Organisational Development Manager

Job Description

The London Borough of Harrow is looking for an experienced and forward‑thinking Organisational Development (OD) Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping the Council’s workforce, culture and organisational capability. This senior, strategic post will lead high-impact organisational development, workforce strategy, and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives that align with the Council’s corporate priorities. Working in close partnership with senior leaders, directorates and HR colleagues, the role will help ensure Harrow has the skills, behaviours and ways of working needed to deliver high‑quality, customer‑focused services.

The OD Manager will provide expert advice and practical solutions across organisation design, culture change, leadership and management development, employee engagement and performance. A key focus will be the development, delivery and embedding of the Council’s Workforce Strategy, supported by robust data, insight and evaluation to demonstrate impact and value for money. As the corporate lead for OD and EDI, the postholder will champion inclusive practices, oversee EDI action plans, and lead council-wide engagement activities, turning insights into meaningful improvements for staff. This is an exciting opportunity for a confident and credible professional to make a lasting contribution to strengthening organisational capability and ensuring Harrow remains a great place to work and serve its communities.

The Successful candidate will have:-

• Extensive experience in a senior HR or Organisational Development role, including direct people management responsibility.
• A strong track record of leading and delivering multiple OD programmes and projects within complex, fast‑paced and changing environments.
• Proven experience using a range of OD diagnostic and psychometric tools (e.g. 360 feedback, DISC, McKinsey 7S) to inform organisational and leadership interventions.
• Comprehensive knowledge of OD best practice, workforce strategy and service delivery models, with a clear focus on value for money and measurable impact.
• The ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, demonstrating resilient and confident leadership behaviours.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the credibility to engage, challenge and advise senior leaders and key stakeholders constructively.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills, capable of communicating complex messages clearly to diverse audiences.
• Outstanding organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining a strong customer and stakeholder focus.
• A collaborative and inclusive approach, working effectively across teams, disciplines and organisational boundaries to achieve shared outcomes.
• A degree‑level qualification (or equivalent experience) with evidence of ongoing professional development, ideally supported by CIPD or relevant postgraduate qualifications.

For more informaton, please refer to the Role Profile/ Selection Criteria

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn