Title

WORKFORCE

Director of Children's Services

Based in Northallerton.

North Yorkshire is England's largest County and is a great place to live and work. The quality of life is high for most but the County has challenges, not least due to its rural nature, requiring council services that are high quality but low cost.

We take great pride in the successful track record we have here at North Yorkshire County Council. We consistently score well in inspections and are consistently amongst the top scoring when compared to other county councils. We also have a good story to tell when it comes to value for money and service delivery. Whilst what we do, we do well, we are not complacent. The current challenges facing us in the public sector mean that we need to re-assess what we do and how we do it.

We are now looking for a professional, influential director to drive change, help define our future direction, influence key stakeholders and support service improvement in the children's services directorate and across the breadth of the authority. You will probably already be working at a senior level in a similar local authority and will have a clear vision of success, a passion for significant challenges, a track record of delivering lasting and innovative results within children's services and above all a passionate commitment to achieving excellence for every child.

To apply, visit this link.

WORKFORCE

Why chiefs need a framework

By Pam Parkes | 03 February 2026

There is no consistent professional framework for council chief executives. It’s time for a more honest examination of how their role is defined, governed an...

WORKFORCE

Trashing the new burdens local government funding doctrine

By Ian Miller | 03 February 2026

There seems no proof yet that a penny has been added to the local government settlement to meet the ‘massive’ new burden of meeting the statutory duty for we...

WORKFORCE

Missions: A powerful principle to drive institutional and place-based reform

By Grace Pollard | 03 February 2026

As power shifts and local government is reshaped, mission-based working is no longer optional – it is vital to restoring trust in democratic institutions an...

WORKFORCE

Seeing the big picture

By Ann McGauran | 03 February 2026

Will delays to some of this year’s local elections help councils focus on forming new unitaries and ultimately smooth the path to devolution? Ann McGauran sp...