Organisation Design Lead - #2173936

Interim Organisation Design Lead

Location: Hybrid – Liverpool preferred, with regular travel to Liverpool required. Birmingham-based candidates considered if willing to travel.

Contract: Until 31 March 2027

IR35: Inside IR35

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Interim Organisation Design Lead to support a major transformation of commercial and procurement directorates within a public sector environment.

The successful candidate will lead the hands-on delivery of organisation design and operating model transformation, working closely with HR leadership and the wider programme team to implement a Target Operating Model (TOM).

This is a delivery-focused role, requiring the postholder to personally undertake the analysis, modelling and design work needed to translate operating model decisions into detailed organisational structures ready for implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Organisation Design and Analysis

• Assess current organisational structures, spans of control, layers and workforce capacity.
• Develop and model alternative future-state organisational designs.
• Translate agreed operating model decisions into detailed structures, roles, grades, reporting lines, accountabilities and decision rights.
• Analyse HR and financial data to identify structural issues, workforce requirements and opportunities for improvement.

Operating Model Integration

• Align organisation design with target operating model requirements, digital services and workforce capabilities.
• Ensure designs align with relevant Government Commercial Function standards and organisational design principles.
• Define functional interfaces, handoffs, responsibilities and RACI frameworks.

Implementation and Transition Planning

• Develop detailed organisation designs ready for HR and Change implementation.
• Identify new, amended and no-longer-required roles.
• Produce phased transition roadmaps, including milestones, dependencies, workforce risks and governance requirements.
• Work with the TOM delivery partner to prepare the organisation for implementation.

Stakeholder Engagement and Governance

• Engage senior leaders to secure agreement and approval of proposed designs.
• Prepare and facilitate leadership design workshops.
• Produce analysis, executive decision packs and governance submissions to support strategic decisions.
• Work collaboratively with HR, internal change teams and relevant stakeholders throughout the transformation.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience delivering end-to-end organisation design and operating model transformations within complex, highly regulated environments.
• Understanding of Civil Service or public sector structures and the Civil Service Organisational Design framework.
• Practical experience taking organisation design from operating model decisions through options development, detailed design, testing and implementation.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to translate HR and financial metrics into actionable organisational insights.
• Experience developing detailed organisational structures, workforce models, accountabilities and transition plans.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communication skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within Central Government commercial or procurement functions.
• Understanding of Government Functional Standards and Professions.
• Awareness of the Government Commercial Function capability framework and commercial lifecycle standards.
• Experience engaging with HR, union partners and internal change teams during organisational transitions.

Key Deliverables

• Organisation design diagnostic report.
• Preparation and facilitation of organisation design workshops.
• Alternative organisation design options and workforce impact assessments.
• Detailed and tested organisation design aligned to the target operating model.
• Transition-ready design documentation to support HR and Change implementation.
• Phased transition roadmap covering milestones, dependencies, workforce risks and governance gates.
• Executive decision packs and supporting materials for design approval.

Working Arrangements

The role is hybrid, with Liverpool preferred due to the location of the wider team. Candidates based in Birmingham may also be considered, provided they can travel to Liverpool regularly.