Sheffield is a place like no other. As the birthplace of electronic music, the greenest city in the UK, and a major Core City of nearly 600,000 people with huge regional and national importance, we’ve pretty much got our own gravitational pull.
Our People Strategy articulates our ambition to be a place where true system leadership is everyday, and everywhere. Where colleagues at all levels collaborate across boundaries, to deliver genuinely shared outcomes that make a difference in our communities. Where our whole workforce has the confidence to lead and influence in complex environments, and where we are distinguished by collaboration, adaptability, and a focus on local needs across our city.
Delivering this sophisticated strategic vision will allow us to play our full part in navigating and shaping complex, locally driven priorities and partnerships. So, this role is mission-critical for the success of our entire transformation agenda. You’ll take the lead on strengthening leadership and management capability and make sure we hold people considerations at the core of corporate decision-making.
Working directly with the CEO, COO, SLT, elected members and our trade unions, you’ll bring together culture, leadership, workforce reform and organisational performance. It’s an exceptional opportunity to lead a high-impact people agenda in a major UK Core City, and you’ll be joining us at a key inflection point, where your professional contribution will shape how an organisation of nearly 9,000 people performs and evolves for a generation. What’s not to like?
For more information, please review the role profile below.
For a confidential discussion about the role please contact:
Rob Naylor
Email: rnaylor@faerfield.co.ukHelen Sawbridge
Email: hsawbridge@faerfield.co.ukMartin Tucker
Email: mtucker@faerfield.co.ukOr call us on: 0121 312 3755
Indicative timetable:
Closing date for applications:
Sunday 6 September 2026Preliminary Interviews (via Teams):
w/c 21 September 2026Stakeholder Meetings and Final Interviews (in-person):
w/c 5 or w/c 12 October 2026Dates may be subject to slight change.
Please let us know if there are any interview dates within the indicative timetable on which you are likely to be unavailable.
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 of no more than 1000 words.
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.