About Us

Chief Executive for London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Highly competitive salary

We are after an exceptional person for a truly unique role. Not every job gives you the chance to lead an organisation that impacts the lives of over half a million people across inner and outer London.

As the Chief Executive, you will lead both boroughs through an exciting period of transformation and renewal. You will drive forward the ambitious goals of both councils through the well-established shared staffing arrangements, improving both boroughs forever. You will be responsible for modernising the councils' infrastructure, enhancing service delivery, and amplifying the national profile of both boroughs. Your leadership will be crucial in ensuring that our services are accessible and inclusive to all who live and visit the boroughs, and that our workforce is prepared to meet future challenges. With a strong financial foundation, you will oversee significant investment and continue to build upon our reputation of challenging the status quo and pioneering innovation in public services.

We are looking for a visionary leader with a proven track record of managing large, complex organisations, successfully. Currently a Chief Executive in local government or a senior leader with previous experience in the public sector, you should be a strategic thinker with the ability to translate political vision into operational success, at scale. We are looking for a leader that is both dynamic and empathetic, able to connect with a broad and diverse range of communities and stakeholders. Above all, we seek someone with the passion and humility to lead with purpose, bringing new ideas and energy to our councils as we continue to strive for excellence.

How to apply

We hope you’re interested in this unique role!

We know it’s an important decision to make, so if you need any further information that you haven't been able to find here or on our public websites, please email Ben Parsonage at Gatenby Sanderson. He will be happy to have a confidential discussion and provide information, insight and guidance about the process and our Councils.

Apply

Please submit your CV, including key responsibilities and achievements (no more than three pages), along with a supporting statement that covers:

1. Your motivation for applying
2. Your approach to inclusive leadership
3. How your values are aligned with the organisational values, and
4. How your experience and skills are relevant to this position and our Councils (no more than three pages)

Apply now

Key dates

This timeline sets out the key dates in the recruitment process:

• Closing date for applications - 20 October 2024
• Longlist meeting - week beginning 4 November 2024
• Preliminary interviews - week beginning 11 November 2024
• Shortlist meeting - week beginning 18 November 2024
• First panel interviews - week beginning 25 November 2024

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. 

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils