West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council are advertising for a new chief executive who will be paid £115,000 a year.

They are inviting applications for the post of chief executive to lead their shared services partnership.

As the Echo reported recently current chief executive David Clarke retires in April 2014 and the partnership is seeking an exceptional individual to lead the councils through an extremely challenging programme of transformation and change.

The councils maintain that, despite financial challenges, their ambition for 2020 is to be an expanding organisation with a strong commercial focus which drives economic regeneration and delivers high standards for the local community.

A spokesman for the councils said: “This is a critical role which demands an exceptional candidate who will lead an organisation with a 600-strong workforce and budgets/assets worth hundreds of millions.

“The role is for a single chief executive for the two councils, who will share the salary costs of up to £115,000 per annum.

“This represents a cost of around £57,500 for each council, and gives excellent value for money when compared with similar local government chief executive posts in the job market.

“The partnership was recently recognised as leading edge by the Local Government Association.”

Closing date for applications is 27 January 2014.