Head of Communities – Interims
| Posting date: | 29 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £52.43 per hour |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 28 August 2025 |
| Location: | Swindon, Wiltshire |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Nations Recruitment |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Job Category: Interims
Job location: Civic Campus, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JG, Swindon Borough Council
Hours per week: 37
Start date: Immediate start
Salary: £52.43 per hour
Job Purpose
Working at system level to advise and influence partners, commissioners and senior leaders to shape the
strategic direction of the prevention and early intervention agenda. Leading a team of Service Leads in thedesign and delivery of borough-wide services aimed at building community capacity, improving health and wellbeing and tackling inequality; thereby reducing/delaying demand and cost to public service.
restricted to:
� Community Safety and Community Safety Partnership
� Live Well Service
� Libraries and Information Service
This role will be integral to galvanising and leading a universal contact model and neighbourhood-based offer
which supports people who have the greatest need; providing the right support, in the right place and at the
right time.
Key Accountabilities
� Set medium to long term priorities for the services; taking account of wider system pressures,
statutory responsibilites and resourcing; horizon scanning and ensuring programmes are effective,
sustainable and meet demand.
� Lead Service Managers to ensure service level business plans are aligned to corporate plans,
translating missions and pledges into tangible action for Managers to take forward.
� Lead service development, design and delivery, ensuring programmes & resources tackle root causes
of demand and health inequalities, focusing particularly in those parts of the Borough where demand
on public services is highest.
� Lead and oversee the management of integrated community services as a key part of a future
integrated model of prevention and engagement for residents; building agile and responsive services
which has a core offer of improving outcomes for residents and families.
� Work with internal and external colleagues to explore and determine best use of local assets in line
with the development and delivery of an integrated community hub model; putting prevention and
early intervention at the heart of neighbourhoods.
� Influence at a senior level (CEO, Director and Head of Service) across the Swindon system; partnering
with health, police, fire, voluntary, parishes, businesses, community and faith sectors for the
betterment of residents.
� Offer expert advice on areas of prevention, health improvement, health promotion, volunteering,
community development and engagement to internal and external stakeholders, Members and
senior leaders.
� Be accountable for adherence to legislation, business continuity, risk management, safeguarding and
quality assurance across the integrated community services business area as well as the broader
corporate areas.
� Build and influence a network of community relationships to define insight & priority and build
community capacity; acting as an expert in this space.
� Manage all service area budgets, maintaining financial balance at all times and reporting against all
service level agreements.
� Develop and deliver Lets Talk Swindon resident and community engagement events; ensuring the
resident voice is at the heart of decision making and local people feel informed and inspired to
prticipate.
� Liaise with partners, including Parish and Town Councils to ensure effective communication,
collaboration and joint working which ensures the best outcomes for local residents
Supplementary Accountabilities
� Deputise for the Director Communities and Partnerships
� Strategically plan, manage and monitor the use of all resources (financial, human and other) and
make efficiency savings to ensure that the strategy for the directorate is achieved.
Knowledge & Experience
Candidates must have substantial knowledge and experience in the following areas of business and will be
required to provide evidence of this:
� Significant and substantial eexperience of developing synergies and partnerships within the Council
and with external partners
� Significant depth/breadth of management experience and knowledge; delivering outcomes at a
senior level
� Excellent management skills to drive services and ensure the strategic direction of the Council is
affected on a value-added basis
� Strong influencing, problem solving skills with a willingness to take managed risks to achieve
successful outcomes
� Proven experience of working with Members, MPs, Parishes, communities and major stakeholders
and an in-depth understanding of the political and complex environment the council works within
� High levels of competence in inspiring change through strong advocacy and compelling story telling
� Strong and effective negotiation skills to develop and maintain partnerships and collaborations at a
senior leadership level
� Proven knowledge and experience of seeking external funding and creating new opportunities
� Proven experience of managing complex budgets and multi-faceted teams
� Proven success in the delivery of presentations on a national platform
Qualifications
� Qualifications in Communities, Public Health, Community Safety with extensive senior management
experience
� ILM Leadership qualification (or similar) at least Level 5
Decision Making
� Strategic development of the service to align to corporate and system demands
� Accountability for partnership development and viability of projects
� Effective management of resources including financial and people and management of the
departmental budget circa �4m
� Accountability for the shape and structure of the service delivery teams
� Effective delivery of annual saving targets; accountable for decisions about where to invest or reduce
Job location: Civic Campus, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JG, Swindon Borough Council
Hours per week: 37
Start date: Immediate start
Salary: £52.43 per hour
Job Purpose
Working at system level to advise and influence partners, commissioners and senior leaders to shape the
strategic direction of the prevention and early intervention agenda. Leading a team of Service Leads in thedesign and delivery of borough-wide services aimed at building community capacity, improving health and wellbeing and tackling inequality; thereby reducing/delaying demand and cost to public service.
