Overview
Head of Transformation Salary: £76,271- £88,631
Location: Crewe / Macclesfield (hybrid, with borough‑wide travel)
The Opportunity: This is a core leadership role at the heart of one of the most ambitious transformation programmes in local government. As Head of Transformation, you will lead a resourced and focused corporate function responsible for delivering a portfolio of cross‑council programmes and projects that will reshape how Cheshire East operates. With a stable and embedded PMO already in place, you will build on strong foundations to drive delivery at pace and scale. Your immediate priorities will include developing a high‑performing team culture, establishing strong relationships across the organisation, and defining the council’s approach to service design, transformation and its future target operating model.
You will oversee a wide-ranging portfolio spanning prevention, demand management, service redesign, digital enablement and efficiency. In doing so, you will play a critical role in delivering both significant financial savings and tangible improvements to frontline services and resident experience.
Organisation
Cheshire East Council is entering a significant period of transformation and renewal. The council has recently embarked on a programme of organisational change aimed at strengthening leadership stability, modernising services and ensuring long‑term financial resilience. At the same time, Cheshire East is preparing to work closely with the emerging Combined Authority, creating new opportunities to shape regional growth and collaboration. The council is committed to building a cohesive and resilient senior leadership team capable of delivering sustainable improvement and lasting impact for residents, communities and businesses across the borough.
Responsibilities
* Lead the transformation corporate function delivering cross‑council programmes and projects.
* Develop a high‑performing team culture.
* Establish strong relationships across the organisation.
* Define the council’s approach to service design, transformation and target operating model.
* Oversee portfolio spanning prevention, demand management, service redesign, digital enablement and efficiency.
* Deliver significant financial savings and improvements to frontline services and resident experience.
Qualifications
We are seeking a transformation professional with a track record of delivering complex, organisation‑wide change. You will bring expertise in business change, portfolio and programme management, and service redesign, with the ability to operate credibly at senior levels within a large and complex organisation. You will be a collaborative and influential leader, able to build relationships across organisational boundaries, negotiate effectively and bring people with you through change.
Experience of leading large‑scale transformation in the public sector or similarly complex environments will be highly valued, alongside a clear understanding of how to balance financial outcomes with service improvement. Above all, you will be motivated by the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to shape the future of a major local authority – delivering meaningful, lasting change that improves outcomes for communities.
Contact
For more information on the role please visit https://wearecheshireeast.co.uk/
If you have any questions or would like confidential discussion, please contact our retained consultants at Penna:
* Andrew Tromans – 07805 226301 or andrew.tromans@penna.com
* Kelly Ridley – 07709 512415 or kelly.ridley@penna.com
Closing date: 23:59pm on Sunday 31st May 2026.
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