At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead parks and visitor services, ensuring high-quality experiences for the community.
- Company: Join Sandwell Council, a values-led organisation making a real impact.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and strong focus on employee development.
- Other info: Embrace diversity and inclusion in a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a lasting difference in your community while leading innovative projects.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in customer-facing services, ideally in the public sector.
The predicted salary is between 74454 - 84792 € per year.
Sandwell Council’s Environment & Public Protection Division is seeking a Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services to join its established team. As Head of Service, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for designated service areas, ensuring delivery aligns with the Council Plan and wider corporate priorities. You will lead service planning, performance improvement and transformation, manage significant budgets, and provide high‑level professional advice to senior officers, Cabinet Members and elected members. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will contribute to corporate strategy, lead cross‑council initiatives, and deputise for the Service Director as required to ensure effective, efficient and customer‑focused service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Council’s parks and visitor services, delivering high‑quality, inclusive and customer‑focused experiences for residents and visitors.
- Maximise the use, enjoyment and accessibility of parks and attractions, ensuring they are valued community assets that balance public enjoyment with environmental sustainability.
- Drive commercial performance and financial sustainability across the service, including catering, retail, attractions and concessions.
- Lead the development and delivery of engaging events programmes that attract residents to parks and open spaces and support the Council’s wider civic and corporate priorities.
- Ensure the highest standards of operational management, securing and maintaining external accreditations and recognition such as Green Flag and Visit England where possible.
- Lead the procurement, commissioning and management of external operators and concession contracts where these deliver best value.
- Work with senior colleagues to deliver capital investment and improvement projects in parks and open spaces, ensuring delivery to time, cost and quality.
- Promote and maintain the highest standards of animal welfare across the Council’s open spaces and visitor attractions.
- Provide high‑level, evidence‑based professional advice to the Council, Cabinet Members and senior leaders, including the preparation and presentation of reports.
- Lead, motivate and develop managers and teams through effective performance management, creating a culture of accountability, inclusion and high performance.
- Ensure robust financial management, with clear accountability for budgets, resources, risks, outcomes and performance targets.
- Represent the Council externally, building effective partnerships, contributing regionally and nationally, and enhancing the Council’s reputation.
- Champion health, safety, wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion, consistently modelling the highest standards of public service leadership.
Attributes
- Proven senior leadership experience within a complex, customer‑facing service, ideally within a public sector or similarly accountable environment.
- The ability to successfully balance commercial opportunity, community value and environmental responsibility.
- Demonstrable experience of service transformation, continuous improvement and delivering change at scale.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience of budget management, commissioning and value‑for‑money decision‑making.
- Credibility and confidence to advise senior officers and Elected Members on complex or sensitive issues.
- Excellent stakeholder management and partnership‑working skills, with experience of influencing across organisational boundaries.
- A strong people‑focused leadership style, with a track record of engaging, developing and empowering managers and teams.
- A clear commitment to high standards of governance, health and safety, animal welfare and legislative compliance.
- Professional integrity, resilience and sound judgement, reflecting the highest standards expected of public office holders.
- A commitment to the Council’s values, the ‘One Team’ culture and being a visible champion of change and continuous service improvement.
Why Sandwell Council?
At Sandwell Council, our work has a real impact. We are proud to be a values‑led organisation that supports its employees with excellent benefits, a competitive remuneration package, and a strong focus on development. By joining us, you’ll play a key role in delivering services that make a real and lasting difference to thousands of people across the borough.
Contact
Please submit a CV and supporting statement to Sukhy Lall on sukhy_lall@sandwell.gov.uk.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We place equality, diversity and inclusion at the core of who we are and how we lead, where every voice matters. At Sandwell, we recognise and value the richness that comes from diverse lived experiences, perspectives, backgrounds and identities. This diversity makes us a stronger and more effective council. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, are treated fairly, and have the opportunity to thrive. Creating an environment where colleagues feel respected, supported and able to contribute fully is central to our culture and the way we work. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants and employees have equitable access to opportunities. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process and within the workplace so that everyone has the support they need to perform at their best and succeed in their role.
If you are an internal candidate and currently at risk, please let the recruiting manager know. If you have any questions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion, you can contact the EDI Team at EDI_Team@sandwell.gov.uk. If you wish to apply as Care Leaver, Armed Forces Veteran or a Disability Confident candidate, please make sure to state this when submitting your CV. If you have a disability and require assistance in submitting your CV, please contact sukhy_lall@sandwell.gov.uk. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should a high number of applications be received. Applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services in Oldbury employer: WMJobs
At Sandwell Council, we pride ourselves on being a values-led organisation that not only offers competitive remuneration and excellent benefits but also fosters a supportive work culture focused on employee development. As the Head of Service for Parks & Visitor Services, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the community while working in a collaborative environment that champions diversity, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services in Oldbury
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the parks and visitor services sector. Attend local events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show your passion for parks and community services during interviews. Share your ideas on how to enhance visitor experiences or improve sustainability. This will not only demonstrate your knowledge but also your commitment to the role and the community.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky interview questions! Think about scenarios where you’ve led teams, managed budgets, or improved services. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and showcase your leadership skills effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our organisation. So, get that application in and let’s make a difference together!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services in Oldbury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the key responsibilities and attributes mentioned in the job description. Highlight your relevant experience in leadership, service transformation, and financial management to show us you’re the perfect fit for the role.
Craft a Compelling Supporting Statement:Use your supporting statement to tell us why you’re passionate about parks and visitor services. Share specific examples of how you've driven change and improved services in previous roles, aligning with our values and priorities.
Showcase Your Leadership Style:We want to see how you lead and motivate teams. In your application, give us insights into your people-focused leadership style and how you’ve developed managers and teams to achieve high performance and accountability.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your CV and supporting statement, and it ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Sandwell Council.
How to prepare for a job interview at WMJobs
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you thoroughly understand the role of Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services. Familiarise yourself with Sandwell Council's priorities, especially around community engagement and environmental sustainability. This will help you demonstrate your alignment with their goals during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your senior leadership experience in customer-facing services. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully balanced commercial opportunities with community value and environmental responsibility in previous roles.
✨Be Ready for Financial Discussions
Since the role involves significant budget management, brush up on your financial acumen. Be prepared to discuss your experience with budget management, commissioning, and making value-for-money decisions. This will show that you can handle the financial responsibilities of the position.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you've managed stakeholder relationships in the past. Prepare to share specific instances where you've influenced decisions across organisational boundaries. This will demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively and effectively within a complex environment.
