London Borough of Camden - Executive Director Corporate Services

Salary: £160,000 - £200,000

At Camden, we don’t just deliver services - we work alongside communities to challenge injustice and drive real social change. Our shared vision - We Make Camden aims to create a fairer, more inclusive borough where everyone has a voice and where power is shared.

Corporate Services is central in enabling Camden to fulfil its purpose, driving forward our ambitious vision for the borough. The directorate brings together Customer, Technology and Data Services, Finance, Law and Governance, Participation, Partnerships and Communications, People and Inclusion, Strategy, Design and Insight. It provides the organisational foundations that support Camden to operate confidently, plan for the future and deliver services rooted in fairness and community insight. The directorate has some of the broadest reach into our communities working directly with residents and businesses, voluntary and community sector partners and anchor institutions to create a place that works for everyone.

As our new Executive Director Corporate Services, you will lead this diverse, high performing directorate and ensure Camden remains purpose led and mission driven as we deliver sustained change at scale. You will ensure Camden has the systems, culture and forward‑looking capability in a complex and evolving landscape. This will include supporting the organisation to innovate effectively, and ensure we have the governance, digital capability and financial planning needed for the future. You will work closely with elected members with confidence and clarity, providing thoughtful advice in an increasingly complex political landscape.

You will champion inclusive, distributed leadership, supporting a culture where colleagues feel empowered and valued, bringing compassion and cohesion. The ability to build collaborative relationships across the organisation, the borough and nationally will be critical. You will possess a deep appreciation of the scale and diversity of Camden’s communities, sharing power to help people make things happen.

The breadth of the role will give you the ability to shape the organisational conditions that enable Camden to operate with confidence, plan for the long term and deliver services grounded in fairness, insight and strong public value. Under your leadership, these services will continue to strengthen Camden’s relationship with its communities and ensure the organisation remains responsive, compassionate and future focused.

We’re looking for an outstanding strategic leader with a strong record of shaping organisational culture, delivering transformation and influencing across systems. Politically astute, resilient and deeply committed to equity and shared responsibility, you will bring the confidence to challenge assumptions, the humility to listen and learn, and the strategic foresight required to navigate the long term challenges facing local government.

If you are motivated by public purpose and want to help shape the future of a bold, mission driven organisation, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

For more information please visit: https://camdenseniorleadership.co.uk/

For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact:

• Kelly Ridley on 07709 512415 or kelly.ridley@penna.com
• James Miller on 07701 233159 or james.miller@penna.com
• Dawar Hashmi on 07513 706265 or dawar.hashmi@penna.com

Recruitment Timeline:

• Closing Date: Sunday 22nd Feb
• Technical Interviews: W/C 2nd March 2026 (Virtual)
• Assessment Centre: W/C 16th March 2026  (In person)
• Final Member Panel Interview: W/C 23rd March 2026

How to Apply

• Click “Apply”
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• If you have a long-term health condition or disability and would like your application to be considered in accordance with a Disability Confident Scheme, please email: execapplications@penna.com, to inform the Penna team.