Executive Director Adult Social Care and Health

Build the future. Lead the difference. Join West Surrey.

West Surrey Council is one of the most significant new local authorities to be created in a generation.

From April 2027, six existing councils will come together to form a new unitary authority serving communities across Guildford, Waverley, Woking, Surrey Heath, Runnymede and Spelthorne. This is a rare opportunity to help create a new organisation from the ground up and shape how residents are supported to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives.

Reporting to Susan Halliwell, Chief Executive, you will be the statutory Director of Adult Social Services and a key member of the Corporate Leadership Team. Beyond leading adult social care, public health, prevention, commissioning and whole-life pathways, you will play a central role in shaping the culture, ambition and identity of a major new authority.

This is not a maintenance role. It is a transformation leadership opportunity: to bring services and cultures together, create a more integrated and preventative health and care system, strengthen transitions between children’s and adult services, and establish sustainable services from day one.

We are seeking an exceptional leader with the professional credibility, strategic judgement and drive to lead through complexity and change. You will look beyond organisational boundaries, building influential partnerships across NHS organisations, the Integrated Care System, providers, communities and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector. Just as importantly, you will contribute to the collective leadership of the whole council.

West Surrey is looking for corporate leaders who challenge constructively, bring diversity of thought, share accountability and work across traditional service boundaries. We are looking for:

A proven senior leader in adult social care, health or related services, with the credibility and judgement to fulfil the statutory DASS responsibilities.

A strong track record of large-scale transformation, service integration and organisational change.

Experience of leading prevention, early intervention, demand management and sustainable service redesign.

The ability to strengthen whole-life pathways and improve transitions between children’s and adult services.

Compelling system leadership and partnership skills, with the confidence to influence across organisational and professional boundaries.

Political awareness and the ability to build trusted relationships with elected Members, regulators, partners and communities.

A collaborative, values-led leader who will help build a high-performing, one-council culture.

The ambition, resilience and energy to help create something new and leave a lasting legacy.

Why West Surrey?

Few roles offer the opportunity to shape a new authority, a new executive team and a new approach to adult social care and health from the outset. West Surrey is not inheriting a finished organisation. It is creating one. The scale brings both challenge and possibility: bringing together services, people and expertise; redesigning support around residents and communities; connecting adult social care, health, housing and children’s services;

and influencing the wider Surrey system.

West Surrey is looking for leaders who are excited by possibility, comfortable with ambiguity and motivated by public service. Leaders who can look up and out while maintaining the grip, assurance and professional standards needed to protect adults and sustain public confidence.

About Local Government Reorganisation Local government in Surrey is changing to make services simpler, more connected and better able to respond to local needs. From April 2027, Surrey County Council and the existing district and borough…