Chief Executive role profile

Generic responsibilities

• Make a significant contribution to the strategic leadership and management of the District Council as a member of the Corporate Leadership Team.
• Accountable for all aspects of the leadership, management, development, direction, and delivery of allocated service(s), including joint working and inter-agency co-operation, working closely with Elected Members and other internal/external groups.
• Play a lead role in the development and delivery of the Council’s aims and objectives in the Corporate Plan, including the participation and promotion of partnership working with external agencies.
• Initiate, lead, and contribute to corporate developments and initiatives so as to assist the Council to achieve its objectives.
• Accountable for Service budgets to ensure the delivery of the medium-term financial strategy and ensure the provision and delivery of high quality and cost-effective services.
• Responsibility for contributing towards driving forward or supporting work streams within the “Wyre Forest Forward” transformation agenda to ensure that the Council's corporate priorities are delivered.
• Direct staff to work in a legal and compliant way with all resources (for example, equipment, IT hardware and software).
• Provide guidance and professional advice to Chief Executive and elected members, ensuring relevant legal compliance, clear communication, and delivery of Council objectives.
• Responsible for maintaining and modelling Our Values and standards by developing and driving a people centred and values-based culture.
• Responsible for being part of the Council’s emergency response team on a rota system and in times of major incident.

Corporate accountabilities

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Undertake equality impact assessments as required to ensure the council ‘s policies are lawful.
• Work to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and report incidents as they occur. Treat everyone with dignity and respect and ensure individual’s needs are met.  Challenge inappropriate behaviour and language constructively.
• Actively promote inclusion across the Council.

Health and Safety

• To operate with due regard to the Council’s policies, procedures and guidance and undertake any health and safety training as appropriate.
• To undertake specific risk assessments for team members as appropriate.

Information security and governance

• Manage information in line with the Council’s policies, procedures and guidance on Data Protection, GDPR, Freedom of Information, confidentiality, information security and sharing to ensure compliance and efficient and effective information governance.

Safeguarding

• Maintain awareness of Council policies and practices regarding the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults who may be at risk. Report concerns in accordance with corporate guidance and procedures.

Purpose of the job

As the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service:

• To be responsible for leading, managing and directing the Corporate Management Team and all employees of the Council in the implementation of Council Policy and the management of Council functions.
• To work closely with the Cabinet in fulfilling the Council’s Executive function and with both the Leader and all Members of the Council in preparing, developing, delivering, and reviewing policy and strategic direction.
• To ensure co-ordinated, cost effective and high-quality provision of services that are responsive to local needs and circumstances.
• To ensure that the Council influences key partners and stakeholders to fulfil its leadership role.

Council Governance

• To ensure, in consultation with the relevant statutory officers, that legal, financial, procedural, and other provisions governing the affairs of the Council are properly observed and that the best interests of the Council as a whole are protected at all times.
• To give due weight and consideration to the policy direction and advice to the Leader, providing guidance as necessary in order to ensure the effective corporate governance, management of Council functions and implementation of Cabinet and Council decisions.
• To provide advice, assistance, and support to the Leader of the Council in fulfilling his/her responsibilities, including representing and promoting the Council, and the district as a whole, on external bodies, within partnership arrangements and through public and media relations
• To work closely with Group Leaders in relation to policy development, budget formulation and strategy and all other relevant administrative matters.
• To provide support, advice and guidance to all Members of the Council on matters of community leadership and governance.

Corporate Management

• To provide a strategic focus to the organisation, planning for and anticipating change, identifying resource implications and advising the Leader and the Council accordingly.
• To lead, manage and direct the Corporate Management Team in providing support to the Cabinet and Council in the formulation, development and review of Council policy and strategy.
• To provide and promote the highest standards of leadership, management and employee relations throughout the organisation and develop positive and mutually respectful relationships between officers and elected members.
• To exercise authority over Corporate Directors and other employees as required in order to ensure the achievement of the Council’s objectives, including the development and operation of an effective framework of delegated decision making.
• To ensure the timely identification of corporate and other ‘cross service’ issues affecting the Council’s activities and/or objectives and the development of appropriate responses.
• To have overall responsibility for the effective and efficient management of Council functions and the implementation of Cabinet and Council decisions, ensuring high levels of performance across the Council within the context of the priorities of the Council and the relevant external inspection and assessment regimes.
• To ensure that the principles of equality of opportunity are fully integrated and actively pursued within all areas of the Council’s service provision and employment policies, practices and procedures.
• To ensure that adequate resources and transparent and rigorous mechanisms are in operation in order to fulfil statutory functions and an effective overview and scrutiny processes with regard to both decision making processes and policy development.
• To be responsible for the appointment, development, performance appraisal and disciplinary action (up to and including dismissal) of Corporate Directors, and all other officers within a delegated framework.
• To take responsibility for Emergency Planning arrangements.
• To ensure effective communication, internally and externally, in order to promote high levels of awareness and understanding of the aims, objectives, priorities and values of the Council and its achievements in delivering services to and developing its communities.