What's the normal notice period for a senior job?

[Emphasise]

I've been offered a new job. It's perfect and I'm really excited but it's a managerial job in local government and the standard notice term is 4 months.

I'm worried that this makes it virtually impossible to go back to industry as no commercial company would wait 4 months, or are they used to it because it's normal at this level?

There's no room for negotiation on this contract term, so I have to accept it or turn down the offer

4 months is long- 3 months is more usual. There is obviously always the possibility that your employer wouldn't make you serve the full 4 months and might release you early/allow you to take accrued holiday at the end of your notice period.

Also, at a senior level, having to wait an additional few weeks for the right candidate is unlikely to be a deal breaker for a new employer anyway.

12 weeks is pretty standard for senior positions. Most employers at that level are used to that type of notice and build that in to recruitment

In my place it is 3 months for everyone up to the reasonably senior managerial grade, 6 months for the most senior grade and 12 months for the very top.

IME 3 months is standard at a senior level.

flowery would know more than me on this, but I belong to few HR forums/groups and there has been a lot of talk recently about employees refusing to serve longer than 4 weeks and the employer hasn't been able to do much about it (other than to take legal action)

One friend (partner in a law firm) has a year's notice period, though I guess you only tend to leave that to retire.

An employer could potentially take legal action, if they incur sufficient financial loss to make that worthwhile, but the far bigger risk for employees thinking of walking out without serving their full notice is wrecking their reference from the employer in question.

Yes, I wonder what would actually happen if I just didn't turn up after giving notice, but I'm not the sort of person who going to try it!

In my commercial experience, ad soon ad anyone except the most junior resigned they were put on garden leave,so even if you weren't technically free to take up the new post, you could be available for meetings etc.

It's 4 months in my org for senior managers. I agree with pp that an extra month wouldn't be a deal breaker when recruiting the right person.

Also, if say that in around half the cases I see, employees don't work it.

It cuts both ways remember. I'm in a redundancy situ currently and 4 months PILON is a good chunk of cash.

Mine is three months and my husband's is six months.

6 months is usual for senior people in my field and 3 minths for junior. In reality people are often released earlier if they request it and there is adequate handover

I have had both 6 and 12 months. Sent home on gardening leave too which was quite nice

3 months where I work