Interim Service Model & Town Council Transition Lead
Winchester City Council
12-Week Interim Assignment
Hybrid Working | Approximately 50% Winchester / 50% Remote
Competitive Day Rate | Negotiable
Start Date: ASAP
Shape the Future of Local Government in Winchester
Winchester City Council is seeking an experienced interim professional to lead a high-profile service design and transition programme supporting the creation of a new Winchester Town Council.
This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in one of the most significant governance changes affecting Winchester in recent years. Working at pace, you will bring clarity to complex service arrangements, design a future operating model, and leave behind a fully costed, implementable solution that supports the successful launch of the new Town Council from April 2027.
We are looking for someone who can quickly understand how services currently operate, challenge assumptions constructively, and develop practical solutions that stand up commercially, operationally and politically.
The Assignment
The current support provided to the Winchester Town Forum is spread across multiple council services, with activities, budgets and responsibilities often embedded within wider teams rather than operating as a clearly defined service. As the new Town Council is established, Winchester City Council will need transparent, costed and contract-managed arrangements for future service delivery. At the same time, this work must be designed with Local Government Reorganisation in mind, ensuring solutions remain practical and sustainable through future organisational change.
Over a 12-week period, you will:
- Diagnose and map the current operating position across multiple service areas.
- Review service delivery arrangements, governance structures, budgets and contracts.
- Build a detailed recharge and cost allocation model.
- Design future operating arrangements between Winchester City Council and the new Town Council.
- Establish clear governance, accountability and contract management frameworks.
- Identify where specialist legal, procurement, finance or HR input is required.
- Produce decision-ready reports and recommendations.
- Develop a credible implementation plan leading to operational readiness by April 2027.
About You
We are seeking a delivery-focused interim with a proven track record of operating within complex public sector environments.
You will bring:
- Significant experience within local government or a closely related public sector setting.
- A strong track record delivering service redesign, operating model development, shared services, commissioned services, devolution, organisational change or local government reorganisation programmes.
- Commercial and financial credibility, including experience developing cost recovery, recharge and allocation methodologies.
- The ability to interrogate services, contracts, governance arrangements and operating structures without relying on large programme teams.
- Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work with senior officers across multiple disciplines.
- Excellent report writing, presentation and communication skills.
- A history of delivering tangible outcomes within short-term interim assignments.
Why Apply?
This assignment offers the opportunity to shape the future relationship between Winchester City Council and a newly established Town Council, creating a lasting legacy that will support service delivery, governance and accountability for years to come.
The successful candidate will be trusted to operate independently, influence at senior levels and deliver meaningful outcomes within a focused timeframe.
Package
Competitive Day Rate | Negotiable
An approved budget has been allocated for this assignment; however, Winchester City Council is open to discussing the most appropriate remuneration structure for the right candidate. We recognise that experienced interim professionals may prefer different engagement models and are keen to have flexible conversations with candidates who can demonstrate the required blend of local government, commercial, financial and operating model expertise.
Key Information
- Client: Winchester City Council
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Working Pattern: Full-time preferred
- Location: Hybrid, approximately 50% Winchester office-based and 50% remote
- Start Date: ASAP
- Expressions of Interest: CVs by 11 August
- Informal Conversations: 14 August via Microsoft Teams
If you have the experience to untangle complex service arrangements, design practical operating models and deliver lasting change within local government, we'd welcome a conversation.