Director of Transformation
London Borough of Croydon
Croydon
Up to £123,000
As one of London’s largest and most diverse boroughs, Croydon is a fantastic place to live, work and spend time, with all the benefits of close proximity to the rest of London and the southeast. Our borough is made up of diverse communities that stretch from Crystal Palace to Coulsdon and from New Addington to Purley; with bustling district centres and over 120 green spaces that link us together and an urban town at its centre. One of London’s largest commercial districts outside the centre, Croydon is a major hub for shoppers, workers and visitors; its excellent transport links include the iconic trams. The borough has a richly diverse cultural scene and is known as the birthplace of music genres from punk to dubstep and the home of grime legend Stormzy. Croydon’s greatest strength is its people. London’s most populous borough, Croydon is home to 398,800 (Census, 2021). Caring, passionate and principled, they take huge pride in coming together to improve their borough and help their communities. Croydon is also home to more than 90,275 people aged under 18 (Census 2021) – more young people than anywhere else in London. We are incredibly proud of them and committed to them and their futures. We look after more vulnerable children and young people than any other council in London; caring for them is a privilege and a priority, and our children’s services are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.
THE ROLE
We need an outstanding individual to join us to help lead the transformation of the whole council.
We are looking for someone who has the right skills and experience, but most importantly who also shares our values, and our commitment to Croydon and its people, and to making this Council the best organisation it can be.
Turning the Council round will be hard but fulfilling work; you will face challenges and Croydon will test every part of your experience and knowledge to date, but if you are the person we are looking for, this is exactly the opportunity you will relish.
You will not be on your own in this challenge. You will be joining a strong, supportive, and values- driven team of senior staff , all helping to rebuild the Council: its finances, its governance, its culture, and its services. The financial challenge is steep, but we are already making serious progress, with a clear three-year financial strategy in place, and a new political administration focused on the Mayor’s business plan, a shared commitment to the task ahead, and to putting Croydon’s people first.
Croydon is a fantastic place; a vital part of London’s growth story with a strong identity in its own right, and this is a rare chance to make genuine change in a place of great opportunity. It’s a once-in-a-career moment, to join us at a time when your impact will be felt the most.
We are building an organisation in which talented, clear-sighted, and committed individuals with a strong public service ethos thrive, and are building that supportive, inclusive, and accountable culture which will be so important to getting the Council back on track. We also want to rebuild the relationship with the people of Croydon and most importantly earn their trust again, which has been shattered by the financial and governance failures of the past.
This is a values-led organisation where people care passionately about fairness, inclusion, tackling inequality, and about making Croydon better for the people who live here. The next few years will be tough, but with the right team working together, they will also be immensely fulfilling.
Timeline
Closing date
28th April 2023
First Stage Interview
Early May 2023
Final Interview
Late May 2023
