Description | Salary £75,420 - £82,480 per annum | Permanent, Full Time, 37 hours per week | County Hall, Preston International Sponsorship – this role is not open to international sponsorship Education, Culture and Skills Team About us… As the fourth largest local authority in the country, we support approximately 1.52m people. Our cultural services look after everything from libraries, museums, registrars, outdoor educational programmes, music services and much more. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of cultural services in a region rich with heritage and creativity. About you… Service Excellence - As the Head of Cultural Services, you will be at the forefront of our mission to enrich lives through culture. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring that our services not only meet but exceed the expectations of our communities. You will oversee a comprehensive network of libraries, including prison libraries, mobile libraries, and home library services, as well as our museum service, conservation efforts, and heritage learning programmes. Your leadership will ensure that our cultural offerings are accessible, innovative, and impactful, making Lancashire a vibrant place to live, work, and visit. Leadership - Reporting directly to the Director of Education, Skills, and Culture, you will provide strategic leadership and direction across a diverse portfolio that includes libraries, museums, archives, music services, and more. You will develop and implement the Cultural Services Strategy, ensuring alignment with the Council's vision to make Lancashire the best place to live, work, visit, and prosper. You will lead and manage a diverse workforce, promoting continuous professional development and excellence in service delivery. Additionally, you will engage with partners and stakeholders at all levels to advocate for and raise the profile of Lancashire's Cultural Services. Passion - Our ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly with senior managers and stakeholders. You will be a strategic thinker, capable of developing and implementing business plans that drive service improvements and achieve our long-term objectives. Your commitment to equality, diversity, and health and safety will be evident in everything you do. You will provide strategic advice to the council's management team and elected members, ensure robust systems for statutory compliance, performance monitoring, and service evaluation, and manage financial resources effectively, prioritising within decreasing budgets. Why join us… Benefits: There's fabulous flexibility and the opportunity to create the work life balance you'll love; 26 days annual leave, rising to 32 days with tenure plus 10 statutory/bank holidays and an additional 20 days that can be purchased too. An Employee Assistance Programme for your family and yourself plus a generous local authority pension available. Finally, we have an enviable employee benefits platform which provides numerous discounts from your weekly shop to holidays and entertainment with salary sacrifice options on electronics, bicycles, white goods, and cars. Development: You'll get support and development along the journey from regular 1-1's to personal and professional workshops and qualifications from mindfulness to MBA's. There will be time for supportive reflection and supervision for yourself, opportunities for personal growth and development, multidisciplinary initiatives, mentoring, the opportunity to make a difference, feel valued and achieve the job satisfaction you've always wanted. Inclusivity: We are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working environment for all of our team. Our aim is to ensure that everyone is equally valued and respected, and that our organisation is representative of all members of society, working in an environment where individual differences are celebrated. We would therefore especially welcome applications from those from a diverse background who would enhance our service by joining us and we have some great support groups/forums available for anyone to join. If you would like to have an initial confidential chat about the role before applying, please contact Donna Carson (PA) to arrange a call with Paul Turner (Director of Education, Culture and Skills) on email Donna.Carsonlancashire.gov.uk. Closing Date: Sunday 23 rd February 2025 Interviews: Friday 7 th March 2025 How to apply… Please upload a copy of your CV and Supporting Statement with your application. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence. You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use. However, we may consider you if you cannot drive because of a disability. In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website. We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications. Job Description & Person Specification