Thank you for your interest in applying for the post of Assistant Director – Transport and Environment at East Sussex County Council. This post will have responsibility for our delivery division. We hope that, after reading this information pack, your initial interest will turn to real enthusiasm and we look forward to receiving an application from you.

We are hugely committed, both politically and managerially across all Departments, to serving all of our residents to the very best of our abilities. We have worked hard and well both within the Council and with our partners, local communities and the users of our services to improve the quality of what we offer. We have had some real successes in all services in the Environment and Transport area. The most recent Audit Commission Review of our transport services rated them as “good” with “promising” prospects for improvement and, on waste we are one of the few authorities in the country, working jointly with our neighbours Brighton and Hove City Council, to succeed in concluding a contract under PFI rules for the integrated management of our waste service. In 2004, we were recognised as the 4th best authority for our Local Transport Plan (LTP) nationally, making us a nominated contender for most improved transport authority in 2005.  We have won numerous ‘Green’ awards for, amongst other things, our waste awareness campaigns. In addition, we have implemented one telephone number across the county for residents to call regarding any transport issue or concern.

None of this means that the job has been done. Indeed, we are only starting to take things in the direction which we require. We face severe financial challenges, and, despite being in the South East, we have significant areas of real deprivation where transport particularly can play an important role in the delivery of economic improvements.

We are a County with an outstanding environment. Two-thirds of East Sussex is designated as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and much of the rest of the County has special environmental protection status. We, nevertheless, have one of the poorest developed strategic road networks in the country and are continually pressing for improvements.

We know that wherever you work in the environment and transport field the agenda is challenging – demands continue to rise, resources continue to get tighter, problems get more complex and major global issues, like climate change, loom ever nearer and ever larger.  This is true of East Sussex as it is elsewhere but we also feel we have some particular local issues, not least that the paradox of growing and improving our poor economy and the quality of our transport infrastructure, while, at the same time, protecting our truly outstanding countryside. The paradox is perhaps more pronounced here than in many other places. To get that balance right calls for a very special person. Not just an excellent professional but someone with ingenuity, stamina and the ability to explain and sell tough choices to the public, partners, Councillors and staff.

The challenge is immense but so too are the rewards.  East Sussex is a great place to live and to work. Not only is the countryside beautiful and largely unspoilt, but our coastlines and coastal towns are vibrant and inviting. We have real, strong, local communities and we are working closely with them to improve their quality of life. 93% of our residents (compared to 88% regionally) are satisfied with East Sussex as a place to live and we have the highest public satisfaction levels for any County Council.  The Council is seen by its staff as supportive, welcoming and focused (in the last staff survey we scored above or well above average on 12 out of 14 Workplace Foundation norms).  We take our work seriously but we also try to have fun.

We are looking for an extremely able, positive, creative and flexible leader with a wealth of experience in project and contract management, to join a very effective management team. We are very much a joint team – the relationship between Councillors (of all parties) and officers in East Sussex has always been excellent whilst challenging and mature. This is a Council which is, and feels it is, on “the up”. We are ambitious and we are confident. Do come and join us!