Interim Head of Organisational Development

Interim Head of Organisational Development – Fixed term contract until 31 March 2027

Wokingham Borough Council has a fantastic opportunity available, for a highly motivated and experienced Head of Organisational Development to join our HR and OD service. 

We are a highly ambitious Council and are about to embark on a significant period of transformation in Organisational Development.  Reporting to our Service Director for Corporate Services and working alongside our Head of HR and OD, you will be the lead for our OD transformation programme of change alongside overseeing the OD team to ensure that the work is aligned to the OD priorities within this programme and implemented and embedded across the Council. 

The role will support the delivery plan on the People Strategy to include tools, and interventions to help the council achieve its strategic ambitions which will include programmes such as culture, performance management, leadership and development. 

Experience of working within a local government setting would be highly advantageous. 

Our flexible working scheme means we can consider candidates from all areas of the UK, and we offer an incredible range of additional benefits including 31 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), a fantastic local government pension scheme, a range of employee discounts and much more. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Lead, coach, develop, and manage the OD team to ensure high-quality work aligned with organisational development principles to support the delivery of the council’s key priorities such as the Council Plan, People Strategy and Values and Behaviours. 
• Review, co-produce and provide support to embed the cultural change required to support delivery of the strategies and lead on transformation programme identified within the OD programme of change. 
• Identify and address gaps in workforce planning and develop solutions and initiatives (including succession planning, talent management, team development tools, coaching and mentoring, leadership and management, apprenticeships) to overcome any shortfall to enable effective and efficient service delivery and support the transition of this into business as usual.
• Lead on identifying the Council’s resourcing needs such as induction, work experience and develop talent solutions to ensure the Council has trained staff in the right place at the right time. 
• Assess the impact of organisational development and design across processes, behaviours, attitudes, systems, culture, communication, and ways of working. Identify opportunities to add value through innovative people solutions.  
• Develop and embed a learning culture and the implementation and review of mandatory training, corporate training offers and other training requirements across the Council. 
• Responsible for the Council’s learning management system, which will include commissioning and contract management and the co-lead for procurement of a new system that ensures full monitoring of the learning of the workforce.  This will include evaluation and review of the modules within the learning management system and ensuring best practice and for purpose. 

 Candidate Requirements: 

• Degree-level, equivalent relevant professional qualifications, or expertise 
• Experience of leading and managing a team of professionals 
• Demonstrable experience of managing complex cultural, systems, process, and behavioural change 
• Demonstrable experience of developing capability, mitigating risks, and delivering results  

For an informal discussion, please contact: Louise Livingston, Service Director for Corporate Services - Louise.Livingston@wokingham.gov.uk or Sally Halliwell, Head of HR and OD -Sally.Halliwell@wokingham.gov.uk 

Closing Date: Friday 13th June 2025, 11pm

Interview Date: TBC 

Whilst this is a fixed term contract appointment, for anyone already employed by Wokingham Borough Council this would be classed as a secondment if successful.  Therefore, the usual permission requests for secondments apply and you must speak to your line manager in the first instance before applying.

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. 

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer. 

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.