Chief Executive

Overview

Norfolk County Council is looking for an outstanding Chief Executive to guide the organisation through the next phase of its transformation. This permanent leadership post is suited to a highly visible, commercially minded, values-driven senior leader who can shape a strong culture and help deliver public services that are effective, efficient and focused on people.

The position is based in Norfolk, England, United Kingdom and involves 37 hours of work per week. The package is offered at approximately £215,000 per year.

The role

You will be responsible for uniting strategy, people, performance and place, while providing firm direction across the Council. The role calls for strong governance oversight, sound financial stewardship and a leadership style that keeps delivery, transformation and continuous improvement at the centre of decision-making.

Key parts of the job include driving large-scale culture change, showing strong commercial judgement and business insight, and building the conditions for an accountable, confident and productive workforce. You will also promote a customer-first, can-do approach to public service and work through financial and regulatory complexity while developing effective partnerships across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Candidate profile

We are seeking someone who has already led at executive level in a complex environment and has delivered meaningful transformation. You should bring a demonstrable record of shifting culture by improving accountability, productivity, collaboration and organisational confidence.

The right person will have strong commercial awareness, good financial judgement and the ability to make practical decisions in demanding conditions. You will also need sound political judgement, along with the ability to advise and work effectively with elected Members.

Excellent communication skills are essential, as you will need to motivate colleagues, influence partners and represent the Council credibly with businesses, communities and regional or national stakeholders. A strong understanding of partnership working is important, including the contribution of business, the voluntary sector and wider public services to better outcomes for residents.

This role also requires a resilient, emotionally intelligent and values-led leader with a clear commitment to public service.

Application process

Applicants should submit a CV together with a supporting statement that clearly demonstrates how their experience meets the requirements of the role. Applications may be submitted through the usual route or sent by email to executiverecruitment@norfolk.gov.uk. The job title should be stated clearly in the subject line or title of the application. Any questions can be sent to the same email address.

Interviews are expected to be held during the week commencing 3 August 2026. The closing date for applications is 26 July 2026 at 23:55.

Additional information

This is a permanent appointment with a full-time schedule of 37 hours per week. The role is focused on leading meaningful change, improving organisational performance and building the partnerships required to support communities, services and the local economy.