Shaping
Stratford
We are becoming “fit for our future” and require two new Heads of Service to complement our management team to help shape and drive the modernisation of the organisation going forward.
Shaping Stratford
We are becoming “fit for our future” and require two new Heads of Service to complement our management team to help shape and drive the modernisation of the organisation going forward.
Welcome
Welcome
Shaping Stratford and Shaping our Future
David Buckland, Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service & Councillor Tony Jefferson, Leader of the Council
Firstly, a massive thank you for taking the time to visit this site. This is a very exciting period in the history of the Council and we are thrilled that we have the opportunity of recruiting to two crucial positions on our Management Team.
Stratford on Avon District Council has just established its vision for the next decade, we now need two excellent Heads of Service to join our team. The Council has big plans to develop both itself and the communities that we serve and these roles will be at the heart of this ambition. The opportunities have arisen following a recent review of the Council’s structures and the recognition that an investment in senior capacity was required in order to meet these recently published ambitions. This has now resulted in the appointment of a new Chief Executive and Deputy who are working with the political leadership to “get stuff done”.
Our Head of Resources and Transformation will oversee a significant investment programme in our ICT infrastructure under our “Ways of Working” project which will also see us determine our long term accommodation needs. The Council is currently in a strong financial position, however, in order to address further reductions in government support the Council is actively reviewing a number of initiatives which are designed to either reduce cost or generate income to support our core services.
It is also an important time for the role of Head of Community and Operational Services. This role has the responsibility for the delivery of the majority of our front line services to our residents and our visitors. Stratford has always been acknowledged for the high quality of service and this area covers all of consistently rank of highest importance, ranging from Refuse Collection to our excellent Leisure facilities.
The Council has always been extremely conscious of its impact upon the environment and has made significant reductions in our own emissions. In September along with the majority of local authorities, the Council declared a Climate Change Emergency, and has acted swiftly in identifying a number of actions that will help with the aspiration of being recognised as a Carbon Neutral District by 2030. A significant project in this area will be the development of regional Materials Recycling Facility, this will ensure that the Council can consider new and exciting recycling opportunities consistent with the Climate Change agenda.
You will probably be aware that during the last year the Council received publicity surrounding claims that it was a sexist organisation. As we stated at the time, we take any such claims extremely seriously and immediately instigated an external review into these allegations. We have acted swiftly and decisively in relation to two of our Councillors whose behaviour was found to be inappropriate. However, in relation to the claims regarding the wider Council being a sexist organisation the investigator concluded that it would be unfair to label the Council as a sexist organisation. That said, we recognise how important it is to be recognised as fully embracing diversity and as exemplars for inclusion and as such we are actively encouraging as many applications from underrepresented groups for these roles.
We have a focused, busy and forward-thinking workforce, committed to providing the best services we can to both our residents and visitors. Our success is largely due to having flexible, committed and enthusiastic staff, who are prepared to go the extra mile and have a ‘can-do’ work ethic.
Once more we thank you for taking the time to consider a career at Stratford on Avon District Council. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Council to modernise and deliver upon the ambition of the Council Plan. It is a given that this will be a period of significant change for the Council and if this excites you then we encourage you to apply.
About Stratford District
Stratford on Avon is steeped in culture and history and we are very proud of our heritage. We welcome around 6.7 million visitors every year to the district and our residents are proud about the thriving place they live and the services we deliver. These are exciting times for the Council; over the last couple of years there has been a real acceleration in the delivery of what matters to our residents. We are becoming “fit for our future” and require two new Heads of Service to compliment our management team to help shape and drive the modernisation of the organisation going forward.
Stratford-on-Avon District is a large, predominantly rural District, in the south of Warwickshire. Agriculture plays an important role in the local economy and has helped to create a mixed rural environment of pasture and arable farming. The District is also characterised by small market towns, historic buildings and pretty villages making it attractive to visitors. There are excellent motorway, road and rail networks, which connect the District not only with Birmingham and the West Midlands, but also with London, the North and the Southwest. These transport routes have played an important role in the development of an increasing industrial base with a number of companies of national and international renown. Much of the employment within the District is dependent on tourism, farming and the automotive industry and unemployment rates are below average.
Many residents of the District commute to higher paid jobs outside, while the lower paid jobs within the District are often filled by people commuting into the District. Household income is above average and this ranges from £37,000 in the Alcester area to almost £50,000 in Tanworth in Arden.
Culture and tourism obviously play a significant role in the District as well. The most famous event of the District’s history is, of course, the birth of William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon itself. The five properties connected with his life that are preserved in and around the town play a major part in the local economy. Millions of tourists visit Stratford every year from all around the world, and about one in eight jobs in the District rely on their presence.
About Stratford District
Stratford on Avon is steeped in culture and history and we are very proud of our heritage. We welcome around 6.7 million visitors every year to the district and our residents are proud about the thriving place they live and the services we deliver. These are exciting times for the Council; over the last couple of years there has been a real acceleration in the delivery of what matters to our residents. We are becoming “fit for our future” and require two new Heads of Service to compliment our management team to help shape and drive the modernisation of the organisation going forward.
Stratford-on-Avon District is a large, predominantly rural District, in the south of Warwickshire. Agriculture plays an important role in the local economy and has helped to create a mixed rural environment of pasture and arable farming. The District is also characterised by small market towns, historic buildings and pretty villages making it attractive to visitors. There are excellent motorway, road and rail networks, which connect the District not only with Birmingham and the West Midlands, but also with London, the North and the Southwest. These transport routes have played an important role in the development of an increasing industrial base with a number of companies of national and international renown. Much of the employment within the District is dependent on tourism, farming and the automotive industry and unemployment rates are below average.
