Chief People Officer
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- Employer:
- Sandwell Council
- Location:
- Sandwell
- Salary:
- £95,000 - £110,000
- Closing date:
- Tuesday 26th August 2025
- Job Ref:
- GSe123336
Description
Enabling People, Empowering Communities, Enhancing Places
Sandwell’s story is one of potential and striving to realise the ambitions of our borough, our residents and communities. We have been through a period of significant challenge including government intervention, but through determination and our drive for excellence, we look to the future with pride and a sense of purpose. While we have come so far, there is more to do; breaking down silos, embedding our values across the organisation, and ensuring that we continue to transform to deliver the best services for our residents. Created 50 years ago from six proud towns, each unique but united by a shared identity and rich culture, Sandwell is a place built on making things happen. It’s where industry met innovation, and where strong communities continue to shape the future.
At Sandwell Council, we’re on a bold journey, modernising how we work and how we serve our communities. As part of this journey, we are transforming our workforce strategy and developing an organisational development plan that empowers our people to deliver for our residents. Our HR service needs to evolve to offer business partnering support across the authority, and as Chief People Officer you will act as strategic advisor to corporate colleagues, the Chief Executive and Members. You will drive a customer-focused HR and OD function that supports real organisational change, leading the implementation of a revitalised workforce strategy, embed a culture of performance and accountability, and ensure our people practices are fit for the future. You will lead our organisational development strategy, moving beyond training to deliver a robust OD plan that aligns with our council ambitions and supports directorates to deliver better outcomes.
As Chief People Officer you will bring experience of transforming HR operations to provide a modern, business partnering approach, and deliver an OD service that leads and responds to the many challenges facing local government, empowering colleagues to improve service delivery at levels in the council. You will bring a wealth of experience of developing constructive relationships with trade unions, whilst addressing long-standing workforce challenges, updating our people policies and embedding agile practices. Maximising the use of our new Oracle Fusion system to improve data, insight and decision-making. We are open to sector background and experience, but require someone with the energy and enthusiasm to transform HR and OD in Sandwell Council and be central to supporting our ongoing journey of improvement and modernisation.
For a confidential conversation about the role please contact our executive search partners GatenbySanderson: Sandra Jones via sandra.jones@gatenbysanderson.com or 07826 404091, or Philip Emms via Philip.emms@gatenbysanderson.com or 07590 225472.
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How to Apply
Please apply by submitting a CV and supporting statement (ideally two sides of A4 in length per document). Please also include your contact details.
- Please ensure your full employment history is outlined in your application including any education or employment gaps.
- In your supporting statement, please detail how you meet the essential criteria, competencies and qualification requirements detailed in the role specification. Please share with us the values and behaviours that you bring to your leadership, and how you will transfer your skills and experience to this role.
- Be ready to provide the names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees; one should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will be contacted for those proceeding to final stages. We will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
- You will be asked to complete an Equal Opportunities monitoring form as part of the application process.
- Please let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
- Check that your contact details are correct before you submit your application.
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive the confirmation, please email contactus@gatenbysanderson.com