The county council is to create a £ 135,000-a-year role for a programme director to manage local government re-organisation (LGR) in Hertfordshire.

By April 2028, the authority and the 10 district boroughs are expected to be replaced with a smaller number of unitary authorities.

On Tuesday (January 28), plans to recruit an LGR transition programme director were given the go-ahead.

Although the role will be based within the county council, the successful candidate will be directed by the chief executives of all 11 existing councils.

The role, with an expected salary of between £121,449 and £134,011, will be funded equally by the authorities.

According to the job specification, shared with the county council's employment committee on Tuesday, candidates will need to have a proven track record of leading large-scale, complex transformation reorganisation programmes.

And they will need to show experience working at a senior leadership level.

Once in the role, they will be directly responsible for a delivery team – including project managers, officers, support and business analysts – and a budget of around £2m.

"This post offers an exciting opportunity to support the design and implement new unitary authorities, shaping public services, governance, and outcomes for generations to come," says the job outline.

"On behalf of Hertfordshire's 11 councils, the programme director will provide strategic leadership and programme oversight for Hertfordshire's local government re-organisation (LGR).

"This role ensures that the transition to new governance arrangements is well-planned, coordinated, and executed effectively, delivering improved services, stronger governance, and long-term financial sustainability.

"We are looking for a senior leader with a strong record of leading large-scale

transformation, operating confidently in political environments, driving decision-making and delivering outcomes that make a real difference to citizens.

"This role demands imagination, delivery focus, and the ability to navigate political complexity while inspiring others to visualise and build a better future."

The successful candidate is expected to be appointed by April, with a start date between April and June, depending on their notice period.

The appointment will be for 24 months, "with potential to extend".

At the meeting of the employment committee leader of the county council, Cllr Steve Jarvis, said the role was required so councils can remain focused on the delivery of existing services.

He said it was important to minimise the impact of the LGR process on day-to-day activities.

He acknowledged that until now existing council staff had completed the work on LGR, but suggested that "that becomes increasingly unrealistic".

He told the committee it was "entirely appropriate" to recruit to the new role, rather than asking senior council officers to do the work in addition to their usual demands.