Depute Chief ExecutiveIar-Àrd-Oifigear

Candidate Information Pack

Paca Fiosrachaidh an Tagraiche

Ambitious Sustainable Connected

Can you see the opportunities?

3

ContentsClàr-innse

Dear candidate

The Highlands of Scotland

About The Highland Council

The Highland context

Employment package

Job description & Person specification

Health and Safety

Recruitment timetable & how to apply

5

6

7

10

12

15

19

20

44

5

Dear candidateA thagraiche chòirThank you for your interest in the post of Depute Chief Executive at The Highland Council.

The Depute Chief Executive Officer position brings a once in a lifetime experience to work innovatively and closely in partnership with myself, the Members, our staff, partners and communities at a time of significant change, challenge and opportunity. It is a time of ideas, energy and change.We are focused on delivering our revised Highland Council Programme ‘Local voices | Highland choices’ and Corporate Plan alongside our Highland Improvement Programme through our core themes of striving to be ambitious, sustainable and connected.If you relish challenge and working at a very fast pace whilst connecting with people at every opportunity, across a vast beautiful geographic area in the north of Scotland, then this is the perfect role for you.Our People and our Places are special and unique; that is why the Highlands of Scotland are one of the top ten destinations in the world. It really is a very special place to work, to live and to grow.We want our Depute Chief Executive to have excellent partnering skills and commitment to delivering high quality public services. Above all, you will be committed to openness, fairness and accountability in all that you do.If you share our vision and want to help us make public services in the Highlands the very best they can be, we would very much welcome your application for this key post.I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you through the application process.For a confidential discussion please email our Talent Manager - Koreen MacDougall on koreen.macdougall@highland.gov.uk to arrange a call back.

Yours sincerely,

Donna MansonChief Executive

6

235,540population

19%under 18

60%working age population

age 16-64

The Highlands of Scotland is a part of the world renowned for its beauty, hospitality and lifestyle. We’re home to the Cairngorms,

Scotland’s second National Park and the largest in the UK, and the new UNESCO ecopark in NW Sutherland.

The population of the Highlands is 235,540. Inverness is the administrative and transport hub of the region - a city

with over 63,000 inhabitants. It is a fast growing and ambitious centre with international air links.

The University of the Highlands and Islands’ new Inverness Campus is one of the most ambitious

projects in Scotland. Opened in 2015, it is a nationally and internationally significant location for business, research, education and

is a thriving life sciences community.

The Council and our partners have signed a City-Region Deal worth £315 million and this will deliver

a range of exciting projects over the next 10 years.

£595mapproved net

revenue budget

2020/21

The Council plans to invest

£482min its assets from

2018/19 to 2022/23

The Highlands of ScotlandGàidhealtachd na h-Alba

While the geography of the area is characterised by distance, the lifestyle is characterised by community and connection. So there’s something different about life in the north of Scotland. Whether it’s down to the diversity of that geography, an area rich in outdoor opportunities and culture or the friendly welcome, the Highlands offer one of the most distinctive lifestyle choices available anywhere in Scotland - and by extension, some of the most distinctive career choices too.

www.highland.gov.uk/cityregiondeal

7

About The Highland CouncilMu Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd

ScottishLiberal

Democrats9

ScottishLabour Party

3

The Administration

The Opposition

ScottishConservative and Unionist

Party

10

The Highland Council is one of 32 all-purpose councils in Scotland, serving people across 26,484 sq km. The Council has 74 elected members. The Administration is a coalition

of Independent Group; Scottish Liberal Democrats; and Scottish Labour Party.

The Highland Council provides a wide range of services with a revenue budget of £595m (2020-21). The priorities for the Council (2017-22) are

highlighted in the Administration’s Programme ‘Local voices, Highland choices’.

Programme‘Local Voices, Highland Choices’ is a new approach to

delivering a Programme for the Highlands. It sets out our high level goals and priorities but also provides

the opportunity for all councillors, local committees and communities to translate these into reality at a

local level. For the first time, this will enable real choices to be made about the way in which resources are allocated on an area by area basis. We have embarked on our journey to embed local decision making at the heart of what the Council does, and so this will be an evolving process. We will be led by the guiding principle that to be an effective Council, we need to be a listening Council, and the planning and delivery of services across Highland must be done in a collaborative and inclusive way.

SutherlandIndependent

Party

1

A welcoming

place

A place to

live

A redesigned

Council

A place to

learn

A place to

thrive

Independent Group

26

ScottishNational Party

21

Vacant

1

Real Independent

1

ScottishGreen Party

1

8

Following the local Council elections in May 2017, the number of elected members is 74, grouped in 11 four-member wards and 10 three-member wards. There are 10 Area Committees.

