Assistant Director of Portfolio Management and Transformation

Salary details: £ - £

About the Role

Derbyshire County Council is entering one of the most significant periods of transformation in its history.

With local government reorganisation, major efficiency work, digital transformation and large-scale organisational change ahead, we are strengthening the way we prioritise, govern and deliver transformation across the Council.

As our Assistant Director of Portfolio Management & Transformation, you’ll lead the development and delivery of the Council’s portfolio management function, ensuring we invest in the right transformation and change initiatives and that these are delivered successfully, with clear benefits for the Council, residents and communities.

This is a high-impact senior leadership opportunity to shape the Council’s transformation approach, embed strong portfolio governance, and support the organisation to deliver complex change with clarity, pace and assurance.

What You’ll Be Doing

This is what your day will look like as our Assistant Director of Portfolio Management & Transformation:

• Leading and continually improving the Council’s portfolio management framework, including governance, systems, processes and oversight of transformation activity.
• Developing the Portfolio Management Office as a clear source of authority, expertise and assurance for transformation, programmes and projects.
• Working with senior leaders to shape and prioritise the Council’s transformation pipeline, ensuring activity aligns with organisational priorities.
• Ensuring benefits, risks, interdependencies, performance and delivery progress are understood, tracked and reported effectively.
• Coordinating transformation resources across the Council, ensuring the right capacity and capability are in place to deliver major change.
• Building consistent tools, guidance, training and communities of practice to support high-quality transformation delivery across the organisation.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll be well suited to this role if you have:

• Significant experience of leading transformation, service improvement or organisational change in a large, complex organisation.
• Experience of establishing, developing or leading a Portfolio Management Office, Programme Management Office or similar corporate transformation function.
• Strong knowledge of portfolio, programme and project management approaches, including governance, risk, assurance and benefits realisation.
• The ability to work confidently with senior leaders, elected members, partners and stakeholders in a complex environment.
• Strong financial, commercial and organisational awareness, with the ability to prioritise resources and support value for money.
• A visible, inclusive and collaborative leadership style, with the ability to bring people with you through complex change.

We know that some people don’t apply for jobs unless they meet every requirement. If you’re excited about this role but aren’t sure you meet everything listed, we’d still love to hear from you!

Why Join Derbyshire County Council?

Working for Derbyshire County Council means being part of an organisation that delivers services which make a real difference to people’s lives every day.

This role offers the opportunity to lead major programmes at scale, influence senior decision-making, and help shape how the Council delivers change during a period of significant reorganisation.

We offer:

• 34 days annual leave plus bank holidays — up to 42 days paid leave per year – notional salary value of approximately £11,502 to £12,518
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexi-time scheme for many of our roles
• Comprehensive wellbeing support, including occupational health, counselling and physiotherapy services.
• Learning and development opportunities, including professional qualifications and career progression
• Access to Our Derbyshire Rewards, offering discounts across travel, tech, groceries and more
• Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice schemes

Important Information

• This role currently offers hybrid working options (subject to service needs), with the opportunity to discuss working arrangements at interview
• There may be a request at interview to deliver a short presentation, this is designed to support you in demonstrating your skills and approach and further details will be provided at interview invite stage. 

Equality, Fairness & Opportunity

We’re dedicated to ensuring our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and accessible. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, communities, abilities, and experiences. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, just let us know — we’re here to support you.

Ready to Apply?

Please register, click Apply and submit your CV and a supporting statement or if you would like to find out more and have an informal chat about this opportunity please contact Liam Bowes-Cox - Recruitment Manager at Liam.Bowes-Cox@derbyshire.gov.uk 

We really look forward to hearing from you!

Closing Date: Midnight Sunday 12th July 2026

Provisional Interview Date: 28th/29th July 2026

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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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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.

Applications for this role must include a CV and a supporting statement, it’s easier than ever to apply! Just click on “Apply for this job”, register and upload your CV and supporting statement.