Assistant Director - HR and Workforce Strategy

Ready to shape the future of workforce leadership in an ambitious council?

At Solihull Council, we're proud of our reputation for delivering high-quality public services while maintaining a strong focus on innovation, improvement, and value. As we continue our organisational transformation journey, we are investing in how we support, develop, and enable our workforce to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

This is a rare opportunity to join our senior leadership team as Assistant Director – HR & Workforce Strategy, leading a broad portfolio of HR and workforce functions that support over 5,500 employees across the Council, Solihull Community Housing and our schools and academies.

This is far more than a traditional HR leadership role. We are looking for an ambitious and forward-thinking leader who can help shape the future of workforce services, champion modern approaches and technology and build organisational capability to support the Council's long-term ambitions.

Why this role matters

• Lead and influence workforce strategy at the heart of a high-performing organisation.
• Act as the Council's principal adviser on workforce, employment, and organisational matters.
• Shape the future direction of HR services, ensuring they remain modern, responsive, and aligned to organisational priorities.
• Drive innovation, continuous improvement, and the adoption of new ways of working.
• Support the organisation through significant strategic change, helping to build a resilient and future-ready workforce.
• Work closely with Members, Corporate Leadership Team colleagues, trade unions, and external partners to deliver meaningful outcomes.

What you’ll bring

• Significant senior leadership experience across complex HR and workforce services
• A strong track record of leading organisational change, improvement, and transformation
• Strategic thinking combined with the ability to turn vision into practical delivery.
• Experience of operating effectively within politically sensitive and unionised environments
• Excellent influencing, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• A commitment to developing high-performing teams and creating positive organisational cultures.
• Curiosity, innovation, and a passion for exploring new opportunities to enhance service effectiveness and workforce outcomes.

Why Solihull

• We are a forward-thinking council with a clear transformation vision.
• A clear commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and modern public service delivery
• An ambitious workforce agenda with opportunities to shape future ways of working.
• A collaborative and supportive corporate leadership environment
• The chance to make a lasting impact across the organisation and the communities we serve.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced workforce leader who wants to combine strategic influence, organisational impact and innovation in a role that will help shape the future direction of this ambitious council.

Working for Solihull means that we can also offer employees a great working environment, together with a range of flexible working options, an extensive wellbeing offer, as well as attractive staff benefits including staff discounts and access to the Local Government pension scheme.

To apply, please click on the link below. If you have any questions about the role or would like an informal discussion, please contact Andrew Felton, Director of Resources on [phone removed].

Closing date: Monday, 31 August 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete online testing between 3 and 6 September 2026, with successful candidates invited to interview on Monday, 14 September 2026 at the Council House, Solihull.

Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.