While strategic decision making on policy and resource allocation is made at Highland level, an increased level of decision making about local services is made through devolved budgets to Area Committees in the spirit of localism and in line with the Community Empowerment Act.This is a time of significant change in the way the Council operates - both how we deliver services and how we take decisions.

The Council’s 74 elected members serve on the following committees (listed on the next page) which meet at The Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness except Area Committees.

Services

Multi-Member Wards

Committees

Operationally, we have streamlined our Services to meet changes in planning and licensing legislation and to meet the Scottish Government’s drive for more efficient working within tighter budget guidelines.This has seen the Council Redesign move to 8 Services plus the Chief Executive’s Office. They are:

Chief Executive’s Office

Communities and Place

Education and Learning

Health and Social Care

Infrastructure and Environment

Performance and Governance

Property and Housing

Resources and Finance

Transformation and Economy

9

Strategic Committees Audit and Scrutiny

Committee Communities and Place

Committee Economy and Infrastructure

Committee Education Committee

Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee

Housing and Property Committee

Corporate Resources Committee

Regulatory Committees North Planning Applications

Committee South Planning Applications

Committee

Planning Review Body Highland Licensing

Committee Highland Licensing Board

Areas Committees Badenoch and Strathspey

Area Committee Black Isle, Dingwall and

Seaforth Committee Caithness Committee City of Inverness Area

Committee Easter Ross Area Committee Lochaber Committee

Nairnshire Committee Isle of Skye and Raasay

Committee / Comataidh and Eilein Sgitheanaich agus Ratharsair

Sutherland County Committee

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh Committee

Other Committees and Boards Climate Change Working

Group Gaelic Committee /

Comataidh na Gaidhlig Pensions Committee Recovery Board

Redesign Board Tourism Committee Highland and Comhairle nan

Eilean Siar Valuation Joint Board

StrategicCommittees

7

AreaCommittees

10

RegulatoryCommittees

5

Other Committeesand Boards

7

Joint Boards

Community Partnership

Members serve on the Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board, which also involves members from the Western Isles.Members serve on the Pensions Board, which also involves representatives from the employers and relevant trade unions.

The Highland Community Planning Partnership brings together public agencies, third sector organisations and other key community groups to work collaboratively with the people of Highland to deliver better outcomes.

www.highlandcpp.org.uk

10

The Highland contextCo-theacsa na Gàidhealtachd

The Administration of the Council is a coalition of Independent, Scottish Liberal Democrats and Scottish Labour Councillors.The Highlands have three UK Parliamentary constituencies (two of which are held by the Scottish National Party and the third is held by the Scottish Liberal Democrats). There are also three Scottish Parliamentary constituencies in the Highlands (all are held by the Scottish National Party). In addition as part of the Additional Member System of proportional representation, the Highlands have seven list MSPs (3 Scottish Conservative and Unionist, 2 Scottish Labour, 1 Scottish Green and 1 Scottish National Party). The Chief Executive undertakes the role of Returning Officer for all elections and referenda in the Highland region.

The Highland economy is centred on tourism, life sciences, renewable energy and aquaculture and has recently seen commitment to the development of a major new aluminium plant in Lochaber. Tourism is booming and the region continues to be a popular area for the film and television industry. The North Coast 500 is an new tourist route which has been extremely successful in attracting many more visitors to the Highlands.The Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal is delivering £315m of investment through Scottish and UK Governments, the Council and regional partners. This 10 year programme aims to deliver a step change in transport, innovation, digital connectivity, housing, skills, infrastructure, life sciences and tourism.European funding has played a key investment role in the economic development and growth of the Highland economy over the years. Talent attraction and retention remains of key importance to The Highland Council and the senior management team is currently developing its workforce strategy.

Community health and social care services in Highland are integrated around the needs of children and adults. This is set out in Partnership Agreement between Highland Council and NHS Highland. The Highland Council is the lead agency for children’s services, and NHS Highland is the lead agency for services to adults. The two organisations jointly agree what services are required, and what outcomes are sought. Each organisation maintains its statutory responsibilities – but delivery lies with the lead agency. The two organisations agree what resources they will each contribute to the partnership.A new approach to achieve efficiencies and improve outcomes for children’s services and adult care services in Highland communities has been agreed and a new programme management board is to be established.10

Political

Economic

Social

10

11

The Highland contextCo-theacsa na Gàidhealtachd

The Council is currently engaged in a number of Scottish Smart Cities projects, which are designed to use data and technology to enhance environmental sustainability, economic development and citizen well-being. Smart Mobility is a collaborative project with HITRANS to invest in infrastructure to improve travel.Digital First is a project through which the Council is greatly increasing the number of transactions done on-line.The Redesign Board was established in 2016 to reduce waste and make savings through efficient processes and modernisation. A number of reviews using a “LEAN” approach have been extremely successful in driving change and improvement.A new ICT contract is currently delivering a programme of refreshed ICT across the Council and includes the introduction of smart devices to pupils in all schools.