restricted to:
� Community Safety and Community Safety Partnership
� Live Well Service
� Libraries and Information Service
This role will be integral to galvanising and leading a universal contact model and neighbourhood-based offer
which supports people who have the greatest need; providing the right support, in the right place and at the
right time.
Key Accountabilities
� Set medium to long term priorities for the services; taking account of wider system pressures,
statutory responsibilites and resourcing; horizon scanning and ensuring programmes are effective,
sustainable and meet demand.
� Lead Service Managers to ensure service level business plans are aligned to corporate plans,
translating missions and pledges into tangible action for Managers to take forward.
� Lead service development, design and delivery, ensuring programmes & resources tackle root causes
of demand and health inequalities, focusing particularly in those parts of the Borough where demand
on public services is highest.
� Lead and oversee the management of integrated community services as a key part of a future
integrated model of prevention and engagement for residents; building agile and responsive services
which has a core offer of improving outcomes for residents and families.
� Work with internal and external colleagues to explore and determine best use of local assets in line
with the development and delivery of an integrated community hub model; putting prevention and
early intervention at the heart of neighbourhoods.
� Influence at a senior level (CEO, Director and Head of Service) across the Swindon system; partnering
with health, police, fire, voluntary, parishes, businesses, community and faith sectors for the
betterment of residents.
� Offer expert advice on areas of prevention, health improvement, health promotion, volunteering,
community development and engagement to internal and external stakeholders, Members and
senior leaders.
� Be accountable for adherence to legislation, business continuity, risk management, safeguarding and
quality assurance across the integrated community services business area as well as the broader
corporate areas.
� Build and influence a network of community relationships to define insight & priority and build
community capacity; acting as an expert in this space.
� Manage all service area budgets, maintaining financial balance at all times and reporting against all
service level agreements.
� Develop and deliver Lets Talk Swindon resident and community engagement events; ensuring the
resident voice is at the heart of decision making and local people feel informed and inspired to
prticipate.
� Liaise with partners, including Parish and Town Councils to ensure effective communication,
collaboration and joint working which ensures the best outcomes for local residents
Supplementary Accountabilities
� Deputise for the Director Communities and Partnerships
� Strategically plan, manage and monitor the use of all resources (financial, human and other) and
make efficiency savings to ensure that the strategy for the directorate is achieved.
Knowledge & Experience
Candidates must have substantial knowledge and experience in the following areas of business and will be
required to provide evidence of this:
� Significant and substantial eexperience of developing synergies and partnerships within the Council
and with external partners
� Significant depth/breadth of management experience and knowledge; delivering outcomes at a
senior level
� Excellent management skills to drive services and ensure the strategic direction of the Council is
affected on a value-added basis
� Strong influencing, problem solving skills with a willingness to take managed risks to achieve
successful outcomes
� Proven experience of working with Members, MPs, Parishes, communities and major stakeholders
and an in-depth understanding of the political and complex environment the council works within
� High levels of competence in inspiring change through strong advocacy and compelling story telling
� Strong and effective negotiation skills to develop and maintain partnerships and collaborations at a
senior leadership level
� Proven knowledge and experience of seeking external funding and creating new opportunities
� Proven experience of managing complex budgets and multi-faceted teams
� Proven success in the delivery of presentations on a national platform
Qualifications
� Qualifications in Communities, Public Health, Community Safety with extensive senior management
experience
� ILM Leadership qualification (or similar) at least Level 5
Decision Making
� Strategic development of the service to align to corporate and system demands
� Accountability for partnership development and viability of projects
� Effective management of resources including financial and people and management of the
departmental budget circa �4m
� Accountability for the shape and structure of the service delivery teams
� Effective delivery of annual saving targets; accountable for decisions about where to invest or reduce