About Us
East Devon District Council is creating a brand-new Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) to manage and deliver recycling and waste services across the district. This is a bold and exciting move, one that puts local people, sustainability, and innovation at the heart of service delivery. In time, the LATCo is also expected to expand, taking on the Council’s StreetScene Operations service and carefully selected commercial services with clear environmental benefits, such as commercial recycling.
We are proud to be one of the UK’s leading councils on recycling and environmental performance, consistently achieving high recycling rates and working towards ambitious carbon reduction goals. By establishing our own LATCo, we are taking control of how services are delivered, ensuring they are not only efficient and financially sustainable but also deeply aligned with the values of the communities we serve.
This is more than just a recycling and waste service. It’s about building an organisation with purpose, one that combines the best of public service ethos with the agility and commercial mindset of a modern company.
About the Role
We are looking for an outstanding Managing Director to shape, lead and grow this new company from the ground up. Reporting to the Board of Directors and working closely with East Devon District Council, you will be responsible for setting the strategic direction, inspiring a new workforce culture, and delivering services that meet high expectations for quality, value and sustainability.
This is a role that requires breadth and depth. You will be expected to provide clear strategic leadership, building a long-term business plan that aligns with the council’s vision and wider environmental ambitions. At the same time, you will need to oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring that recycling and waste services are delivered effectively, contracts are met in full, and customers experience services that are reliable, efficient and continually improving.
Financial resilience will be at the heart of your work. You will be responsible for developing and implementing commercial and financial strategies that keep the company strong, sustainable and able to grow. As Managing Director, you will ensure the highest standards of governance, accountability and compliance, with particular focus on health and safety, environmental performance and risk management.
Just as importantly, you will act as the figurehead for the company, building strong relationships with staff, trade unions, suppliers, council officers and members, and the wider community. You will represent the organisation regionally and nationally, developing partnerships and enhancing our reputation as a trusted service provider, a valued employer and a forward-thinking business. This is not only about overseeing today’s services but about positioning the company for future growth, which calls for strong commercial thinking, partnership working and, just as importantly, the personal qualities that engender trust and collaboration.
This is a unique opportunity to combine the entrepreneurial challenge of building a new company with the responsibility of safeguarding public interest.
About You
We are looking for a strategic, inspiring and commercially astute leader who shares our passion for excellent public services and sustainable growth. You will bring a strong track record of senior leadership in local government services or equivalent large-scale operations, together with experience of managing recycling, waste or other high-risk operational services where health and safety and environmental compliance are paramount. Alongside public sector and governance experience, we are equally keen to see evidence of commercial and private sector acumen, leading a company, driving growth, creating income streams and operating with a genuine growth mindset.
You will have a proven ability to deliver service transformation and improvement, using data, technology and innovation to drive efficiency and customer satisfaction. Alongside this, you will bring commercial and financial expertise, with experience of managing multi-million-pound budgets and developing long-term strategies that secure financial resilience.
Equally important will be your leadership style. You will be someone who leads with empathy, integrity and inclusion, able to inspire confidence in staff and create a culture that motivates, empowers and values people. Political awareness will also be vital, as you navigate complex environments and build trust with a wide range of stakeholders.
Above all, you will be resilient, adaptable and excited by the challenge of building something new. With strong communication skills and a values-led approach, you will inspire trust and help establish this new LATCo as a respected, high-performing organisation from day one.
This isn’t just another leadership job. It’s the chance to create, shape and grow a company that will make a lasting impact on services, communities and the environment.
Visit www.futurewasteeastdevon.co.uk for more information
Closing date – Midnight Wednesday 24th September 2025
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 Ella.Vanderhook@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 current salary and 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 emailinclusion@tile-hill.co.uk.
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