Job title: Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services
Grade/Salary: Band Hay 1 (circa £85,000)
Contract Type: Full time, Permanent
Hours: 37 hours
Location: Sandwell Council House, Oldbury (Hybrid)
Sandwell Council’s Environment & Public Protection Division is seeking a Head of Service – Parks & Visitor Services to join its established team. As Head of Service, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for designated service areas, ensuring delivery aligns with the Council Plan and wider corporate priorities. You will lead service planning, performance improvement and transformation, manage significant budgets, and provide high‑level professional advice to senior officers, Cabinet Members and elected members. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will contribute to corporate strategy, lead cross‑council initiatives, and deputise for the Service Director as required to ensure effective, efficient and customer‑focused service delivery.
In this role you will:
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Council’s parks and visitor services, delivering high‑quality, inclusive and customer‑focused experiences for residents and visitors.
- Maximise the use, enjoyment and accessibility of parks and attractions, ensuring they are valued community assets that balance public enjoyment with environmental sustainability.
- Drive commercial performance and financial sustainability across the service, including catering, retail, attractions and concessions.
- Lead the development and delivery of engaging events programmes that attract residents to parks and open spaces and support the Council’s wider civic and corporate priorities.
- Ensure the highest standards of operational management, securing and maintaining external accreditations and recognition such as Green Flag and Visit England where possible.
- Lead the procurement, commissioning and management of external operators and concession contracts where these deliver best value.
- Work with senior colleagues to deliver capital investment and improvement projects in parks and open spaces, ensuring delivery to time, cost and quality.
- Promote and maintain the highest standards of animal welfare across the Council’s open spaces and visitor attractions.
- Provide high‑level, evidence‑based professional advice to the Council, Cabinet Members and senior leaders, including the preparation and presentation of reports.
- Lead, motivate and develop managers and teams through effective performance management, creating a culture of accountability, inclusion and high performance.
- Ensure robust financial management, with clear accountability for budgets, resources, risks, outcomes and performance targets.
- Represent the Council externally, building effective partnerships, contributing regionally and nationally, and enhancing the Council’s reputation.
- Champion health, safety, wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion, consistently modelling the highest standards of public service leadership.
Attributes that you would bring to the role:
- Proven senior leadership experience within a complex, customer‑facing service, ideally within a public sector or similarly accountable environment.
- The ability to successfully balance commercial opportunity, community value and environmental responsibility.
- Demonstrable experience of service transformation, continuous improvement and delivering change at scale.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience of budget management, commissioning and value‑for‑money decision‑making.
- Credibility and confidence to advise senior officers and Elected Members on complex or sensitive issues.
- Excellent stakeholder management and partnership‑working skills, with experience of influencing across organisational boundaries.
- A strong people‑focused leadership style, with a track record of engaging, developing and empowering managers and teams.
- A clear commitment to high standards of governance, health and safety, animal welfare and legislative compliance.
- Professional integrity, resilience and sound judgement, reflecting the highest standards expected of public office holders.
- A commitment to the Council’s values, the ‘One Team’ culture and being a visible champion of change and continuous service improvement.
Why Sandwell Council?
At Sandwell Council, our work has a real impact. We are proud to be a values‑led organisation that supports its employees with excellent benefits, a competitive remuneration package, and a strong focus on development. By joining us, you’ll play a key role in delivering services that make a real and lasting difference to thousands of people across the borough.
To find out more, please visit our careers page: We Are Sandwell – We Are Sandwell
Please submit a CV and supporting statement to Sukhy Lall on sukhy_lall@sandwell.gov.uk
Click here to find out more about our One Team Framework: Values and Behaviours
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should a high number of applications be received. Applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
If you are an internal candidate and currently at risk, please let the recruiting manager know.
We place equality, diversity and inclusion at the core of who we are and how we lead, where every voice matters. At Sandwell, we recognise and value the richness that comes from diverse lived experiences, perspectives, backgrounds and identities. This diversity makes us a stronger and more effective council.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, are treated fairly, and have the opportunity to thrive. Creating an environment where colleagues feel respected, supported and able to contribute fully is central to our culture and the way we work. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants and employees have equitable access to opportunities. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process and within the workplace so that everyone has the support they need to perform at their best and succeed in their role.
If you have any questions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion, you can contact the EDI Team at EDI_Team@sandwell.gov.uk.
If you wish to apply as Care Leaver or a Disability Confident candidate, please make sure to state this when submitting your CV.
If you have a disability and require assistance in submitting your CV, please contact sukhy_lall@sandwell.gov.uk