Head of Sustainability, Policy & Inclusion

Job Introduction

Hybrid working with 2 days in the office in Bournemouth.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a place where people and nature, coast and towns come together to offer a wealth of potential. And at BCP Council we want to realise this potential. 

We’ve got a brand new corporate strategy that puts sustainability, equality and diversity at the heart of all we do and we’ve created a team that ensures that ambition is embedded at policy level.

We’re looking for a proactive leader to head up the team that drives our climate response agenda, develops impactful policies and advises on the council’s performance against our targets, especially inclusion and diversity.

This is an opportunity to put our two priorities of sustainability and equality and diversity at the very heart of our policy-making and we want a Head of Service who can seize that opportunity either through their own professional experience or by making the most of others’ expertise.

The deadlines for our net zero targets are quickly approaching and this role will provide the experience and expertise to deliver tangible activity to ensure we reach each milestone on the journey. Whether that’s supporting services to make sustainable choices, identifying funding sources for relevant projects or working with partners across the region on potential alternative energy sources, this role is integral to pushing our climate agenda forward. 

This is a unique role and we’re looking for candidates who bring expertise in one element (sustainability, policy, equalities and diversity) and the leadership qualities, professional curiosity and agility to drive the other areas. We’re looking for someone who is unafraid of challenging or being challenged and committed to making the most of the potential within the Policy, Sustainability and Inclusion team. 

Your work will help elected members and officers make informed decisions that will benefit our residents, businesses and visitors for years to come. You’ll have strong and deft stakeholder management skills and use data and evidence to change minds, get by-in and enthuse others to deliver. Supported by an agile, motivated and professional team, you’ll be comfortable working across a range of issues, drawing on your own and others’ specialist knowledge to assess risks and opportunities. 

Leadership and good management are essential. You’ll be setting professional standards and leading by example. We’ve invested in the team’s resource with four new roles across Policy and Sustainability, so you’ll be joining at a time when you can set and develop team vision, culture, and ways of working. 

In return, you’ll know that you’ve made a major and lasting contribution to better the sustainability of our beautiful area and benefit our residents, partners, businesses and visitors.

While you’re work base will be Bournemouth Civic Centre, we operate a hybrid working pattern and an expectation that you’ll be in the offices in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole two days a week. BCP Council supports flexible working and we are open to discussion about flexible working patterns.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide dynamic leadership, strategic direction, and effective management to lead the delivery of the Council’s Policy, Sustainability and Inclusion service  
• Lead the development and delivery of a strategic business plan which maximises the service impact against the Council’s priorities, values and future plans.
• Lead the development and delivery of the Council’s vision and strategic direction via the Corporate Plan and policy framework; ensuring sustainability and inclusion are at the heart of both and translating strategy into council-wide performance goals and strong outcomes
• Be responsible for the Council’s climate emergency response providing strategic direction and leadership, operational management and financial control
• Initiate, lead and successfully deliver multiple major projects, each with a clear purpose, scope, outcome and communications, to make the council, it’s partners and the area a leader in the sustainability arena
• Be responsible for the Council’s equality and diversity ambitions, providing strategic direction and leadership
• Work proactively with leaders and members across all directorates and services to provide insight, support, challenge and resources to create an aspirational Corporate Plan, climate response and equality and diversity strategy
• Seek and develop a broad range of internal and external partners and stakeholders to take a collaborative approach and overcome barriers to achieve collective outcomes.
• Keep continually updated with all new government legislation and sector best practice to implement both service and council-wide changes when required to ensure compliance 
• Instil a council-wide culture of measurement and data-led decision-making to ensure policies are fit for purpose, impactful and measurable
• Anticipate emerging risks and opportunities; leading the team to respond appropriately and creatively to influence activity and long-term activity.
• Provide insight, advice and challenge alongside peers as part of the directorate’s senior leadership team
• Empower team members to use their full range of skills in the context of the whole team so that individuals understand each other’s part in service-wide objectives
• Coach team managers to deliver performance management best practice to create a positive culture where individuals can fulfil their potential and develop professionally.
• Manage the allocated budget effectively and flexibly to deliver service objectives and in line with the council’s finance policies – monitoring spend, risks and opportunities and reforecasting regularly.
• May enter into negotiations and act on behalf of the Council
• Be a role model for the Council’s values and behaviours, addressing poor behaviour swiftly and encouraging others to do the same

The Ideal Candidate

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) in a related field
• Advanced relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience, with evidence of continuous professional development and understanding of industry best practice
• Deep specialist knowledge of a range of disciplines
• Experience of guiding, developing and setting organisation-wide policy and corporate plans
• Experience of leading a multi-disciplinary team in complex roles and establishing a high-performance culture using best-practice people management tools and techniques
• Knowledge of, and experience working with, a range of sectors across local government
• Thorough knowledge of project management gained through extensive experience
• Experience of effective change and stakeholder management
• Experience of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to own area of work, including sustainability, climate action and policy
• Experience of providing complex advice to senior leaders on a range of issues
• Demonstrable experience of setting strategy and translating this into deliverable outcomes
• Able to make evidence-based and outcome focussed decisions that will have a major impact on council policy and activity, using proactive risk management to ensure the quality of the service is maintained.
• Able to assemble complex evidence and information to provide challenge and insight in areas where you may not always be the expert.
• Ability to set clear team objectives and priorities linked to the corporate strategy
• Able to build, lead, inspire and motivate a diverse team
• Able to establish professional relationships across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders to develop shared approaches with colleagues and enable joined-up planning and shared values and objectives
• Able to critically assess demand, delegate appropriate resource and deliver constructive challenge diplomatically
• Inspire professional curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement 
• Appreciate diversity in both customers and colleagues and consider their specific needs
• Ability to manage conflicting and competing priorities effectively, with resilience, to keep management performance on track during periods of uncertainty and change  

For a conversation about the role, please contact Isla Reynolds, Director of Marketing, Communications and Policy at isla.reynolds@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package to colleagues. Find out more on our website

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation and colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. This is expected to be in place in 2024 or early 2025.