Interim AD - Environment & Leisure

Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure)
6-month initial contract | Late August / Early September start
£700–£850 per day (DoE)
Inside IR35 (via umbrella)
Hybrid working (3 days per week on-site) | Central London

CVs are being reviewed over the next few weeks and interviews will take place week commencing 10 August 2026.

Are you ready to step into a high-impact leadership role where your decisions will shape frontline services from day one? As Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure), you will report into a senior director and lead a broad, visible portfolio spanning waste, parks, leisure and critical community services. With a stable senior structure already in place, your focus will be on driving delivery across key transformation programmes and politically sensitive priorities—making this the ideal opportunity for a confident, collaborative leader who thrives in complex environments.

This Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure) role offers an immediate start window to ensure a smooth handover, with a clear mandate to maintain momentum across essential services and strategic commitments.

Your role as Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure):

• Lead multi-service operations across waste, street cleansing, parks, leisure, fleet, parking and bereavement services
• Drive key transformation projects, including waste service changes, garden waste charging and food waste rollout
• Deliver against MTFs priorities, navigating politically sensitive areas such as libraries and community provision
• Provide strong leadership to Heads of Service, embedding a collaborative, people-focused culture
• Work across partnerships, including outsourced leisure provision and contracted waste services

Your previous experience as Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure):

• Proven AD-level leadership within a local authority (minimum 2–3 years, ideally more)
• Strong waste and street cleansing expertise, with a deep understanding of operational delivery
• Track record of leading frontline services in complex, high-pressure environments
• Collaborative leadership style—you bring people with you rather than disrupt unnecessarily
• Experience managing in-house teams and external partnerships effectively

This Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure) opportunity requires you to be on-site three days per week, ensuring strong visibility and engagement with operational teams.

If you’re ready to take on this Interim Assistant Director (Environment & Leisure) assignment and make an immediate impact, now is the time to act. CVs are being reviewed ahead of a late July deadline to enable swift shortlisting.

If you’re interested in discussing this opportunity in more detail or know someone who this may be of interest to, please contact Sarah Williams or Nikki Smith on 0117 3137110 or apply today.

We offer a senior referral scheme upon successful placement of your recommendation, so please do get in contact.

Our clients are committed to building diverse teams and making fair recruitment decisions based on skills and experience. Reasonable adjustments will be fully supported throughout the hiring process.