INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Deputy Chief Officer – Environmental Services

Salary: Director Grade (65%) £86,426 - £94,856

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Newmarket House, Leeds (with expectation of being visible in the workplace the majority of the time, alongside flexible working across the city and region)

As a Deputy Chief Officer – Environmental Services you’ll thrive on leading one of the most visible and essential frontline services in Leeds, shaping and delivering the future of household waste management while contributing to the city’s environmental ambitions.

It’s not about simply maintaining services – this role is about leading a complex operational service through improvement and modernisation, strengthening operational reliability, workforce engagement and environmental performance.

Leeds is one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK, with ambitious plans to create cleaner, greener and more sustainable neighbourhoods. At the heart of delivering this ambition is Environmental Services – incorporating some of the most visible and essential services the council provides to residents across the city. Crucially, this includes the refuse collection service that reaches all households every week of the year, with half a million bins emptied every week, the second largest in the UK.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Deputy Chief Officer – Environmental Services, you will bring to the role:

Significant experience leading large and complex services with responsibility for workforce performance, service delivery, financial stewardship and continuous improvement
A people-centred leadership style that values people and builds trust, recognising that strong services are built on engaged and supported teams
Experience of leading culture change and organisational improvement programmes that strengthen leadership capability, accountability and workforce engagement
A clear commitment to embedding health, safety and wellbeing as core leadership responsibilities, with experience of developing strong safety cultures across operational workforces
The ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively with elected members, trade unions, partners, communities and colleagues to deliver shared outcomes
The ability to contribute at a senior corporate level, supporting wider organisational priorities and cross-council programmes

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join our senior leadership team as Deputy Chief Officer – Environmental Services, who will focus on household waste management and have a responsibility for shaping and delivering the future of this critical frontline service.

The role will oversee the management of a large operational workforce, supporting the city’s environmental ambitions through waste reduction, increased reuse and recycling and sustainable resource management, and making a significant contribution towards a reduction in the Council’s carbon emissions and achievement of the net zero ambition.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to lead a complex operational service through its next phase of improvement and modernisation, strengthening operational reliability, workforce engagement and environmental performance while ensuring the service continues to meet the needs of residents across Leeds.

Reporting to the Chief Officer, the Deputy Chief Officer will provide strategic and operational leadership across household waste services, ensuring the delivery of safe, efficient and reliable services for the citizens of Leeds.

This role combines large-scale operational leadership with corporate strategic responsibility, requiring the ability to lead significant frontline teams while contributing to wider council priorities and organisational programmes.

A central part of the role will be ensuring that health, safety and wellbeing are embedded at the heart of service delivery, recognising the importance of creating environments where colleagues feel safe, supported and able to perform at their best.

The successful candidate will play a leading role, supporting the Chief Officer, in:

Delivering safe, efficient and reliable waste management services across the city
Supporting the development and implementation of the Leeds Waste Strategy
Responding to national requirements and the impact of changes in legislation including Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility and a Deposit Return Scheme
Ensuring robust, fit for purpose and good value contracts are in place to manage household waste and that performance is effectively monitored
Leading service transformation and continuous improvement across operational delivery
Strengthening workforce engagement, leadership capability and organisational culture
Building constructive industrial relations and workforce collaboration
Working closely with elected members, partners, communities and stakeholders
Driving a customer focussed culture, with particular emphasis on the reliability of delivery and ensuring access for all to the services we provide
Contributing to corporate programmes focused on organisational effectiveness, workforce development and financial sustainability

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please upload your CV and complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Chief Officer, John Woolmer, at john.woolmer@leeds.gov.uk

Closing date: Friday 5^th June 2026

Interview date: Friday 12^th June 2026 at Newmarket House.

Job Description

Job purpose

Accountable to the Chief Officer, the Deputy Chief Officer is strategically responsible for the leadership, management and continuous improvement of the household waste management services group and their functions with accountability and responsibility for the delivery of agreed outcomes, targets and objectives in line with Council priorities in particular the current Leeds Waste Strategy.
The role has overall responsibility for fulfilling the Council’s statutory obligations in relation to household waste including kerbside collection, disposal and Household Waste Recycling Centres.
The post holder will ensure the delivery of improvement targets in the areas of waste reduction, reuse, recycling and diversion from landfill, working closely with key stakeholders, partners and contractors.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage a range of household waste management functions ensuring ongoing delivery and continuous improvement of services which meet the needs of citizens and stakeholders and the various outcomes set out in the Leeds Waste Strategy.
To ensure the delivery of relevant sections of the Leeds Waste Strategy for Leeds and the statutory households waste management functions, whilst delivering sustainability in waste collection and disposal, increasing reuse and recycling and achieving waste minimisation.
To ensure the delivery of improvement targets in the areas of waste reduction, reuse, recycling and diversion from landfill, working closely with partners and contributing toward the reduction in the Council’s carbon emissions and net zero ambition.
To deputise for the Chief Officer as required.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Appropriate professional qualification or equivalent substantial knowledge gained through significant managerial experience across the service area.

Essential requirements

Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

Role specific essential requirements

Substantial experience of effective leadership and management including performance management, change management, service improvement and delivery.
Understand public sector issues, government legislation and its impact on Council strategy and services.
Demonstrate in depth knowledge of legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance measures applicable to the relevant strategic functions.
Demonstrate strong leadership and management skills to develop a high performing culture across the service where everyone can achieve their potential and ‘feel they count’ and where there is a drive to deliver the most efficient and effective business solutions.
Contribute to and influence the strategic direction of the service area working with a range of internal and external partners and stakeholders.
Develop, implement, promote and evaluate strategies and policies within the service area and contribute to overarching strategies for the organisation and its partners and stakeholders.
Establish, develop and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders and partners to gain ownership of the shared vision and improve and enhance service delivery and innovation.
Take responsibility and accountability for developing and implementing appropriate, proportionate and effective solutions to complex service delivery problems.
Accurately analyse information and make timely well-judged decisions in order to achieve successful outcomes across a diverse range of related and unrelated issues.
Lead and manage a number of complex and potentially conflicting strategic and operational issues/priorities and be able to develop and implement innovative solutions to deliver required service outcomes.
High level of numeracy and analytical skills to enable financial scenario planning and the development of business cases to support service transformation.
Management of substantial budgets within assigned service area through effective delegation and shared decision making.
Review and monitor the performance of services, systems, budgets, teams and individuals against standards and agreed outcomes in a cost effective and flexible way.
Use strong people management skills to engage, develop and performance manage resources that support adaptable ways of working and create strong more flexible teams.

Behavioural and other Characteristics required

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

Track record of industrial relations leadership in unionised environments
Experience contributing to corporate programmes
Success in leading and driving significant changes in service delivery

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