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- Tasks: Lead high-profile registration and bereavement services, ensuring compassionate customer care.
- Company: Brent Council, a diverse and dynamic borough in London.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, up to 33 days leave, excellent pension, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact during pivotal life moments for residents.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in sensitive services with strong commercial acumen.
- Other info: Join a collaborative community and shape nationally significant services.
The predicted salary is between 90865 - 111270 £ per year.
Salary range: £90,865 - £111,270 p.a. inc. London weighting, plus fantastic benefits!
Contract: Permanent
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Civic centre and other locations from time to time
Leading high-profile statutory services at life's most pivotal moments.
About Brent: Brent is one of London's most diverse, dynamic boroughs. Our ambition is to be a national centre of excellence in Registration & Nationality, Mortuary and Bereavement Services — combining impeccable statutory compliance with outstanding customer experience.
The Role: This is leadership where purpose, complexity and public impact meet. Brent Council is seeking an exceptional senior leader to head one of its most sensitive, high-profile and strategically significant service portfolios. As Head of Service - Registration & Bereavement Services, you will provide strategic leadership across Registration & Nationality, Mortuary and Bereavement Services, including cemeteries, while holding the statutory role of Superintendent Registrar. You will operate at the intersection of public service, regulation, community trust and commercial acumen, shaping services that touch residents at the most important moments of their lives. This is a role for a leader who can set national standards, lead with empathy, manage political scrutiny, and grow sustainable income.
The Opportunity:
- Build a Centre of Excellence with national credibility. You will lead services that are subject to government oversight, media interest and political scrutiny — with the opportunity to position Brent as a national leader in registration, nationality and bereavement services.
- Lead scale, complexity and transformation. You will oversee a c. £7m portfolio, a workforce of 49 staff, and services operating seven days a week, balancing statutory compliance, service resilience, customer experience and financial sustainability.
- Shape income growth — responsibly and sensitively. This is a key income-generating portfolio. You will be expected to develop new business areas, maximise existing income streams, and deliver stretch targets — while maintaining dignity, trust and community confidence.
- Be trusted at the highest levels. You will work closely with government departments, coroners, regulators, elected Members, MPs, partner authorities and community leaders, representing Brent with authority and credibility.
- Champion compassionate, high-quality customer service. You will ensure pivotal life events are handled with empathy, care and dignity, setting service standards that reflect the importance of these moments for Brent residents.
Your impact at a glance:
- Multi million portfolio: overall budget responsibility c. £7m, balancing pay, non pay and income lines across Registration & Nationality, Mortuary and Cemeteries.
- A sizeable, skilled workforce: leadership of 49 staff across services, ensuring resilience, wellbeing and high performance.
- Life event delivery at volume: 3,800 plus births; 2,600 deaths; 600 plus burials annually; 2,300 plus citizenship certificates and 2,500 plus ceremonies; and c.2,600 annual body movements through the Shared Mortuary Service covering 1 million residents.
About you: You are a senior leader with a proven track record of leading complex, sensitive and politically high-profile registration and bereavement services. You bring deep professional knowledge of registration, nationality, mortuary and bereavement functions, combining strong commercial acumen with empathy and rigorous governance. You influence confidently at all levels, inspire high performance, and are driven to deliver excellent resident experiences at scale, recognizing that births, deaths, marriages and citizenship represent some of the most significant and impactful life events Brent residents will experience.
Join us and lead services that matter, delivering impact where it counts most!
Ready to Apply? To apply, please click the "Apply" to be redirected to our careers page. Along with your CV, please submit:
- A supporting statement clearly demonstrating how you meet the six assessment areas below:
Further information about the role, the application process and the key assessment criteria can be found in the Candidate Pack.
- Strategic leadership in high-profile, sensitive services
- Commercial acumen and income generation
- Statutory and regulatory expertise (registration, nationality, mortuary and bereavement services)
- Transformation and service improvement
- Empathy-led, customer-focused leadership
Closing date: 1st February 2026 at 23:59
Interview date & location: 9th February 2026 at Brent Civic Centre
In addition to a competitive package, you'll join a collaborative leadership community, with the scope to shape a nationally significant service and the freedom to innovate responsibly for residents.
More about our benefits package: We know people achieve their best when they feel valued. At Brent, you'll benefit from:
- Up to 33 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
- Excellent pension with generous employer contributions (LGPS)
- Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
- Supportive family-friendly policies for parent, guardians, and carers
- Health and wellbeing support, including access to eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- Financial support such as education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
- Travel perks including Zipcar access, affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and great onsite facilities
- Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career
- Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment
Additional Information: If you are interested in applying for this job, please start by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. Please note that along with your CV, you must provide a supporting statement as part of your application that clearly shows how you meet the six criteria outlined in the candidate pack.
Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community. We positively encourage all applicants to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section in the application.
We are committed to safer recruitment and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that posts working with children, young people and vulnerable adults are subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.
Brent has a positive approach to flexible working. As a disability confident employer Brent welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including "non-visible" disabilities and mental health conditions. We will interview any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to any part of the recruitment process due to your disability, please contact us on recruitment.gov.uk.
Head of Service - Registration and Bereavement in London employer: Brent Council
Contact Detail:
Brent Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service - Registration and Bereavement in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its values. Understand their mission and how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you answer questions confidently and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your answers and get comfortable with common interview questions. The more you practice, the more natural you'll feel during the real deal.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to follow up after your interview! A simple thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and show your enthusiasm for the position. Plus, it keeps you on their radar as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service - Registration and Bereavement in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Skills: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in leading complex and sensitive services. We want to see how you've made an impact in previous roles, especially in high-profile environments.
Be Commercially Savvy: Don’t forget to showcase your commercial acumen! Talk about how you've successfully generated income or improved financial sustainability in past positions. This is key for us at Brent.
Demonstrate Empathy: Since this role involves pivotal life events, it’s crucial to convey your empathetic approach to customer service. Share examples of how you’ve handled sensitive situations with care and dignity.
Follow the Application Guidelines: Make sure to follow our application process closely. Submit your CV along with a supporting statement that clearly addresses the six assessment areas. We’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Brent Council
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the registration and bereavement services landscape. Brush up on statutory compliance, community trust, and the specific challenges faced in these areas. This will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're ready to lead.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to discuss your leadership approach, especially how you manage sensitive situations with empathy and care. Think of examples where you've successfully led teams through complex challenges, and be ready to share how you inspire high performance while maintaining a compassionate customer focus.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Acumen
Since this role involves income generation, come prepared with ideas on how to develop new business areas and maximise existing income streams. Be ready to discuss your past experiences in driving financial sustainability while ensuring service quality and community confidence.
✨Engage with the Community
Brent values community trust, so think about how you can engage with residents and stakeholders effectively. Prepare to talk about your strategies for building relationships with government departments, community leaders, and other key players, showcasing your ability to represent Brent with authority and credibility.