The Highland region is an area of great natural beauty, rich in resources and wild life and renowned for a clean environment with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The area is not without challenges however, in relation to littering and plastics and other waste washing ashore. The Council is developing a Waste Strategy in preparation for new legislation coming into effect in 2021 which will implement a landfill ban. The North Coast 500 is a 516-mile (830 km) scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle. The initiative has been an outstanding success in growing tourism across the Highlands and was recently named fifth in Now Travel Magazine’s “Top 5 Coastal Routes in the World”. Severe weather is a key risk for the Highlands, with potential for disruption to transport, schools and services especially during the winter periods.

The Council has duties under the Civil Contingencies Act and we work with other Category One (and Category Two) responders as part of the Local and Regional Resilience Partnership Groups to plan and prepare for risks and to manage any emergencies or major incidents. The Police and Fire Reform Act and Counter Terrorism Act (CTA) have both impacted on the Council. We work closely with Police and Fire locally on a range of matters including our duties under CONTEST.The Community Empowerment Act places new responsibilities on the Council to involve communities and to support communities to do more for themselves and have more say in decisions which affect them.The Local Governance Review has been launched in order to inform how more decisions can be taken at a local level.

11

Technological

Environmental

Legal

11

12

Depute Chief Executive Iar-Àrd-Oifigear

The Highland Council

What we need

We are ambitious as a Council for the Highlands and want it to be the best place to live and work, to visit and to invest in. Together with the Chief Executive Officer, Donna Manson, and with the support of the Executive Chief Officers, the Depute Chief Executive is responsible for developing sustainable local communities and connecting partners to provide the best possible local services.

The Highland Council, working closely with communities and partners across all sectors have delivered an exceptional emergency response to the Covid-19 crisis. Our continued compliance and commitment in tackling Covid-19 has resulted in the Highlands being one of the safest places in Scotland and the UK.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead, motivate, inspire and build the capacity of our Council, staff and partnerships as we continue to respond and adapt to the increasing levels of service demand and associated challenging budget implications. The successful candidate will draw upon a track record of strategic development, operational complexity and people leadership preferably gained in the public sector. You will need to understand and appreciate the perfect uniqueness of Highland communities and the challenges of our stunningly diverse geography.

The role of Depute Chief Executive is central to the success of the ambitious programme of change in the Council. Working as part of the Executive Leadership Team you will nurture and grow The Highland Council’s vision of creating a strong and growing sustainable economy built on fairness of opportunity for all.

13

Employment packagePaca fastaidh

£122,812 p.a.

Council Headquarters, Inverness

The normal working week is 35 hours between Monday and Friday but this is regarded as a minimum expectation for staff at a senior management level in the Council. You may be required to undertake work in evenings and weekends.

Permanent

Annual leave entitlement is max 25 days per annum. In addition there is an entitlement to 14 days public holidays; 7 of which are fixed.

As a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme you will receive an excellent package of benefits, including a pension and a tax free lump sum based on your career average, when you retire.

Up to £6500 may be claimed under the terms of the scheme.

3 Months

The post is defined as being politically restricted and will, therefore be restricted in terms of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as amended by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, and by the Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990.

Salary

Hours

Leave

Duration

Pension

Relocation

Notice

Location

Political Restriction

14

Structure chart

Transformation and Economy

Infrastructure and

Environment

Communities and Place

Resources and Finance

Property and Housing

Health and Social Care

Performance and

Governance

Education and Learning

Depute Chief

Executive

ChiefExecutive

Donna Manson

Chief Executive’s

Office

15

Essential Experience

Job description & Person specificationTuairisgeul obrach & Sònrachadh neach

Broad experience across an extensive portfolio of management functions.

Record of achievement at senior management level in a complex, multi-functional organisation.

Understanding key drivers in a business area and working in partnership with stakeholders to deliver transformation with demonstrable evidence of achievement of tangible benefits.

Evidence of significant performance improvement whilst delivering on demanding targets and maintaining Service delivery.

Experience of Co-production in transformation of Services.

Significant experience of the flexible re-positioning of spend.

Working at Board level with extensive experience in the role of Chair.

Ability to foster strong relationships with key partners both external and internal.

Innovative, creative forward thinking whilst assessing, monitoring and managing risk.

Practical knowledge of engagement philosophies and application of these to lead complex negotiations.

Practical knowledge of setting strategy in a complex organisation.

