Innovation and Transformation Manager

Job Description

Are you an experienced leader with a strong track record of delivering innovative, transformative and complex change?

We are looking for a credible and experienced professional who can work confidently with senior leaders to translate corporate priorities, financial challenges and service redesign ambitions into meaningful, deliverable transformation activity. The role will provide strategic leadership for the corporate change portfolio, ensuring major transformation activity is well governed, effectively delivered and embedded across the organisation.

As an Innovation and Transformation Manager, you will lead the development and delivery of the corporate innovation and transformation portfolio, support key strategic boards and advise senior leadership on change priorities, delivery risks, sequencing and organisational capacity. You will also oversee portfolio governance, assurance, reporting and benefits realisation arrangements, ensuring that transformation activity aligns with corporate priorities, medium-term financial planning, digital strategy, workforce planning and service improvement objectives.

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with significant senior leadership experience in transformation, organisational change, corporate improvement or programme delivery. You should bring experience of leading large and complex change portfolios in politically or operationally complex environments, together with a successful track record of delivering programmes and projects to time, budget and quality outcomes.

This role will suit someone who can champion innovation, continuous improvement and evidence-based service redesign, while building strong relationships with senior leaders, elected members, service teams and external partners. You will need excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to analyse and explain complex information clearly to a range of audiences.

You will also bring strong knowledge of governance, risk management, financial planning, business case development and benefits realisation, along with substantial understanding of programme, project and change management approaches. Experience of service redesign, performance improvement and innovation methods will be essential to success in this role.

This is a key leadership opportunity for someone with drive, enthusiasm and resilience, who can inspire others, overcome barriers and help embed a positive culture of transformation, innovation and continuous improvement for the benefit of the organisation and the communities it serves.

Applicants should hold a degree-level qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline and be able to demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development. A professional qualification in programme or project management, such as MSP, PRINCE2 or Agile, and a leadership qualification would be desirable.

If you have the experience, energy and ambition to lead major transformation and innovation across a complex organisation, we would welcome your application.

Requirements

It is Aberdeenshire Council’s procedure that applicants for vacancies of this nature require to attend an assessment centre as well as interview.

Informal enquiries to: Rob Simpson - 01467 539353

This is a Politically Restricted position as identified by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Further information on restrictions as a result of this designation is available here.

This post has a minimum requirement of one reference, which must be your current or most recent employer.