Head of Organisational Development

Sheffield City Council is delivering a major, organisation-wide transformation programme alongside a newly launched People Strategy and a significant equal pay and job evaluation programme. This is not a traditional change agenda focused only on people processes, it is a whole organisation reset, spanning culture, leadership, structure and capability.

We are seeking a senior OD leader to establish and embed a brand-new OD function from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to shape how OD operates across a complex organisation at a pivotal moment of change, with real scope to influence culture, leadership, organisational design and workforce capability at scale.

About the Role
As Head of Organisational Development, you will establish and lead a brand-new small OD function that provides the strategic thread across culture, leadership, organisational design, workforce planning and performance. You will create the OD operating model that bring these areas together into a single, joined-up approach, giving clarity to how OD is delivered and enabling others across the organisation to work consistently within it, embedding expectations into day-to-day decisions, communications, and accountability.

This is an ambitious organisation with a significant transformation agenda to deliver. While important progress has been made, there is much more to do, particularly in strengthening organisational capability, embedding consistent leadership behaviours, and building the systems that will support long-term change at scale.

Working closely with the Corporate Leadership Team, you will help translate organisational ambition into practical, sustainable change. A core focus will be shaping a consistent, organisation-wide approach to leadership and culture. You will also strengthen organisational design capability, improving clarity and effectiveness across structures and develop a more strategic approach to workforce planning so the organisation can better anticipate future needs. Alongside this, you will support the development of a performance management approach that drives improvement and accountability, ensuring it is embedded in a way that is meaningful, consistent and actively supports better decision-making and organisational effectiveness across the Council.

About You
We are looking for someone who brings senior-level experience in organisational development and a proven ability to influence at an executive level across complex organisations. You will be confident operating where priorities are evolving and clarity needs to be created, not just delivered.

You will have experience across organisational design, culture change and workforce planning, and the ability to bring these together into a practical, joined-up approach that delivers real organisational impact. Strong influencing, relationship-building and stakeholder management skills will be essential, alongside the credibility and confidence to engage, challenge and support senior leaders in shaping direction and decisions. You will also be able to translate strategy into clear frameworks and delivery approaches that others can understand, adopt and embed in practice.

Experience of local government is not essential. What matters most is your ability to build something new, shape organisational thinking, and create lasting capability in a complex environment.

This is a role with genuine influence at a pivotal moment for the organisation, where there is both urgency and opportunity to strengthen how it works, develops and delivers for the future. Organisational Development will sit at the heart of that journey, and your work will help define how it moves forward.

If you would welcome a conversation about the role please contact Chantelle Wooldridge on 07557018320 or Clare Connor on 0161 408 0703. For more information, please visit: www.sheffield-together.com.
  
Closing date: Midnight on Wednesday 20th May

To apply:
To apply, please submit an up-to-date copy of your CV (three sides of A4 maximum), along with a supporting statement (three sides of A4 maximum) detailing your experience, and achievements and addressing the key criteria for the role set out on this site and using examples to demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Documents should be uploaded via our website, please include and upload the below information in two documents only. If you experience any issues whilst applying, please contact rebecca.keen@tile-hill.co.uk.
 
Applications should include:

• Full contact details;
• Names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees (we will ask your permission before contacting referees);
• Details of your notice period
• Notification of any dates when you are not available for an interview.

At Tile Hill, we are committed to inclusion and accessibility. We champion and support all individuals to ensure everyone feels valued, listened to and motivated to get the very best out of each recruitment process and that processes are designed to meet the needs of individuals. If you have any specific requests and would like a confidential discussion with the Tile Hill team, then please email inclusion@tile-hill.co.uk.