Kate Joseph CB

Kate Josephs CB joined Sheffield City Council as Chief Executive in January 2021, having spent 20 years as a senior leader in national government in the UK and United States.

Since arriving in Sheffield Kate has overseen the creation of ambitious, outcome focussed plans to guide the city’s recovery from COVID, respond to the cost-of-living crisis and drive the city’s long-term prosperity, enabling the people of Sheffield to achieve their potential and aiming to be a global leader in the climate transition.  Kate has initiated a wide-ranging programme of self-reflection and culture change in the Council; and partnered with leaders across the city to support an innovative project to reimagine Sheffield’s future, engaging a diverse range of citizens.  As Chief Executive she leads a diverse organisation of over 8000 staff, delivering critical services for our city and supporting the cross-party political administration to deliver on their priorities.

Kate is the Chief Executive Chair of Core Cities UK and co-chair of the advisory board for 3Ci, The UK Cities Commission for Climate Investment.  Kate is a trustee of the Resolution Foundation, the independent national think-tank focused on improving living standards for those on low to middle incomes.

Kate’s career as a senior leader in the UK civil service included positions in HM Treasury; the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit; and the Department for Education (DfE).  Kate joined Sheffield from the Number 10 / Cabinet Office COVID 19 Taskforce where she was Director General; in June 2021 she was awarded Companion status, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, in HM the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of exemplary public service during her civil service career.

Kate also spent time living in Washington D.C. working for the US Federal Government during the Obama Administration, including as Executive Director of the White House Performance Improvement Council, working across US Government Agencies – on priorities from veterans’ affairs to STEM education – with a mission to advance and expand the practice of performance analytics and improvement.

Kate grew up in and went to comprehensive school in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics & Political Science, and lives in Sheffield with her husband and two children.