Chief Operating Officer

Our ambition is that Plymouth becomes one of the most vibrant waterfront cities in Europe, where an outstanding quality of life is enjoyed by everyone.

The City Council plays a central leadership role in place-shaping and facilitating effective systems leadership; and while we’ve made significant progress in recent years, we know that there’s always more we can do to unlock Plymouth’s potential.

This exciting new role will play a vital part in achieving our ambitious goal. You’ll work to align, connect and integrate a wide range of services and functions across the council, and maximise our impact for the communities we serve.

What will success look like? High performance on every metric, smooth and efficient internal processes, and business operations that set the benchmark. Externally, we’ll continue to be widely respected as a leader of place, as well as an employer of choice both regionally and nationally.

We’re looking for candidates with an unusually (and impressively) broad range of skills and experience, able to shape and influence change and improvement both within and beyond the council. Your professional repertoire will include finance, budgets, culture change and strategic planning. It’s a visible, complex role, and you must relish the opportunity to take responsibility for system leadership at the most senior level.

An absolute focus on customer experience is essential. Your personal style will allow you to engage, motivate and inspire colleagues and partners alike, and you’ll apply a sophisticated and entrepreneurial mindset to future challenges and opportunities alike.

Download Job Details

For a confidential discussion about the role please contact:

Rob Naylor
Email: rnaylor@faerfield.co.uk
Tel:  0121 312 3755

Dawn Faulkner
Email: dfaulkner@faerfield.co.uk
Tel:  0121 312 3755

Indicative timetable:

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 5 June 2024
Preliminary/Technical Interviews:  week commencing Monday 17 June 2024
Assessment Centre: Monday 8 July 2024
Chief Officer Appointments Panel: Friday 2 August 2024

To apply:

To apply for this job please click on the Apply button below and fill out the requested information. When prompted, please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than four sides of A4 each).

With your CV, please also provide the names and contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be contacted if you reach the final stages, and we will not contact referees without your permission.

Your supporting statement should express why you are interested in this role and what experience you can bring to the organisation. The statement should tackle the specific requirements of the role; outlining examples and outcomes showing how you meet those requirements.