Organisational Development Lead
Temporary, Full Time
£600 per day (umbrella)
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style:
Closing Date: Friday 27th June 2025
Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.
The Opportunity
Essex County Council are looking for experienced Organisational Development Lead to join them on an initial 6-month basis to support the council through an exciting period of change. This role will involve working at a strategic level and will be overseeing the organisational design and development work across the council and the wider system.
Key areas of responsibility:
1. Aligning individual design and change projects and programmes to ensure consistency of approach and strategic integration across all strands of the organisation development team including wellbeing, EDI, leadership and management development, employee experience and change management
2. Provide expert advice, guidance, and challenge to senior leaders, members, and key stakeholders, presenting, explaining, engaging, influencing, persuading, and challenging corporate and political leadership teams and decision-makers. Incorporate excellent report writing and presentation skills.
3. Efficiently managing team resources, ensuring projects are well researched, data informed, meticulously planned, scheduled, and delivered within set timelines and budgets, with regular and transparent reporting.
4. Use professional expertise to develop and translate functional strategies, goals and plans into prioritised and resourced work plans that comply with relevant legislation and statutory requirements (at an appropriate level of risk).
5. Improve organisational effectiveness through design, implementation and review of culture, change and design initiatives grounded in professional practice and with the agility to respond to a changing landscape
6. Experience of working in large, complex matrixed management environments with the ability to work autonomously
The Experience You Will Bring
7. Educated to degree level in a relevant professional field such as organisational development, business improvement, Business Administration, Human Resources or equivalent by experience
8. Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area
9. Experience of working in large, complex matrixed management environments with the ability to work autonomously
10. Strong understanding and evidence of effective application of leading-edge organisational behaviour, change management, and strategic planning theories and methods, with demonstrable experience of practical and successful application of these within a complex matrix environment
11. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate insights into actionable recommendations
Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.