Job description
South East England | Confidential Appointment
Transformational Leadership Opportunity - Strategic Leadership in Environmental Services
We are supporting a leading public-sector partnership delivering large-scale waste, recycling, and circular economy services across a major London region in the appointment of a visionary Managing Director.
This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a complex, high-profile organisation at the forefront of environmental service delivery and sustainability transformation. As Managing Director and the senior executive officer, you will shape strategic direction, oversee substantial budgets and assets, and deliver essential services that support over a million residents while driving the transition to a net zero and circular economy future.
The Opportunity
As Managing Director, you will provide strategic leadership and organisational direction, working closely with elected Members and senior officers to deliver safe, cost-effective, and innovative waste and resource management services. You will:
Lead the organisation's strategic agenda, shaping the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy and long-term business plan.
Oversee substantial revenue budgets and major capital assets, ensuring financial resilience, value for money, and risk management.
Drive transformation programmes focused on system-wide efficiency, carbon reduction, and circular economy innovation.
Provide visible leadership to a high-performing senior team, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
Represent the organisation nationally and regionally, influencing policy, securing funding, and building strategic partnerships.
Ensure strong governance, compliance, and transparent decision-making in a complex political and multi-borough environment.
This is a rare opportunity to lead a pivotal public-sector organisation as it evolves to meet the challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and policy reform - with the scale and influence to shape the future of sustainable waste management in London.
What We're Looking For
We are seeking a highly credible and experienced senior leader, ideally with a background in local government, public services, or complex multi-stakeholder organisations. You will bring:
Extensive experience of strategic leadership at Director level or above, with responsibility for large-scale budgets and significant assets.
A proven track record of leading transformation and delivering improved financial, operational, and environmental outcomes.
Deep understanding of the evolving waste and resources landscape, with the ability to anticipate and respond to policy change.
Strong political acumen and experience of working effectively with elected Members and senior stakeholders.
Demonstrable commercial insight, with a focus on value for money, carbon reduction, and sustainable service delivery.
Exceptional influencing and stakeholder engagement skills, with credibility at local, regional, and national levels.
The ability to inspire and lead senior teams, foster collaboration, and embed a high-performance culture.
This appointment offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact - shaping strategy, driving innovation, and leading services that deliver for communities, the environment, and future generations.
About us: Allen & York have been matching purposeful people with purpose-led organisations for 30 years. We partner with our clients and candidates on roles that build an understanding of climate change, promote sustainability and create inclusive and responsible organisations, working towards a sustainable world for us all.
Committed to inclusiveness in the workplace, we aim to increase diversity across all areas and therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, or whether or not they have a disability.
Let's help build a better world, together.
