Senior Consultant (Local Government) @ PPL

PPL: Management Consultancy with a difference…

• Financial Times UK’s Leading Management Consultants ‘Gold’ rated 2023 and 2024
• Winner, B Corp ‘Best for the World’ for Workforce 2021 and 2022
• Winner, MCA Consulting Awards for Innovation, Client Service & Value, and Ethical Consultancy

Founded in 2007, PPL is a Social Enterprise and B Corp that exists to promote better health, wellbeing, and economic outcomes across the UK, working with individuals, communities and the organisations that support them.

We do this through applying the best of current and emerging thinking in the fields of strategy and innovation, management science, digital, analytics, organisational development and programme delivery to help people achieve better outcomes in life and to deliver social value.

Senior Consultant (Local Government) @ PPL

Do you want to be part of improving UK public services by delivering complex projects in the challenging and impactful areas of housing and homelessness, social care and SEND?

Being a senior consultant at PPL means working with clients including the NHS, Local and Central Government, the Voluntary & Community Sector and Social Enterprises, from the boardroom to the frontline. It means taking responsibility for workstreams, teams, and engaging local stakeholders; including system leaders, managers, frontline professions and the individuals and communities they serve. It is about supporting transformation of individual outcomes and lives, from developing strategy through to managing and evaluating change.

You would be working with the support of experienced consulting colleagues, healthcare professionals, academics and organisational development experts from our core team and our broader network of over 250 practitioners.

About the role

We are looking to recruit someone with expertise and experience in local government, specifically one more of the following areas: housing and homelessness, social care and SEND.

Whilst supporting PPL’s full range of projects as required, you will lead the delivery of projects within our local government portfolio, and help develop our growing practice. You will have experience working in or with local authority services. This might be in another consultancy, or service improvement and transformation capacity with a range of transferable skills.

We offer a unique opportunity for you to further develop and deploy consultancy skills on a wide range of public sector projects designed to improve outcomes with and for individuals and communities across the UK.

Our structured consulting development programme is certified by the Chartered Management Institute and builds towards full UK Chartered Management Consultant status.

Your base is our office in Clockwise Bristol, located at the heart of Bristol's historic Waterfront Quarter, offering extensive views of the harbour. Our local government practice has a national focus, and, like all consultants, we enjoy being “in the field” – but with a strong commitment to supporting flexible and home working, and having a life outside of work.

At PPL, your commitment and impact are not judged by the number of hours you put in, but by the results you produce, and the appreciation of your clients and colleagues.

The salary for the role is £52,500 per annum, plus an annual bonus scheme.

In addition, you will receive a benefits package including:

• An annual £2,136 travel allowance in and around Bristol and the wider metropolitan areas
• A starting 26 days of annual leave, plus UK bank holidays
• 10 days of paid volunteering leave per annum, to be used with the charity of your choice
• A 1-year CMI accredited training programme, followed by further tailored professional development
• Company health, life insurance and pension scheme
• Access to range of other discounts and rewards, including our Cycle to Work scheme

What we are looking for

PPL is focused on delivering consistently excellent services to our clients and the communities they serve. Being at the cutting edge of public sector reform is challenging, and we seek individuals with:

• Previous consulting experience, delivering not just projects but outcomes
• A strong understanding of the local government landscape, specifically housing and homelessness, social care or SEND
• The ability to develop innovative solutions to address local government challenges
• Demonstrable empathy with individuals and diverse groups
• Good interpersonal skills and a track record of successful teamwork
• Intellectual curiosity and a passion for improving public services
• Enthusiasm for co-designing solutions with professionals and communities
• Commitment to professional growth and development, both for themselves and others
• An analytical approach to problem-solving
• A good academic record, with good numeracy and writing skills
• The ability to take on responsibility for making positive change happen

The process

PPL operates a blind recruitment process. Successfully shortlisted candidates can expect:

1. An initial telephone interview (approx. 30 mins)
2. Online aptitude tests
3. An in-person panel interview inc. case study at PPL’s Bristol office (approx. 2 hours)
4. An in-person final interview (30 mins)

Advert open window Wednesday 26th February to Wednesday 12th March

Telephone interviews Monday 17th March and Tuesday 18th March

Initial shortlist Wednesday 19th March

Online aptitude tests By Monday 24th March 9:00AM

In-person final interviews Thursday 27th March

Final Shortlist Friday 28th March

In-person final interviews Wednesday 2nd April

Offer(s) made Friday 4th April

Start date Immediate, one to three months, or based on availability

Application instructions

The attached application form will be used to assess eligibility before CVs are submitted for shortlisting via our blind recruitment process.

Please email your CV and completed application form to recruitment@ppl.org.uk

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the same email address.