Demonstrate delivery of outcomes with commercial consideration.

Educated to degree level with a further relevant professional qualification.

16

Job description & Person specificationTuairisgeul obrach & Sònrachadh neach

Deputise for the Chief Executive as required to provide strategic leadership and direction to deliver the policies and priorities of the Council in accordance with its core values.

Lead the portfolio of services and projects the post is responsible for, ensuring at all times the effective and agile delivery of high quality, customer focused and cost-efficient services.

Progress business transformation, advancing the programme of organisational change, including: Programme Management Board: Resources and Improvement Governance Board; ICT transformation and Contracts Board and any other boards as directed by the Chief Executive.

Lead, develop and coach Executive Chief Officers to plan and deliver exceptional performance.

Reporting to the Chief Executive as Depute and as a member of the Executive Management Team.

Key working relationships include Elected Members, Directorate and Service Management Teams, Trades Union Representatives, Employees, Community Partners and other Public, Private and Voluntary Sector Agencies and Bodies.

Reporting responsibilities include:

Job purpose:

17

Provide support and guidance to maintain and enhance unity within the executive leadership team.

Ensure the Council maintains high levels of social responsibility.

Determine operational priorities and review functional activities across the organisation to ensure effective positioning of employees and distribution of other resources in order to achieve high individual, team and organisational performance.

Responsible to the Chief Executive for ensuring that statutory obligations are fulfilled, and the quality and delivery of service provision meets or exceeds customer expectations.

Embed sustainability and contribute to financial planning at a corporate level.

Manage and communicate complex and potentially contentious information in a way that supports the needs of the Council and a variety of audiences. This includes the provision of advice and guidance to the Council and its Committees.

Develop long term plans for physical and information resources, including procurement where applicable, ensuring that resources required to achieve the overall aims of the Council are in place.

Represent the Council to external bodies, positively forging links and exploring collaborative/joint working/partnership opportunities that are of benefit to the Council.

Knowledge of significant areas of national policy and best practice in promoting social inclusion, including working with partners.

To demonstrate a whole-hearted commitment to the continued professional development, and health, safety and well-being of all employees of the Council.

Roles and responsibilities include:

Job description & Person specificationTuairisgeul obrach & Sònrachadh neach

18

Skills and behaviour relevant to this post:Sound business acumen with strong knowledge of the external environment and partnership working.

Comprehensive understanding of organisational change management philosophies, tools and techniques.

An ability to interpret business needs from multiple sources to provide an outline business case calculating risk and recommending appropriate options and interventions.

Proven leadership & managerial skills with the ability to make clear decisions.

Strong written and verbal communication skills with an ability to tailor communications to any audience.

Relationship development and management skills with the ability to connect, influence and negotiate at all levels.

Ability to inspire and motivate team members to deliver ambitious levels of performance.

Highly resilient, self-aware and proactive.

Innovative, with an ability to design sustainable strategies that will anticipate future change requirements.

Promote a culture of engagement to inform organisational development.

Job description & Person specificationTuairisgeul obrach & Sònrachadh neach

19

Health and safetySlàinte agus sàbhailteachdHealth & Safety is an integral part of any role within The Highland Council. As such we would expect that all employees:

Become familiar with Violent Incident and Accident reporting procedures and comply with them.

Undertake a continual program of Risk Assessment in relation to their role within The Highland Council.

Have an understanding of the importance of Health and Safety in the workplace, and familiarise themselves with the Highland Council’s Health & Safety Procedures.

As a Disability Confident Employer we aim to remove barriers to recruitment that disabled people and those with long-term health conditions may face and aim to ensure that individuals can fulfil their potential. We have a commitment to employ and retain disabled people and those with long-term health conditions and will guarantee an interview where the essential criteria for the vacancy is met.

20

Recruitment timetable & how to applyClàr-ama fastaidh & mar a nithear tagradh

5pm on Monday 14th September 2020

By end of September 2020

The recruitment process will involve a number of short engagement sessions held prior to the interview, which will be conducted virtually, and is likely to take place late October 2020.

The Interview panel will comprise elected members supported by professional advisers from the Council.

If you would like an informal discussion about this opportunity, please email Koreen MacDougall at: koreen.macdougall@highland.gov.uk

You can download the application form and submit your application using this link:

www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/council/highland-council

Thank you again for your interest in joining The Highland Council

Advert closing date

Shortlisting

Interview

How to apply

Useful links The Highland Council’s Corporate Plan:www.bit.ly/HighlandCouncilCorporatePlan

Programme of the Administration:www.bit.ly/HighlandCouncilProgramme

Know Your Council:www.bit.ly/HC-KnowYourCouncil

21