Senior Change and Improvement Officer

This role has a starting salary of £53,713 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week. This is a 24-month fixed-term contract.

Are you an ambitious change professional ready to transform Surrey’s adult skills and employability system?

Can you play a key role in a co-designing skills provision that is future-focused and helps to unlock economic growth?

We are excited to be hiring a new Senior Change and Improvement Officer to help discharge adult education functions and funding devolved from the UK Govt to Surrey County Council.

The contractual base will be Woodhatch Place, Reigate. The role is hybrid with at least one day in Woodhatch (usually Tuesday), combined with regular attendance at meetings, workshops and events across the county, which may require travel across the county.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the team

This post sits within the Council’s Economy & Growth service and plays a key role in driving inclusive and sustainable growth in line with Surrey’s wider economic ambitions. The service works across the organisation as One Council to deliver strategic priorities that grow the economy while ensuring no one is left behind.

We provide strategic services spanning business support, innovation, skills and employment, working with partners and major employers to champion and future‑proof the county’s economy. Surrey is home to 110,000 businesses, supports 1.2 million residents and contributes £50bn annually to the UK economy.

Working closely with employers, providers and partners, the team delivers the Council’s devolved adult education functions, aligning skills provision with pathways into work and empowering residents to achieve sustainable employment.

Make a real difference to people living, learning and working in Surrey

Surrey County Council is committed to ensuring residents can access the skills they need to enter, progress in and sustain meaningful employment, while employers can access the workforce they need. Through devolved adult education funding, Surrey is shaping skills and employment support around local needs to drive economic growth for all.

About the role

This is a highly visible role with significant interest from senior political leaders, local partners and wider stakeholders. Working in the Council’s Economy & Growth team, you will be responsible for leading strands of the adult skills transformation strategy; driving improvements in employer engagement, provider capacity/capability, programme design and system collaboration; and co-designing skills provision to ensure Surrey’s residents and employers can benefit from high quality and inclusive training opportunities.

The Senior Change and Improvement Officer will be expected to work horizontally across Economy & Growth and other Council services, contributing to the team's collectively owned outcomes and helping to integrate change into complementary employment and business support programmes.

Key responsibilities and outcomes

• Deliver skills transformation initiatives aligned to Surrey’s Skills for Jobs strategy.
• Build effective employer, provider and stakeholder partnerships to support co‑design and engagement.
• Use data and insight to inform commissioning, provider development and decision‑making.
• Support change management and operational delivery to address skills gaps and improve outcomes.
• Contribute to joined‑up Economy & Growth delivery, including cross‑cutting programmes.

Your application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and experience and align with our behaviours:

• Experience delivering change and improvement in skills, employability or a similar public service area.
• Good understanding of adult skills, labour markets and employer demand.
• Ability to build effective partnerships and working relationships.
• Confident using data and insight to inform action.
• Strong communication, organisation and collaborative skills.

To apply, please submit your CV and outline your experience and suitability for the role by responding to the following questions (no more than 400 words for each):

1. Provide examples (up to three) of transformation projects/programmes you have led or contributed to. What was your role, what changed as a result and how did you sustain long‑term impact?
2. Describe your experience of working with employers to drive a complex multi-stakeholder project or programme. What was your role and how did you ensure employer input translated into real changes in delivery and outcomes?

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

This advert will close at 23:59 on Sunday 17th May 2026, with interviews currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday 2nd June.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion, please contact Simon Griffin via email – simon.griffin@surreycc.gov.uk.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we are committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.