Local Government - Senior Appointments

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Direct entry into Chief Executive posts is possible, but unlikely unless you have substantial previous experience in a senior position in a public-funded body. NHS, major charity or voluntary sector or Civil Service applicants are most likely to succeed, especially if they have had substantial contact with elected representatives, complex, people-based organisations and bid-based public funding. Many applicants for local government posts from outside the sector fail to appreciate the need for political sensitivity in a Chief Executive.

You are more likely to be successful in breaking into Director level posts (also called Chief Officer posts), or into Service Head posts which report directly to them. Unless you have previous, significant experience in a local authority setting, you are unlikely to be successful in breaking into a Senior Education or Social Services role in anything other than a senior administrative or technical capacity. However, in other functions such as Housing, Corporate Services or Environmental Services, a council background is not essential.

Generic professional staff find it easiest to transfer their skills across sectors: if your interest is in HR, Legal Services, IT, Property or Facilities Management, you may find an open door into local government.