Executive Director, Place and Customer

About the role

Executive Director, Place and Customer

Permanent, Full Time

up to £179,404 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: Sunday 14th December 2025

Shape the Future of Essex. Drive climate action. Deliver for our communities.

Essex is on the government’s Priority Programme for Local Government Reform, one of the most ambitious and complex reform programmes in the UK. At the heart of this radical transformation is a bold vision: to reshape local government and public service delivery across Greater Essex including the creation of a Mayoral Combined Authority. By 2028 there will be the reorganisation of the current two-tier system of fifteen Councils into fewer new unitary councils.

This is a rare opportunity for Essex County Council (ECC) and our partners to co-create a new model of local government. One that is rooted in neighbourhood, integrates key services, offers greater choice to communities, and is built on collaboration with partners including Health, Police, and Fire services.

Within this context of transformation, Essex County Council is seeking a visionary, delivery-focused, and resilient leader to take on a senior role at the heart of our organisational strategy. With an ambitious agenda on highways, environment, waste, customer and sustainable growth, Essex will need world-class infrastructure that meets the needs of our communities and supports a greener future.

The Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive and working closely with other Executive Directors, together, you will act as an effective communicator and strong team player to formulate corporate policy objectives and ensure the effective corporate management of ECC.

This highly visible and demanding position will be central to our ambitious agenda for climate action and sustainable growth, ensuring world-class transport and waste infrastructure that meets community needs. You will lead a diverse portfolio of services, including:

Climate Action Strategy – driving forward our commitment to sustainability and net zero.
Waste Services – overseeing our in-house operations and shaping future infrastructure.
Highways & Transportation – managing significant supplier contracts and ensuring world-class transport solutions.
Customer Services – delivering universal and regulated services that put residents first.

Your leadership will influence how Essex develops sustainable transport and waste infrastructure to meet the needs of our communities now and in the future.

As Executive Director, you will need to bring a strong commercial focus to the diverse range of functions within the scope of the role, with a solid background of operational experience. This role demands imagination, delivery focus, and the ability to navigate political complexity while inspiring others to visualise and build a better future.

Key Responsibilities

Lead delivery strategy for all services in the portfolio, setting clear performance targets aligned to organisational priorities and informed by local, national, and global insight.
Ensure efficient, responsive services for residents and stakeholders, reducing demand through smart design and engagement.
Deliver ambitious strategies, to shape Essex as a place, which align to the organisational strategy and to create conditions to manage the major infrastructure and environmental challenges of the future
Represent Essex nationally, building strong networks and partnerships to influence policy and secure progress on infrastructure and environment.
Champion customer services, ensuring alignment with council priorities and promoting digital innovation, commercial approaches, and service redesign.
Foster collaboration and innovation, recognising Essex’s socio-economic diversity and strengthening community partnerships.
Lead Climate Action, including behaviour change, modal shift, and waste system transformation to eliminate landfill and maximise commercial opportunities.
Work across the organisation, collaborating with other Executive Directors on major projects and cross-cutting issues with strategic impact.

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a strategic, imaginative, and politically astute leader who can thrive in complexity and drive positive culture, teams and results. You will bring:

Experience within at least two of the following: Highways and transportation, waste management, climate, energy, flooding, environment, and customer.
A proven track record of leadership skills, forging strong diverse teams and achieving strategic objectives in rapidly changing environments.
Exceptional communication skills with ability to develop networks and partnerships which create inspiring action that benefits the residents, communities, and businesses of Essex, influencing both strategically and corporately in a complex organisation with senior stakeholders and partners, across government and nationally.
Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering functional strategy across a diverse range of services, integrating change and considering the impact of external forces. Evidence of leading and inspiring teams, setting high standards and expectations in terms of performance and delivery
Strong programme management and commercial experience from delivering projects at scale, working with supply chains and partners, with evidence of a clear understanding of the financial responsibilities associated with major programmes.
A deep commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusive leadership.
Able to develop, shape and delivery organisation and function level strategy and change initiatives, at high scale, whilst managing conflicting priorities.

Why Essex?

Essex is a county with a clear identity, vision, and plan. Recently ranked in the top three Councils for productivity by IMPOWER, we are proud of our achievements and excited about the future.

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR)) on our careers site

We are a Disability Confident Employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Adjustments will be made throughout the recruitment process to support candidates with specific needs.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, in addition to your salary, this role offers a number of benefits including Local Government Pension Scheme, Private Medical Insurance and 31 days annual leave.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Indicative timetable:

Closing date for applications: 14th December 2025
Stakeholder Meetings: Week commencing 5th January 2025
Fireside Chats with Chief Executive: 7th January 2025, 8th January 2025
Technical Interviews: 16th January 2026, 19th January 2026
Final Interviews: 20th January 2026

To read more about our business area, please visit: Climate, Environment and Customer Services

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. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email strategic.resourcing@essex.gov.uk

Downloads

Pay and Reward | Our Ways of Working | About

Convert Word or PDF documents to HTML