Chief Executive

Job Purpose:

Further information about this exciting opportunity can be found here

Aberdeen City Council is seeking an exceptional leader to guide one of Scotland's largest local authorities.

Leading a workforce of around 9,000 employees, as Chief Executive you will work closely with elected members, partners and communities to provide strategic leadership for one of Scotland's largest local authorities and ensure high-quality services for the people of Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is entering an important period in its development. Investment, economic diversification and long-term regeneration projects are creating new opportunities for the city and the region. As Chief Executive, you will help ensure the Council is well placed to respond to these opportunities while continuing to deliver for residents.

In return, you will join a council with ambitious plans, committed colleagues and a willingness to embrace new approaches.

Before applying for this job, it is important that you read the guidance by clicking on this link and the Job Profile attached. These explain the job role and the type of person we're looking for.

The post holder needs to hold as a minimum:

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills and leadership experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional and leadership development.

The postholder is able to demonstrate:

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• Successful strategic leadership within a large, complex organisation.
• Experience of advising and working effectively with elected members, boards or equivalent governance structures.
• Strong political awareness, judgement and resilience, including the ability to operate effectively at the interface between elected members, senior officers, partners and communities.
• Experience of leading organisations through significant and complex transformation, organisational change, financial challenge or major public service challenge.
• Experience of using evidence, insight and engagement to support sound judgement in complex public service contexts.
• Experience of leading high-performing senior teams and developing organisational capability.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including responsibility for significant budgets and resources.
• Excellent communication, engagement and relationship-building skills.
• A commitment to public service values, ethical leadership, impartiality, transparency and the highest standards of conduct.
• Experience of representing an organisation publicly, including working effectively with the media, government and senior external stakeholders.
• A demonstrable track record of influencing across organisational boundaries and building strategic partnerships that deliver improved outcomes.

Candidates should demonstrate a clear understanding of:

• The challenges and opportunities facing local government and public services.
• Effective governance, accountability and public sector leadership.
• Strategic financial management and Best Value principles.
• Partnership working and place-based leadership.
• The legislative and policy environment within which local government operates, including the democratic, ethical and statutory responsibilities of senior public office.

About Us

Please see the Job Profile for further details.

Aberdeen City Council is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. For further information, please see our Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Recruitment pack.

Flexible Working

We are happy to talk flexible working and offer flexible working for most roles in the organisation meaning that many of our employees enjoy the freedom of choosing a working pattern that suits them as much as it suits the organisation.

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident Employer.  If you consider yourself to have a disability and think you may require a reasonable adjustment to be made for this part of the selection process, or would like further information in relation to reasonable adjustments, please contact Recruitment@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

Armed Forces

We are a forces-friendly employer, have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are a gold award recipient in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.  We have a specific email address for those in the forces, those who have left the forces, as well as their partners / spouses / families: armedforces@aberdeencity.gov.uk.  We are able to answer questions about jobs and our application / selection process, as well as about our employee support provisions.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

We have a number of guaranteed interview schemes available to applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role they are applying for who:

• have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 (all jobs)
• looked after young people, those that are in continuing care or are a care leaver up to the age of 29 (all jobs)
• are aged 16-24 and live in Aberdeen City or have been to an Aberdeen City Council school and are applying for a Modern Apprenticeship (except Trades apprenticeships)
• have done a Foundation Apprenticeship with Aberdeen City Council and are applying for any apprenticeships relevant to the area in which they did their Foundation Apprenticeship
• are New Scots aged 16-24 and are applying for any apprenticeships

Please note that eligibility to work in the UK is dependent on legal status and all applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.