Head of Communities

Posted 29 July 2025
Salary 70.74
LocationSwindon SN1 United Kingdom
Job type Full time
Sector Community & Social
ReferenceOR10615

Job description

3 months contract with local authority

Working at a system level to provide guidance and influence to partners, commissioners, and senior leaders in shaping the strategic direction of prevention and early intervention initiatives. Leading a team of Service Leads in designing and delivering borough-wide services aimed at enhancing community capacity, improving health and wellbeing, and addressing inequality to reduce or delay demand and cost to public services. Providing strategic oversight of integrated community-based services and leading a universal contact model and neighborhood-based offer to support individuals with the greatest need. Collaborating with other Heads of Service to ensure a cohesive strategy and delivery for Swindon residents.

Key Accountabilities

  • Setting medium to long-term priorities for services, considering wider system pressures, statutory responsibilities, and resources.
  • Leading Service Managers to ensure service level business plans align with corporate plans and translate missions and pledges into actionable plans.
  • Leading service development, design, and delivery to address root causes of demand and health inequalities, particularly in high-demand areas.
  • Overseeing the management of integrated community services as part of a future integrated model of prevention and engagement.
  • Working with internal and external colleagues to explore the best use of local assets in line with the development and delivery of an integrated community hub model.
  • Influencing at a senior level across the Swindon system and offering expert advice on prevention, health improvement, and community engagement to stakeholders.
  • Ensuring adherence to legislation, business continuity, risk management, safeguarding, and quality assurance across the integrated community services business area.
  • Building and influencing a network of community relationships to define insight and priority and build community capacity.
  • Managing all service area budgets and developing and delivering resident and community engagement events.

Supplementary Accountabilities

  • Deputizing for the Director of Communities and Partnerships.
  • Strategically planning, managing, and monitoring the use of all resources and making efficiency savings.
  • Contributing at a senior level to system-wide meetings, task forces, and development groups.
  • Initiating proof of concepts/pilots to build evidence and drive innovative activity.
  • Attending meetings to influence corporate decisions and seeking external funding opportunities.
  • Mitigating costs to public service through innovative approaches and ensuring a balanced budget.

Knowledge & Experience

Candidates must have substantial knowledge and experience in the following areas of business and will be required to provide evidence of this:
  • Substantial experience of developing synergies and partnerships within the Council and with external partners.
  • Depth and breadth of management experience and knowledge at a senior level