Head of Service

Contract to start ASAP

Duration: 12 weeks with a possible extension.

Full job description

Head of Service – Wirral MBC

Hours: Full-time (36 hours per week)

Contract: 12-week temporary contract from 30 November 2026 to 21 February 2027

Provide Strategic Leadership and Drive High-Quality Service Delivery

We're recruiting an experienced Head of Service to join Wirral MBC, based at 2 Alice Square, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 2YA.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for providing strategic direction, operational oversight and effective management across a key Council service area.

You'll work closely with senior leaders, managers, elected members, partner organisations and other stakeholders to ensure services are delivered effectively, resources are managed appropriately and strategic priorities are translated into measurable outcomes.

About the Role

As Head of Service, you'll provide leadership across an assigned service area, ensuring strong performance, effective governance and high standards of delivery.

You'll oversee managers and teams, manage budgets and resources, lead service improvement activity and provide clear advice to senior stakeholders on performance, risks and strategic priorities.

What you'll be doing:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership across the assigned service area
• Leading managers and multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality services
• Translating Council priorities into clear service plans and objectives
• Monitoring service performance, outcomes and key performance indicators
• Managing budgets, resources and financial performance
• Identifying service risks and implementing appropriate mitigation
• Leading service improvement and transformation initiatives
• Providing professional advice and briefings to senior officers and elected members
• Ensuring services comply with relevant legislation, policies and governance requirements
• Managing complex operational and strategic issues
• Leading workforce planning and organisational development activity
• Supporting managers with performance, capability and workforce matters
• Developing effective relationships with partners, providers and external stakeholders
• Representing the Council at meetings, boards and partnership forums
• Preparing reports, business cases and strategic recommendations
• Overseeing commissioning, contracts or externally delivered services where required
• Ensuring effective financial control and value for money
• Promoting continuous improvement, innovation and customer-focused service delivery
• Maintaining appropriate governance, accountability and audit arrangements
• Supporting wider corporate priorities and cross-Council programmes

Requirements

We're looking for a highly experienced senior manager with strong leadership, strategic planning and service-delivery expertise.

You'll ideally have:

• Significant senior management or Head of Service experience
• Experience leading complex services, teams and managers
• Strong strategic planning and operational management skills
• Experience managing significant budgets and resources
• Strong performance-management and service-improvement experience
• Experience leading organisational change or transformation
• Ability to manage complex risks and make sound strategic decisions
• Excellent leadership and people-management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with senior officers, elected members or boards
• Strong stakeholder and partnership-management skills
• Experience preparing strategic reports and business cases
• Good understanding of governance, financial management and accountability
• Previous local authority or wider public-sector leadership experience would be highly desirable
• Ability to work effectively in a politically sensitive environment
• Relevant professional or management qualification would be advantageous
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• Ability to provide relevant references/work history
• Ability to complete required pre-employment checks

Why Apply

• Senior leadership opportunity with Wirral MBC
• Competitive Umbrella rate of £449.92 per day
• Full-time 36-hour working week
• Opportunity to lead a key Council service area
• Chance to influence strategic direction and service improvement
• Work closely with senior leaders, elected members and partner organisations
• 12-week temporary senior management assignment
• Opportunity to further develop local authority leadership experience

Benefits

• Weekly Pay
• Company Pension
• Ongoing Agency Support

Additional Information

Client: Wirral MBC

Job Title: Head of Service

Location: 2 Alice Square, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 2YA

Positions Available: 1

Hours: 36 hours per week

Start Date: 30 November 2026

End Date: 21 February 2027

Contract Duration: 12 weeks

Contract Type: Temporary

Pay Rate: Umbrella: £449.92 per day

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract

Pay: £449.92 per day

Benefits:

• Company pension

Application question(s):

• Do you have significant experience working at Head of Service or senior management level?
• Do you have experience leading complex services, managers and multidisciplinary teams?
• Are you experienced in managing budgets, performance, risk and service improvement?
• Have you previously worked within a local authority or wider public-sector organisation?
• Are you confident working with senior officers, elected members and external partners?
• Are you able to reliably travel to 2 Alice Square, Birkenhead, CH41 2YA?
• Are you available to start from 30 November 2026?

Experience:

• Senior Management / Head of Service: 3 years (required)
• Service Leadership / Transformation: 3 years (required)
• Budget & Performance Management: 2 years (preferred)
• Local Authority / Public Sector: 2 years (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Relevant Management / Professional Qualification (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.

OR121583-11-26