Job title: Change Manager
Contract: Permanent – 1 post
Temporary Contract or Secondment- minimum 6 months, up to 12 months – 1 post. Permission for release under secondment arrangements must be sought in advance by applicants from their current management.
Hours: 37 per week
Salary: £48,474 - £51,515 per annum (pro-rata)
INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.
In Leeds we aim high for our children and young people, with the ambition of being a child friendly city. We put children at the heart of all decisions that affect them.
Whilst we hold central our ambitions for all children to have the best start in life, to have access to the right opportunities to live happy and healthy lives, critical to delivery of this is the Children’s & Families workforce. The values, behaviour, insight and approach that leaders, managers and practitioners bring to their work determines the quality of the service that children, young people and families receive.
We have a lot to shout about and be proud of in Leeds. In 2022 the Children’s & Families services retained its Outstanding Ofsted judgement.
The current Children & Families environment is challenging, not least as impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic continue to be felt, however it is also an exciting time, with lots of opportunities to make improvements in service delivery and work practices.
Why not come and join us on this journey and be part of making a real difference to the lives of children, young people and their families across the city.
Introduction to the role of the team
Within Children & Families you will work in the Transformation team who support the delivery of an ambitious programme of change to achieve efficiencies, increase service capacity and improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Your role
Playing an integral part in delivering and embedding a significant programme of transformation across the directorate, you will have a central role in successful development and delivery of the transformation agenda, by providing strong leadership, with high-support, high-challenge, in the context of a complex programme of change.
Proactive and creative, you will be able to use your excellent professional knowledge and skills to improve services through the delivery of programmes of strategic significance by managing a portfolio of projects to facilitate innovation and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services and functions across the directorate.
The Change Manager will engage with partners and other stakeholders to gain agreement and commitment to delivering change, co-operation, and resources to successfully deliver service improvement. Leading and managing project teams directly and through matrix management arrangements to determine business requirements, you would define and scope change initiatives, managing risks and issues and effectively deliver agreed changes.
You will have the experience and skill sets to deliver transformational change through a range of approaches, including user centred design, which enables the directorate to further build on its restorative practice approach.
What you will bring to the role
Across a complex programme of change you will work flexibly as part of a wider programme team, and with multi-disciplinary teams, utilising your skills and experience to review current processes and service delivery models, carry out options appraisals and support services to design new processes and delivery models to improve children and family focused services.
You will have experience in supporting teams through both cultural and operational change to ensure effective service delivery including the development of robust business cases, making the best use of resources, maximising the use of technology and re-engineering business processes. You will also have excellent communication and support skills and the ability to build and maintain productive and effective working relationships
Benefits of working with us:
We pride ourselves on offering the best employee experience, with a genuine commitment to keeping our colleagues safe and well at work. You can expect great benefits whilst working for us including:
- a competitive pay progression structure including generous employer pension contributions
- flexible career paths with tailored personal and professional development
- support for you, your home and your family including personal, and financial support
- hybrid working arrangements (subject to needs of the role) and a flexitime system
For more information about our benefits please see the benefits section of our jobs page.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2022. We are also an Age friendly employer, a Mindful employer and a Disability Confident leader.
Leeds City Council is a compassionate employer who is proud to offer the best employee experience. Our employee benefits aim to look after your health and wellbeing, your workplace and your finances. Our shared Values and behaviours help everyone to be their best.
You can read more in the following link Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.
Job Description
Job Purpose: The postholder will have a central role in successful development and delivery of the Children &
Families transformation agenda, by providing strong leadership, with high-support, high-challenge, in the
context of a complex programme of change. The Change Manager will support the Children & Families
Directorate to deliver programmes of strategic significance by managing a portfolio of projects to facilitate innovation and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services and functions across the directorate.
The post holder will engage with partners and other stakeholders to gain agreement and commitment to
delivering change, co-operation, and resources to successfully deliver service improvement. The post
holder will lead and manage project teams in determining business requirements, defining and scoping
change initiatives, managing risks and issues and effectively delivering agreed changes.
Transformational change will be delivered through a range of approaches, including user centred design, which enable the directorate to further build on its restorative practice approach. Activity will involve reviewing of current processes and service delivery models, carrying out options appraisals where
necessary, supporting services to design new processes and delivery models, determining key outcomes, development of robust business cases, making the best use of resources, maximising the use
of technology and re-engineering business processes, ensuring that objectives are delivered on time,
within budget and to expected levels of quality.
