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Oldham

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Welcome to Oldham

Oldham is a proud, welcoming, diverse and creative place, with lots of great history, heritage and plenty of ambition. The people who live and work here are proud of the town, and Oldham is a place where people support each other.

Based in Greater Manchester, Oldham is a place of contrasts. Manchester City Centre is just five miles from the town, yet almost a quarter of the borough is in the Peak District.

Path in a park with grass, trees, and a bench.

Outdoors

Oldham’s parks are amongst the best in England, boasting seven green flag awards. Lying within the Peak District and South Pennines, Oldham offers picturesque woods, reservoirs, moors and meadows – providing ample opportunities for recreation and relaxation. And with a busy events programme running throughout the year, there’s something for everyone – from fetes, fairs, open-air concerts, and much more.

Old brick mill with tall chimney against a blue sky.

Hertitage and History

Since the industrial revolution, Oldham has been a thriving town rooted in the North West’s rich cotton-spinning heritage. At one point Oldham was the most productive cotton-spinning town in the world. Our innovation continued as we were the home of the tubular bandage and the world’s first test tube baby. We are also proudly restoring many historic buildings across the borough including our Old Town Hall and Oldham Library.

Bronze statue of woman, "Votes For Women" sash.

Famous Faces

Famous faces born in Oldham include sporting legends like Paul Scholes and Kevin Sinfield CBE, as well as acclaimed actresses Sarah Lancashire and Shobna Gulati, music star Mark Owen, physicist Brian Cox, and the world-famous DJ, Carl Cox. We’re also proud to have this link with Annie Kenney, a brave suffragette who fought for women’s rights. Her statue stands proudly outside Oldham’s Town Hall building.

Together we make a difference

Our ambitious plans to transform our town are well underway. We are building 2,000 more homes in the town centre, creating 1,000 new jobs, and 100 apprenticeship opportunities. A new and improved shopping centre will give Tommyfield Market a new era, and our new enterprise start up zone will help new small businesses thrive.

Architectural rendering of buildings, street, and people.

Why work for us

We are inclusive and supportive, offering a positive environment where our people thrive. From graduate opportunities to apprenticeship and T-Level placements, there are varied pathways to gain skills and knowledge. We recognise people for positive contributions, and support equity to ensure everyone can reach their full potential. So you’ll have access to hundreds of development courses and support for professional growth, including degrees and post-graduate qualifications if that’s your aim. At Oldham, you’ll be well rewarded with attractive benefits and a robust well-being offer.

Accredited as a disability-confident employer and a member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, we champion equity, diversity, and inclusion. With various work locations across the borough, including our modern and inclusive Spindles Offices, you can enjoy collaborative spaces and amenities like a multi-faith room, family and wellbeing room, showers, and secure cycle parking. We are proud to provide an environment that supports your work-life balance.

Our new and modern Spindles Offices

Our Values

Proud

We take pride not only in what we deliver for the residents of Oldham but also in how we deliver it.

Ambitious

We recognise the challenges we face and are committed to setting high aspirations to overcome them, with determination and focus.

Together

We believe in shared solutions, working across sectors and with our communities to achieve common goals and deliver the quality services Oldham deserves.

Our Behaviours

Work with a resident focus

Our residents are at the centre of everything we do. We strive to listen, engage, and collaborate with our communities, ensuring that their needs and aspirations are reflected in our services. This resident-focused approach drives us to deliver effective, relevant, and accessible services.

Support local leaders

We believe in empowering our leaders at every level to inspire, motivate, and drive change. By supporting and investing in local leadership, we ensure that our leaders are equipped to make decisions that benefit our communities, encouraging a culture of shared responsibility and growth.

Committed to the borough

We are committed to the success and wellbeing of our borough, its residents, and its businesses. Every decision we make and action we take is with the best interests of Oldham at heart, ensuring inclusive growth and development for years to come.

Deliver High Performance

Excellence is our standard. We are committed to delivering high-quality services and achieving the best possible outcomes for our residents. Through continuous improvement, clear targets, and a commitment to results, we ensure that we consistently perform at the highest level.

Take Ownership and Drive Change

We are proactive in our approach, taking ownership of challenges and leading the way in finding solutions. We have a culture of innovation and accountability and encourage our teams to seek out opportunities for improvement, driving meaningful change across the council.

Staff benefits

Here at Oldham Council we are committed to being a great place to work – providing support and opportunities and recognising our staff for going above and beyond every day. As well as working in a thriving environment where the ambition is to improve outcomes for people and places in the borough, there are also an exciting range of rewards and benefits available to our valued staff.

Pay

We commit to the Foundation Living Wage, annual raises, and extra benefits like enhanced parental pay.

Pension scheme

Join a scheme with tax-efficient retirement savings and flexible options for retiring.

Annual Leave

Starting with 25 days, increasing to 29 and 32 days after 5 and 10 years.

Health and Wellbeing

Financial wellbeing support, counselling, mental health aid, health plans, and fitness benefits.

Vivup Benefit Platform

Discounts, salary sacrifice schemes, and Microsoft 365 at reduced rates through Vivup.

Recognition

Biannual awards for 15, 25, 30, and 40 years' dedication

Learning & Development

Access e-learning, apprenticeships, and leadership training.

Hybrid ways of working

Flexibility to blend office and remote work for optimal productivity and personal well-being (role dependent)

Travel Benefits

Car allowance, discounted parking pass, and other travel perks for job-related driving.

Family Friendly Policies

Access parental, maternity, paternity, and special leave for family needs. Balance work and home life with enhanced schemes.

Volunteering days

Give back to the community with three days of paid volunteering leave

Opportunities in Social Work

Adult Social Work

Woman smiles at a baby, touching its hand. Baby is on a bed.

Children's Social Work

Boy celebrating a win while playing board games with family.

Children’s Residential Childcare

Our employees love working for Oldham

Andrea, Strategic Workforce Partner – HR & OD
“I love the opportunities to learn and grow, and to make a real difference”
Muzamil, Public Health Commissioning Officer – Public Health
“Making a positive difference to improve the quality of life for Oldham residents is truly fulfilling and is the reason why I’m a passionate about working within the Public Health Team at Oldham Council.”
Carla, Senior Business Support Officer – Libraries, Heritage, and Arts
“I love working in an environment where we all work together for the same goal, we all genuinely care and support the Residents of Oldham. It’s so rewarding.”
Deborah, E-Learning Developer. HR & OD
"My work as an e-learning developer helps to train staff who can then help local residents to the best of their ability"
Vicky, Get Oldham Working Programme Manager
“My love for Oldham and Oldham residents makes me passionate about helping people to make positive changes in their lives. I genuinely am grateful each day to meet new people via the role that I am in.”
Jo, Customer Experience Assistant, Gallery Oldham and Oldham Library
“I love working here because every day is different’
Shazia, Customer Support Office
“I have been here almost 30 years, and can say that I am truly proud of the service we offer to Oldham residents, we work so well together supporting each other to deliver an excellent customer service”.
Fran Lautman, Head of Customer and Digital Experience
"Colleagues are supportive and encouraging of each other. The work I deliver makes a positive difference to our communities and workforce. I’m proud to work for Oldham Council and to work with a resident focus in all that we do"

A role for everyone

Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s an accounting role, a planning job, a position in our Early Years or SEND teams, or an analyst role in our IT or Transformation services, there’s a role for everyone at Oldham Council.