Many residents of the District commute to higher paid jobs outside, while the lower paid jobs within the District are often filled by people commuting into the District. Household income is above average and this ranges from £37,000 in the Alcester area to almost £50,000 in Tanworth in Arden.
Culture and tourism obviously play a significant role in the District as well. The most famous event of the District’s history is, of course, the birth of William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon itself. The five properties connected with his life that are preserved in and around the town play a major part in the local economy. Millions of tourists visit Stratford every year from all around the world, and about one in eight jobs in the District rely on their presence.
Working at Stratford
We are a focused, busy and forward-thinking workforce, committed to providing the best services we can to both our residents and visitors. We are successful as a result of having flexible, committed and enthusiastic staff, who are prepared to go the extra mile and have a ‘can-do’ work ethic.
Our ambition is that SDC becomes the most inclusive local authority employer in the UK. To achieve this we will create a welcoming, inclusive workplace where we are all able to bring our whole selves to work and perform at our best. Trust, integrity, approachability and adaptability will be encouraged and valued.
Our Vision
Stratford-on-Avon District will be recognised as a place of opportunity and economic prosperity in order to provide a better quality of life for all who live, work and visit.
Our Pledge
Our Corporate Strategy provides the Vision for the Council and sets its main objectives for the next four years. It is set by the Council as community leaders working in partnership with a number of organisations.
There are three main objectives:
- A flourishing local economy
- People and their environment
- Responsible community leadership
The Strategy
The Council recognises the need to:
- Keep Stratford-on-Avon District special. Our District is a much valued environment in which to live, work, visit and thrive. While development is inevitable, it is important that the character of our settlements and the landscape is retained.
- Support local businesses. A strong local economy will support our communities through the provision of jobs and prosperity.
- Support an ageing population. This section of our population is significantly higher than the national average, and we must ensure our services support their needs.
- Reduce costs. We live in a period of continued austerity the Council will need to ensure that it continues to deliver improvements in securing value for money.
Our Values and Behaviours
The Council has a set of values that define our behaviour in the way we work.
Integrity
• Do the right thing
• Learn from mistakes
• Be considerate
• Be accountable
Trust
• Be fair and honest
• Developing trusting relationships
• Treat people with respect
Approachability
• Be accessible
• Always try to help
• Show empathy
Adaptability
• Have a ‘can-do’ approach
• Endeavour to find the best solutions
• ‘Get stuff done’
• Have a flexible attitude
Employee Benefits
Stratford-on-Avon District Council has a range of benefits available to its staff:
- Town centre location with easy access to shops
- Training and development
- Payment of one essential professional subscription
- Relocation allowance
- Local Government Pension Scheme (Career Average Scheme)
- Health expenses scheme
- Employee assistance programme (including counselling)
- Salary sacrifice schemes – including cycle to work and childcare vouchers
- Free town centre car parking
- Eye test vouchers
- Homeworking (dependent upon the role)
Disability Confident Employer
Stratford-on-Avon District Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer .
To achieve this standard the District Council has shown a commitment to attract, support and promote disabled people in the workplace, by implementing a variety of supportive processes including:
- Making sure our recruitment process is accessible to all and attracts a wide pool of talent.
- Offering interviews to those candidates who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role.
- Supporting disabled people by making adjustments to interviews, jobs and the workplace to reduce any disadvantage caused by the disability.
- Providing a range of support to staff who become disabled whilst working for us: including occupational health provision, an employee assistance programme (EAP), mental health first aiders and ongoing support from human resources and managers.
The Council is currently accredited until June 2021.
About the Roles
Head of Resources and Transformation (S151 Officer)
£62,518 – £69,730, plus £1,239 car allowance.
As the Council’s S151 Officer and Chief Finance Officer you will ensure the financial sustainability of the Council is maintained by working with the management team to make our ambitions a reality. You’ll be required to lead on a variety of exciting projects which the Council is currently involved in, including the modernisation of our ICT infrastructure and the review of our office accommodation.
You will be a chartered accountant and have membership of a professional body such as CIPFA. You’ll be a compassionate leader, strategic thinker, have experience in delivering transformation projects, and have the courage to make bold decisions and share your opinion. You will need to be both collaborative and supportive in your approach and share the same enthusiasm for doing our best for the council and our community.
Head of Community and Operational Services
£58,429 – £65,168, plus £1,239 car allowance.
You will be responsible for overseeing a series of key operational and customer facing services, many of which are what our communities use regularly, and value the most, including waste and recycling, environmental sustainability, leisure, community safety, community engagement and enhancement.
You will be required to review the current contracts in place in areas such as refuse and leisure management, work in partnership with our members and operate in a commercial way to ensure the organisation gets best value for money. We want you to challenge the way things are done and push through service enhancements that benefit both the organisation and the residents of Stratford on Avon. You will need to be approachable, have excellent interpersonal skills and be committed to improving the services we provide and seeing them through to delivery. This is an exciting step up opportunity for an experienced service manager who is looking to challenge themselves and further their career in an organisation that is dedicated to “Getting stuff done”.
Let’s Start Something New Together
Apply Now
Please contact, Sian Roberts, Executive Search Consultant, West Midlands Employers for more information about the roles at s.roberts@wmemployers.org.uk
Please be aware that candidates will be required to be available to attend an Assessment Centre and Final Member Panel Interview as below:
Head of Resources and Transformation (S151 Officer)
Assessment Centre
Wednesday, 5th February 2020
Final Member Panel Interview
Thursday, 6th February 2020
Head of Community and Operational Services
Assessment Centre
Wednesday, 12th February 2020
Final Member Panel Interview
Thursday, 13th February 2020
Head of Resources and Transformation S151 (Officer)
£62,518 – £69,730, plus £1,239 car allowance.
Head of Community and Operational Services
£58,429 – £65,168 plus £1,239 car allowance.