Chief Executive - North East Regional Care Co-operative

This position is hosted by Durham County Council.

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive with the vision and leadership to transform regional commissioning of care for children across the North East region.

This is a rare and high-profile opportunity to lead the creation and establishment of the North East Regional Care Co-operative (RCC), a new organisation bringing together 12 Local Authorities to deliver sustainable, high-quality regional care arrangements for children. It could be a defining role for the right candidate with the opportunity to shape the future.

As Chief Executive, you will provide visible, executive-level leadership through the RCC’s start-up phase and beyond. You will be accountable for developing and delivering the RCC’s strategy and business plan, ensuring the organisation meets national minimum requirements while being shaped to meet the context of the North East. Working closely with elected members, senior officers, partners and regulators, you will lead an organisation that is innovative, financially robust and built for the future.

We are seeking an experienced executive leader with a strong track record in local government or a partner agency, with a deep understanding of Children’s Services, who brings strategic insight, political acumen and the ability to lead change across complex systems. You will combine strong commercial and financial leadership with a clear commitment to co-production, service excellence and improving outcomes for children and young people.

This is a unique opportunity to shape a new regional organisation from the ground up and to make a lasting difference at scale across the North East.

Applications should be made via Penna. For full details and to apply, please visit www.durhamleadership.co.uk, where you can upload your CV and supporting statement directly through the application portal.

Please ensure your personal statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria and, where possible, the desirable skills and experience outlined in the person specification. Candidates who do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted.

For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact our retained consultant at Penna, Nick Raper on 07715 690463.