Assistant Director, People

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £104,843 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: 

Closing Date: Sunday 2nd November (23:59)

Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our Chelmsford office, typically around 2 to 3 days per week dependent on business need

One of the most exciting leadership roles in local government.

Essex County Council is seeking a visionary and strategic Assistant Director, People to help shape the future of our organisation and the communities we serve. This is a rare opportunity to lead the delivery of a brand-new People and Organisation Development plan, driving improvements in core people practices that will benefit our employees, enhance organisational performance, and positively impact the residents of Essex.

About the Role

As Assistant Director, People, you’ll work closely with Executive Directors and senior leaders to deliver high-impact, innovative, and compliant people services. You’ll lead expert teams across:

You’ll be instrumental in developing and aligning people policies with strategic priorities, and embedding people solutions into the council’s planning framework, gaining organisational buy in to strategic workforce planning outcomes over the short and medium term This role demands confident leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence at the highest levels—corporate and political.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about this here

. With flexible working, excellent development opportunities, and the chance to work with a supportive team that’s passionate about what they do, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview at our County Hall offices week commencing the 24th November 2025.