Local Government Innovation & Change Leadership

The Level 6 Innovation & Change Leadership programme develops the practical capability councils need to deliver meaningful, sustainable reform. 

Co‑designed with Grant Thornton and delivered by Estu, the programme blends academic rigour with real‑world insight to equip professionals to design services at scale and lead confidently through complexity. 

Contextualised for those shaping local government transformation, it enables organisations to turn structural change into improved services, clearer experiences and measurable impact.

Who is it for?

This apprenticeship is designed for professionals already shaping transformation within local government and ready to step into more strategic, system‑wide responsibility. It supports individuals whose organisations need them to lead confidently through reorganisation, redesign services at scale and translate structural change into tangible outcomes.
Participants come from across policy, finance, operations, digital and service delivery, reflecting the cross functional nature of local government change.

It’s a great fit for:

• Policy and strategy professionals driving reform and service improvement.  
• Digital, data and innovation leads supporting modernisation and new operating models.
• Programme and change directors managing complex, multi-stakeholder transformation. 
• Senior operational managers responsible for redesigning services during and after reorganisation.

What will they learn?

Learners develop the practical capability to design services at scale, lead confidently through complex change and carry initiatives through from insight to implementation, delivering measurable impact during and after reorganisation.

The programme builds advanced skills that directly address the challenges councils face, integrating services, modernising delivery models, and improving citizen and staff experience.

They’ll build expertise in:

• Service blueprinting, journey mapping and user‑led design.
• Using data, digital tools and emerging technologies responsibly in service transformation.
• Prototyping, testing and iterating solutions to shape effective, scalable services. 
• Leading change, influencing stakeholders and navigating political and operational complexity.

How the programme works

This is a Level 6 (degree-level) professional apprenticeship running for 15 months plus an End Point Assessment, delivered by Estu in partnership with Grant Thornton.

It's designed for professionals already working in or alongside local government in transformation, service improvement, digital, policy or operational change roles, and leads to a Service Designer (Degree Apprenticeship) qualification alongside a CMI Level 6 Award in Innovation & Change.

Learning is primarily online with quarterly in-person collaboration and networking sessions, delivered through a structured blend of seminars, masterclasses, one-to-one coaching and applied workplace projects aligned to live reorganisation activity.

The curriculum covers service design foundations, design thinking, digital and data-enabled practice, leadership, change delivery and ethical and sustainable design, with assessment via ongoing reviews, portfolio development and a final EPA.

The programme is fully funded through the Apprenticeship Levy.

Key benefits

Build transformation capability

Develops a confident, skilled cadre of practitioners able to design services at scale and lead through complex reorganisation, reducing reliance on external support

Deliver better services faster

Applies live learning to real organisational priorities, accelerating service redesign, improving citizen and staff experience, and ensuring reform delivers measurable outcomes.

Strengthen future‑ready leadership

Equips teams with data‑driven, user‑centered and ethically grounded design capability to navigate uncertainty, modernise operating models and embed sustainable change.

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