Principal Change Delivery Consultant

Our Digital Technology and Change (DTaC) is going through an exciting period of change within Reading Borough Council.

We are in the process of setting up a professional Change Delivery team within the service, providing professional staff to projects/ programmes within the Council that need support in the following:

• Programme and project management
• Business analysis
• User-centred design thinking
• Business change management
• Project procurement and supplier management

In order to provide the Council with the flexibility to adapt to changing demand and to improve career development opportunity for our staff, the Principal Change Delivery Consultant roles will be multi-disciplinary in nature.

Reading is an ambitious Council and we have some great and varied programmes of work taking place at Council. Here are just some examples of the types of projects that the DTaC service are involved in the delivery of:

• The Future Councils pilot to become modern and resilient improving our digital services and cyber security (£750k pilot funding won)

• The Levelling up programme focussed on two culture led regeneration projects – Hexbox an extension of the Hexagon Theatre and the relocation of the central library to Reading’s Civic Offices (£19m bid won)

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About the role

You will be required to have for the Principal Change Delivery Consultant role:

Strategic thinking and analysis skills – ability to bring together complex areas of work and understand the impact on the change and delivery.

• Strong programme and project management skills
• Line management experience of coaching and mentoring a team
• Strong interpersonal and thinking skills - ability to be able to explain complex activity clearly to obtain buy in at senior levels of the organisation
• Specialism in one or more technical competencies (business analysis, business change management, user centred design or project procurement)
• Lower level of understanding (level 3) of the technical competencies allowing for working knowledge of these specialisms to be applied.

You will lead on Strategic and complex assignments and will spend the majority of your time working on assignments agreed with the wider business areas operating at a senior level within the organisation.

You will also be responsible for the direct line management of the Senior Change Delivery Consultants and their teams of Change Delivery Consultants /Analysts who you will coach and mentor.

Examples of the types of assignments you could be resourced to at a strategic programme level: Customer & digital programmes, Adult social care cross cutting delivery of technology and ways of working delivery.

You will also help to drive and lead our Change Delivery methods for the council, taking into account developments in best practice and lessons learnt from our project delivery.

You will communicate our methods and best practices to the wider organisation (e.g. through bite sized training) and provide coaching/ mentoring to the wider organisation in their use.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

About you

We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and passionate individual to join our Change Delivery team.

Key experience we are looking for from the candidate:

• Significant experience in delivering successful complex projects and / or programmes to completion – including technical implementations within IT and Digital environment
• Significant experience in business transformation and service design
• Experience in complex stakeholder management across multiple organisation, including ability to influence at a senior level

• Significant experience in business change management
• Significant experience in user centred problem solving and solutioning for clients
• Significant experience of acting as an effective coach and mentor, guiding team members to achieve goals effectively and efficiently

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

For more information on this position please contact Zoe Hobbs, Portfolio Management Office (PMO) & Change Delivery Manager at zoe.hobbs@reading.gov.uk

Closing Date: 8th April 2024

Interview Date: To be confirmed

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.