Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in becoming our next Director of Public Realm. This is one of the most challenging and rewarding leadership roles in local government, and we are looking for someone who is ready to make a real impact here in Barking & Dagenham.

Let me be upfront: waste is our biggest challenge. Street cleansing, fly-tipping, and the standards residents expect are under more pressure than ever. At the same time, we are in the middle of renegotiating one of the most significant contracts in London, a fundamental piece of work that will shape services for years to come. You will need to hold your own in complex negotiations, bring fresh commercial ideas to the table, and link strong financial grip to innovation and income generation.

But this role is about more than contracts and numbers. Our ambition is to shift to a neighbourhood model, services that feel closer to people, more responsive, and more collaborative. That means balancing the portfolio across waste, highways, caretaking,
parks, cemeteries, fleet and transport, and doing so in a way that keeps standards high while futureproofing with technology and
smarter ways of working. This is also about culture.

Our teams, our partners, and our communities all need to be part of the solution. We work in a place with
extraordinary growth, changing demographics, and rising expectations. The successful candidate will be visible, engaged,
and confident in bringing people with them – whether that’s residents, frontline staff, Trade Unions, developers, or elected members.We are open to people of a variety of industries. What matters most is that you combine operational grip with creativity, resilience and the commercial edge to get the best for our borough.

This is not a “steady state” role. It’s about shaping the story of Barking & Dagenham, making sure the public realm reflects the pride and potential of our people. If you want to leave a legacy, if you believe in high standards, and if you can marry commerciality with community, we would love to hear from you.

Yours sincerely,

Leona Menville

Strategic Director, Housing, Environment and Communities (HEC)