Neighbourhood Services Manager
Service: Facilities, Waste and Grounds Services
Grade scale: Grade 5 Level 1 - 8
Reports to: Head of Facilities, Waste and Grounds Services
Purpose of the job
To provide strategic and operational leadership across a range of frontline services, including waste, street cleansing, grounds maintenance, bereavement services, countryside and greenspace. To ensure effective use and deployment of resources, statutory compliance, service development and improvement and delivery against agreed performance standards.
To support the Head of Service in the delivery of strategic objectives by ensuring services are responsive, efficient, and aligned to organisational priorities, statutory requirements, and best practice.
Key tasks and responsibilities
Lead and direct multi-functional neighbourhood teams across the authority in the delivery of high-quality, proactive and responsive services, driving improvement and achieving positive outcomes for local communities.
Responsible for the development and implementation of policies and strategic initiatives to ensure an integrated approach to the management of frontline operational neighbourhood services.
Fulfil the council’s statutory duties and requirements across the service portfolio, keeping up to date with relevant and changing legislation, policy and national requirements, and recommending actions to maintain compliance.
Manage and monitor allocated budgets, ensuring effective financial control, efficient use of resources, and delivery of best value.
Build a positive, high-performing culture that promotes ownership, accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
Manage and oversee projects related to service improvement, transformation and innovation, and support change management processes to ensure the effective implementation of service changes.
Oversee IT and technological developments that enhance service delivery, efficiency and performance monitoring, and manage contracts with external suppliers.
Oversee recruitment initiatives and lead on staff learning, training, and development strategies to ensure a skilled and competent workforce.
Develop, review, and update policies and procedures to ensure compliance with legislation, best practice, and organisational standards.
Implement and maintain robust quality assurance frameworks to monitor, evaluate, and improve service performance, and lead consultation with key stakeholders and partners to inform service design and improvement.
To establish effective working relations with internal and external partners, including elected members, contractors/suppliers, community groups and agencies, to improve services and deliver positive outcomes for our communities.
Person specification
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Criteria |
Essential |
Desirable |
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Education, qualification and training |
Degree or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant discipline, or equivalent relevant appropriate experience. |
Membership of the Chartered Institution of Waste Management, or another relevant professional body appropriate to the combined remit. |
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Skills, knowledge and experience |
Demonstrable significant experience in a senior leadership role within a large-scale operational service, including responsibility for substantial budgets, workforce management, service performance and statutory compliance. Proven track record of leading large-scale service transformation, organisational change and continuous improvement programmes that have delivered measurable service, workforce or financial benefits. Significant experience leading, motivating and developing large multidisciplinary workforces through periods of change and transformation. Significant experience of managing large and complex revenue and capital budgets, identifying efficiencies and delivering Best Value. Detailed knowledge and experience of statutory obligations, regulatory frameworks and governance requirements relevant to local authority operational services. Significant experience of ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation and promoting a positive safety culture across operational services. |
Experience of commissioning, procurement, and contract management within an operational setting. Experience of implementing and monitoring quality assurance frameworks. Experience of leading digital transformation programmes and implementing technology-enabled solutions, including data-driven decision making, automation and AI-enabled service improvement. Significant experience of working within a politically governed environment, including engagement with elected members, trade unions, regulators, community representatives and senior stakeholders. Experience establishing performance frameworks and using operational data and insight to drive service improvement and accountability. |
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Personal qualities |
Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support, and develop teams. Ability to manage change effectively and lead others through transformation. Excellent communication, influencing, and interpersonal skills. Ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders. High level of professionalism, integrity, and accountability. Resilient, adaptable, and open to change. Demonstrates a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. |
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Safer recruitment checks
As part of our approach to good practice and safer recruitment we carry out a number of pre-employment checks
- Asylum and Immigration right to work in the UK.
- Reference check: external candidates require 2 references, one of which must be from present or most recent employer; Internal candidates require 1 reference from current line manager.
- Candidate Disclosure Scotland check, where applicable.
Behaviour framework
The council’s behaviour framework is a set of core behaviours that defines how employees approach works to enable the delivery of key tasks for the role. The expected behaviours for this role are:
Efficient
- Drives service improvement and innovation by communicating vision and a sense of purpose across area of responsibility
- Achieves efficiency savings taking account of council objectives and workforce planning requirements whilst improving outcomes for the communities of South Lanarkshire Council
- Develop services which have a positive impact on the physical environment of South Lanarkshire Council ensuring sustainability of resources
- Adopt a non-bureaucratic approach to service delivery and encourage others to seek simple solutions to achieve objectives
- Adopt a project management approach when reviewing services and delivering change
Flexible
- Plans for the variability of service demand and resource availability ensuring the system has the resilience and capacity to cope with uncertainty
- Leads creative approaches in designing services and developing new ways of working which achieve efficiency and improvement
- Views and presents change as an opportunity to modernise and ‘future proof’ services
- Drives change by persuading and influencing others
- Understands the impact on change on others and becomes a focal point of support and guidance in times of uncertainty
- Takes responsibility for change and coaches other to do the same
- Communicates facts to dispel rumours
Performing
- Focus on strategic long-term outcomes, anticipate changes in working practices and effectively manage transitions
- Works to achieve and vision of customer focus, improvement and excellence within the council, as well as with partners and other stakeholders
- Gives teams defined structures and clear direction enabling a strong sense of ownership and personal responsibility for the delivery of outcomes and objectives
- Health, safety and wellbeing are at the heart of approach and ensure that these principles are understood in the application of your strategic responsibilities
Working with others
- Spends time building relationships with stakeholders and partners
- Facilitates elected member involvement and consults with representative groups when formulating strategies
- Inspires a ‘one team’ culture
- Builds networks, locally regionally and nationally to help provide support and expertise by shaping and driving forward agendas and addressing concerns
- Role models inclusive leadership; respecting colleagues, partners and customers and treating people according to their needs
- Engages with communities, internal and external partners ensuring the full range of views are taken into account
- Understands the importance of communication, evaluates its effectiveness and takes steps to improve; leading and encouraging open communication at all levels in the organisation
- Understand respectful challenge and makes own case whilst recognising the concerns of others
Leading
- Visible and accessible to employees within your service/area of responsibility
- Role model for inspirational leadership
- Builds commitment and engagement to improve team cohesion and outputs
- Demonstrates sensitivity and good judgement in decision making and relationships
- Is able to take difficult decisions in complex and challenging situations for the best interests of the service and the council
- Evaluates resources, options and consequences in decision making
- Communicates positive messages about the organisation, acting in its best interests and being an ambassador for South Lanarkshire Council
- Understands the power and authority that comes with the senior manager role and adapts behaviour to ensure interactions with others are positive and empowering
- Coaches and mentors others and has continuous learning and development as a key priority for the service