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a significant, varied and complex programme of change aligned to the directorate’s
transformation agenda, ensuring successful delivery. - Matrix management of multi-disciplinary project teams, identifying and planning for required resource
within project programmes. - Provide support to teams, managers and senior leaders, the postholder will support readiness for
change. - Provide strategic and operational leadership across the directorate in change and transformation, with
high-support, high-challenge. - Supervision and appraisal of staff in line with associated policies and procedures
- Support staff to feel motivated and engaged in the values, vision and direction of the service, promoting
the values of the Council through appropriate behaviour and professionalism. - Manage performance of the team across a range of agreed indicators and undertake management
actions to improve performance as necessary. - Support continuous improvement initiatives through contributing to cross Council projects and
collaborative working with partners across the health and care sector. - Work with a range of colleagues from across the directorate, council and partners to ensure the right
support for teams, managers and senior leaders, which create the right conditions for successful change - Take lead for ensuring appropriate use of information technology, processes and systems to ensure
efficient and effective service delivery including planning and control in accordance with the
requirements of GDPR - Use initiative to identify issues and Develop solutions to issues and problems to ensure effective delivery of the service
- Manage competing priorities, ensuring consistency of approach, with a key focus on delivery and quality.
- Provide written and verbal reports on activity to the directorate’s senior leadership team, transformation
delivery board and other stakeholders, as required. - Oversee budgets aligned to the directorate’s transformation programme supporting project delivery, including planning and monitoring spend and working with finance colleagues to provide monitoring reports as required.
- Take a lead role in budget management, monitoring and financial planning ensure effective spending of
budgeted sums whilst adhering to Council Financial Regulations. - Engage with partners and other stakeholders to gain agreement to, and ensure ongoing commitment
to, delivering the directorate’s change and transformation agenda. - To be an active participant in the Transformation & Partnerships Service leadership team.
- Advise senior leaders, executive and elected members as required on matters of policy and strategy.
- Chair and manage meetings as required, including agenda planning and preparation.
- Be aware of relevant legislation, guidance, policies and interpret and apply them consistently
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date
knowledge and skills - Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
- Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training
days/events as requested. - Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health,
safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person - Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality and diversity policies
opportunities of Leeds City Council. - Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equality and diversity, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
- The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications it is essential that you hold a relevant programme or project management qualification or be able to clearly demonstrate substantial equivalent knowledge and experience of project management.
Personal Specification
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate
Essential Requirements It is essential that candidates should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements
Skills Required
- Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate
- Able to use initiative to develop solutions to issues and problems to ensure effective delivery of the service
- Strong leaderships skills in the context of managing change and leading major projects.
- Effective application of project management techniques and methodologies to achieve desired outcomes, including but not limited to risk and benefit register, project initiation and stakeholder
management plan. - Able to review current processes and delivery models, identify areas for improvement/change and lead
the design of business re-engineering to meet agreed outcomes. - Undertake options appraisals, with robust evaluation and clear rationale for recommendation.
- Able to develop cases for change which clearly articulate the need for change, what change is being sought and why, benefits and risk, required investment, targeted savings and resource management.
- Excellent report writing skills, with the ability to present complex information succinctly, to effectively
achieve the intended purpose of the report. - Strong presentation skills, both written and verbal, to a range of audience including to senior leaders, boards, and Elected Members.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across team and organisational boundaries.
- Highly effective inter-personal skills with the ability to lead, influence, establish and maintain positive working relationships across a range of stakeholders.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to gather, interpret, present data from a range of sources, as well as produce recommendations aligned to achieving objectives.
- Effective chairing of meetings, keeping to agenda and required outcomes.
- Effective budget management, including developing cost plans to support effective project delivery,
monitoring and reporting.
Knowledge Required - Strong understanding and demonstrable working knowledge of the theory of change.
- Good understanding of current challenges being faced by local government and the wider public sector.
- Understanding of the current challenges facing children’s services, both locally and nationally.
- Of legislation, policies and statutory duties that local government carry in relation to children and family services
- Understanding of responsibilities in terms of Health and Safety, security, confidentiality and data
protection - Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of
individuals, - Of relevant financial regulations to carry out financial transactions
Experience Required
- Substantial experience of working within a programme and/or project management environment.
- Of working across complex change programmes, supporting successful project delivery.
- Of leading and managing projects involving partnership working across a variety of disciplines and professions.
- Of supporting teams through both cultural and operational change to ensure effective service delivery.
- Of working within a matrix management approach, between line manager, project managers, service managers and other senior colleagues.
- Of identifying roles and resources needed to deliver projects.
- Supervising and managing staff, within a project environment, to achieve the best from them.
- Of working on projects that have delivered customer focused outcomes.
- Of using own initiative and making swift decisions and judgements
- Of communicating appropriately with a wide range of people, through a variety of different methods and influencing views and behaviour to meet objectives.
Behavioural & other Characteristics required
- Committed to continuous improvement.
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equality & Diversity Policies.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
- Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date
knowledge, skills and continuous professional development - Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.
