Director of Environmental and Commercial Services

Overview

You will lead frontline public services within Reading, playing a key role in shaping operational outcomes as part of Team Reading. The role sits in senior leadership, guiding cross-department initiatives and delivering value for residents. You will oversee significant budgets and drive improvements to highways, waste, and related services. This is an opportunity to influence council direction, support managers, and contribute to a fair, caring, and enterprising public service culture.

Pay / Benefits

• professional development
• life outside work support
• public sector pension (implied via employer context)
• employee wellbeing
• competitive salary
• local government service exposure

Responsibilities

• Oversee frontline services and ensure value for residents
• Manage a budget exceeding 30 million and oversee fleet replacement and waste services decisions
• Drive modernization of highways operations
• Collaborate across departments to solve cross-cutting challenges
• Shape the council’s direction and support managers to succeed
• Engage with workforce to foster development and accountability

Key requirements

• Experience of improving operational services
• Senior leadership experience or readiness to step up
• Ability to lead through change
• Budget oversight or financial stewardship
• Cross-department collaboration and stakeholder engagement

• ambition
• collaboration
• communication
• operational management
• budget management
• change management

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