Director of Local Government Reorganisation and Transition

Job Introduction

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This is a once in a generation opportunity. Seven councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire - Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council and West Berkshire Council - are working together to prepare for local government reorganisation. Three proposals - ranging from one to three new councils - were submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in November 2025, and a decision on the final structure is expected this summer. Shadow elections are anticipated in May 2027 with vesting day in April 2028.

The Director of Local Government Reorganisation and Transition will lead the mobilisation and delivery of the transition programme across all seven predecessor councils. The scale of the task is considerable. With a programme budget of circa £20m, the postholder will build the governance structures, programme management capacity and cross-council working arrangements needed to deliver a safe, legal and financially sustainable transition. The programme spans service disaggregation, workforce and cultural change, ICT and data migration, legal and constitutional readiness, financial planning and community and partner engagement - all of which must be progressed simultaneously, across organisations with different political leaderships, cultures and local priorities, and against a timetable that allows no margin for delay.

This is a fixed term appointment of two years. The breadth, pace and political complexity of the role make it one of the most demanding in local government today - and one of the most consequential. The decisions taken and the foundations laid during this period will shape local government in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire for decades to come.

We are looking for a leader with substantial experience of delivering large-scale transformation or reorganisation in a complex, multi-stakeholder public sector environment. A strong understanding of local government governance, statutory frameworks and financial management is essential. Direct experience of LGR is highly desirable. Above all, we need someone with the programme leadership credentials, political acumen and personal resilience to sustain delivery through a period of genuine complexity and uncertainty.

For further information or to apply, please contact Ben Parsonage ben.parsonage@gatenbysanderson.com or Emily Lockwood emily.lockwood@gatenbysanderson.com at GatenbySanderson. Closing date: 21 June 2026