Assistant Director - Customer and Communication Transformation

Salary details: £ - £

Ready to shape how an entire county connects, communicates, and delivers exceptional customer experiences?

At Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking for an inspiring leader to spearhead our Customer and Communication Transformation programme. This is your chance to redefine how we engage with our communities, modernise the customer journey, and create clear, impactful communications that build trust and make a real difference to people’s lives. This high-profile role offers strategic influence across the organisation, integrating digital innovation, insight-driven engagement, and consistent messaging to strengthen our brand.

About the Role
As Assistant Director, you’ll lead a strategic overhaul of our customer experience and communications approach. You’ll head up a multidisciplinary team to deliver innovative, inclusive, and digitally enabled services that put people first. From reimagining digital platforms to embedding service design thinking across departments, you’ll shape how Derbyshire County Council listens, responds, and engages with its residents, ensuring transparency, accessibility, and excellence at every touchpoint.

Key Responsibilities
•    Lead the design and delivery of a customer-centric transformation programme
•    Oversee strategic communications, digital engagement, and service design
•    Champion inclusive access to services across all communities
•    Collaborate with senior leaders to embed a culture of continuous improvement
•    Manage complex stakeholder relationships and drive change at scale

What We’re Looking For
•    Proven experience in leading large-scale transformation programmes
•    Expertise in customer experience, communications, or digital service design
•    Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
•    A visionary mindset with a passion for public service innovation

Our Benefits & Values
At Derbyshire County Council, we’re committed to making this a great place to work. 

Here’s what you can expect:
•    Generous annual leave – 34 days.
•    Local Government Pension Scheme – secure, defined benefits with employer contributions.
•    Flexible & hybrid working – supporting work-life balance.
•    Family-friendly policies – including maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
•    Employee discounts & rewards – through Our Derbyshire Rewards platform, including savings on shopping, travel, leisure and more.
•    Health & wellbeing support – including Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health and mental health resources.
•    Learning & development opportunities – to support your professional growth.
•    Salary sacrifice schemes – including childcare vouchers, shared cost AVCs, Cycle to Work & Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
•    A chance to shape the future of public service delivery in Derbyshire
•    A supportive and forward-thinking leadership environment

📅 Application Deadline: Sunday 26th October 2025
📨 How to Apply: Please register and upload your CV & Supporting Statement (Two A4 Pages).

Provisional Interview Date: Week Commencing 3rd November 2025

For an informal, confidential conversation about the role, please contact Julie Etheridge Julie.Etheridge@derbyshire.gov.uk 

We really look forward to hearing from you!

💼 Total Reward Package Includes:

• 💰 Competitive Salary: £71,202 – £77,495 per annum
• 🏦 Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS): Employer contribution of 20.8%—worth between £14,812 and £16,121 annually
• 🏖️ Annual Leave: 34 days paid leave (including bank holidays), valued at £9,311 – £10,101
• 📈 Total Package Value: Combined salary, pension, and leave worth £95,325 – £103,717 per annum reflecting our commitment to rewarding leadership and public service excellence.

This post is designated in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 as a Politically Restricted Post. The successful candidate will therefore be disqualified from: (a) Becoming or remaining a Member of a local authority (excluding town or parish councils); or (b) Standing as a candidate for election as a Member of the House of Commons or the European Parliament (c) Acting as an election agent (d) Acting as an official of a political party, (e) Canvassing on behalf of a political party or individual (f) Publishing material or addressing the public in support of a political party.

Apply now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us! By joining Derbyshire County Council you will have access to a range of amazing rewards and employee benefits, including our generous annual leave scheme, excellent local government pension and fantastic employee discounts. To discover more detail about the rewards and benefits available to you, click here

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This role currently offers hybrid working options which will be to subject service needs, there'll be an opportunity to discuss working arrangements for this position at interview.

Important: Derbyshire County Council holds a sponsorship licence, but this role does not offer visa sponsorship. Please apply only if you already have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship, as applications that do not meet this requirement will be rejected.

We welcome applications from individuals who share our values — being Collaborative, Innovative, Empowered and Accountable. These values describe who we are and what we stand for as a council. They help shape our culture, encourage consistent behaviour and guide how we work together to make a positive difference for both our employees and the residents we serve.