Head of Transformation DeliveryPermanentFull Time, 37 hours per week£74,368 to £87,492 per annum + benefitsLocation: ChelmsfordWorking Style: Anywhere worker *Closing Date: 17th November 2024*Working Style: Anywhere worker - This means that we come into the office in Chelmsford to undertake activities which benefit from in-person interactions, which tends to average 2-3 days per weekEssex County Council is proud of its history of delivering transformational change, having realised more than £750m sustainable savings for the Essex taxpayers since 2008. Essex County Council (ECC) is ambitious and by 2030 it will be one of the most forward thinking, effective and financially sustainable Councils in the country. ECC will be a leading-edge digital council that drives excellent customer service with transformation at the heart of service excellence.To achieve this, we aim to keep three, high priority, strategic drivers in balance ensuring that we:deliver on our ambitions, as described in the 'Everyone's Essex Strategy',respond to the opportunities and challenges of the changing world, andmaintain financial sustainability, specifically by delivering £100m savings.As the Head of Transformation Delivery, you will be at the forefront of this exciting journey. Working collaboratively with the most senior leadership of ECC challenging the status quo to set bold transformation goals, define ambitious transformation outcomes and architecting them into cohesive, balanced portfolios of change that transform our organisation to deliver a better future and experience for the residents of Essex, enabling us to remain financial sustainable within an ever-changing context.You can read more about the Whole Council Transformation (WCT) Strategy and Deployment by clicking the following link .Job PurposeThis role will work collaboratively across the whole council and be responsible for the delivery of a broad range of ECC's strategic objectives/outcomes. This will require organisational understanding, collaboration, and negotiation to create the right cross-functional team to work in the portfolio from ideation through to benefits realisation. You will drive end-to-end thinking, employing an outcome-centric and hypothesis-led approach to problem solving and innovation. You will lead by example setting the highest professional standards for your portfolio team so they can deliver change at pace. You will galvanise others to get behind the change, and champion a Transformation mindset.Organisational AccountabilitiesAccountable for working collaboratively across the council to support the delivery of best possible outcomes for our customers on a financially sustainable basis.Maintain and nurture collaborative relationships for the function with external organisations that support the delivery of annual plans and developed a joined understanding of likely longer-term developments.Identifying opportunities for the improvement within their area of work, managing changes so the highest possible levels of service quality are continually delivered. Implementing commercial and novel solutions to emerging and complex issues that meet the needs of customers and deliver the best possible outcomes.Effective utilisation of digital technologies and innovation across the council and with stakeholders and partners.Manage the delivery of exemplar customer interactions to individuals and communities which support the management of strong relationships and a reputation for achieving outcomes and resolving issues.Service/Functional AccountabilitiesAccountable for leading the delivery of ECC's transformation agenda, leading the definition, implementation, and governance of a portfolio of Transformation projects and programmes. Ensuring the portfolio is balanced in terms of risk and achievability. That projects and programmes stick to cost and time targets while delivering the outcomes and savings expected.Trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders across the organisation for strategic planning, pipeline management and influencing to progress initiatives to target outcomes. Challenges the status quo, through innovative thinking and making strategic connections, ensuring the transformation intent is always ambitious.Lead and manage a team of transformation and technical experts in the successful delivery of the portfolio of change developing and overseeing a prioritised work programme based on sound principles of programme and project management. Bringing expertise from around the organisation and externally, from different professions, together to design and deliver the portfolio outcomes.Drive clarity and simplicity from positions of ambiguity by framing the right business questions and employing an outcome-centric and hypothesis-led approach, whilst being creative in bringing the right insights and people together to help solve our toughest business problems and make practical recommendations to the organisation.Leading a team to deliver complex programmes of work, including scoping, building cross-organisational support, engagement, investment and embedding in shaping the narrative. Providing coaching and challenge as well as the second line of defence in protecting the health of projects and programmes. Liaising with the Head of Transformation Assurance when a deeper intervention is required to keep on track to deliver outcomes and savings.Responsible for challenging the organisation and creating the conditions to ensure projects are established to deliver with intent and speed, instilling a discipline to create the correct scope and act within the most appropriate governance structure to maximise success.Creating the right conditions within the team to encourage innovation and quick prototyping and fostering an environment that encourages swift delivery and celebrates quick failure which can be converted to learning. Keeping the balance of the portfolio in mind so there is always innovation alongside more certainty.Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.The Experience you will bring- Educated to Degree level or equivalent by experience.- Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area Such as MOP (Management of Portfolios) MSP etc- Ability to lead and motivate a multi-skilled team, and experience in overseeing a portfolio of change and innovation initiatives, together with experience in coaching and developing individuals to enhance their skills and capabilities.- Experience in developing and implementing strategic plans, and able to think strategically providing valuable insights and advice to senior leaders.- Experience in influencing decision-making processes and driving initiatives towards targeted outcomes.- Experience of using data and insights to inform decisions and drive complex decisions / outcomes, with ability to think outside of the box and come up with creative solutions to organisational challenges.- Ability to communicate effectively verbally, in writing and by the use of other media, including information technology, with colleagues, officers at all levels, elected Members, public, private and voluntary sector organisations.- The ability to identify strategic issues, synthesise information and present recommendations in a clear and structured manner with excellent written and verbal communication skills.- The ability to forge and manage complex public and private partnerships to build positive working relationships, negotiate with and influence other partners and organisations.- Evidence of strategic thinking, with the ability to identify critical issues and formulate programmes of work that respond to these issues and to oversee their effective implementation.- Experience of managing and leading significant culture change within a large complex organisation.Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.