efficiency and effectiveness to deliver better customer experiences and continuous improvements.

Our TIMs are dedicated to building valuable networks and seeking out opportunities to innovate and help services deliver their objectives in the most effective way possible.

We work with various stakeholders, including universities, industry experts, other local authorities as well as NYC’s centralised support teams such as legal, property, procurement, technology, and HR.

Recent projects the team have delivered include:

• Automated assistants to help colleagues navigate complex policies.
• Automated write up of meeting notes and minutes
• AI document translation

About You

We’re looking for someone with enthusiasm, creativity, and a passion for innovation. You’ll be a natural networker, able to build strong relationships across teams, directorates, and external partners. You’ll bring:

• Proven experience in transformation, change management, or innovation roles. Ideally in complex or public sector environments.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to shape ideas into deliverable projects.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with confidence in engaging senior stakeholders and building meaningful and productive networks
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to lead cross‑functional teams in a matrix environment.
• A proactive approach to horizon scanning and identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.

If you’re ready to be a catalyst for change, and want to help shape the future of services for over 625,000 residents, we’d love to hear from you!

Why Work for us?

As a North Yorkshire Council employee, you will have access to some great benefits via our everybody benefits scheme such as;

• Shopping discounts including home technology
• Green car salary sacrifice schemes,
• Financial wellbeing and health assured and our employee assistance programme to assist with your health and wellbeing.
• A favourable local government pension scheme and flexible working options.

For full details, please see our Total Rewards Brochure at the bottom of this advert

More information and Contact

For more information about our role please contact Sarah Cornforth at [e-mail]

To apply please click theApply Nowlink below.