North East Regional Care Co‑operative (RCC)
- Chief Executive Apply before 19/07/2026 Reference Number JN
- 052026-1082471 Contract Type Perm Category Chief Executive Location Durham About the role Chief Executive
- North East Regional Care Co‑operative (RCC)
Salary:
£158,084 We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive with the vision and leadership to transform regional commissioning of care for children across the North East region. This is a rare and high‑profile opportunity to lead the creation and establishment of the North East Regional Care Co‑operative (RCC), a new organisation bringing together 12 Local Authorities to deliver sustainable, high‑quality regional care arrangements for children. It could be a defining role for the right candidate with the opportunity to shape the future. As Chief Executive, you will provide visible, executive‑level leadership through the RCC's start‑up phase and beyond. You will be accountable for developing and delivering the RCC's strategy and business plan, ensuring the organisation meets national minimum requirements while being shaped to meet the context of the North East. Working closely with elected members, senior officers, partners and regulators, you will lead an organisation that is innovative, financially robust and built for the future.
You will:
Establish and lead a new regional organisation, embedding strong governance, performance and financial management Build and empower a high‑performing regional leadership team and workforce Develop strong relationships across Local Authorities, Combined Authorities and key partners including health, police, youth justice and education Drive cultural change, transparency and collaboration across a complex system Operate in an emerging landscape at regional and national level, identifying opportunities for innovation, funding and collaboration Ensure children's voices, equity, and value for money are central to everything the RCC does We are seeking an experienced executive leader with a strong track record in local government or a partner agency, with a deep understanding of Children's Services, who brings strategic insight, political acumen and the ability to lead change across complex systems. You will combine strong commercial and financial leadership with a clear commitment to co‑production, service excellence and improving outcomes for children and young people. This is a unique opportunity to shape a new regional organisation from the ground up and to make a lasting difference at scale across the North East. To find out more, please contact our retained consultants at
Penna:
Nick Raper on 07715 690463, or Ali Tasker on 07514 728 114 for a confidential conversation, or visit www.durhamleadership.co.uk for further information.
Closing date:
23:59 on Sunday 19th of July How to Apply 1. Upload your CV under "Please select one of the options below." 2. Complete the short mandatory fields on the next page. 3. Use 'Add Attachments' to upload your Supporting Statement and any other documents. 4. Please ensure that the file name of your CV and supporting statement includes your full name. 5. Ensure both CV and Supporting Statement are uploaded before submitting your application. 6. If you have a long-term health condition or disability and would like your application to be considered in accordance with a Disability Confident Scheme, please email: execapplications@penna.com , to inform the Penna team. Apply
