Hertfordshire Council to use headhunters in search for new £200k chief executive hire

Hertfordshire County Council is going to use a team of professional headhunters to find a new chief executive, following the resignation of Owen Mapley.

Mr Mapley – who has held the top job at the county council since 2019 – is to move on to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in April.

And on Monday (26 February) the council’s employment committee agreed to commission an executive search company to assist in the search for a replacement.

They also agreed that from 1 April, existing deputy chief executive Scott Crudgington should take on the interim chief exec role – subject to the approval of a meeting of the full council.

At Monday’s meeting, councillors heard that the top job would be advertised with a salary of between £187,623 and £207,751.

But the exact details of the job pack were considered by councillors in private – and will only be made public when the role is formally advertised.

Because the chief executive role is also the council’s ‘head of paid service’, the appointment would ultimately have to be approved by a meeting of the full council.

And it was reported to the committee, that the aim was to hold the interview process in time for that approval to be sought at a meeting of the full council on 21 May.

Praising the contribution of the existing chief executive, leader of the county council Councillor Richard Roberts said: “Can I just take this opportunity to thank Owen Mapley for his service to Hertfordshire County Council, which started with him coming in as finance director and then moving up to chief executive.

“He has been an absolute stalwart and helped us through some very difficult times, including covid for example.”