John has been the Director of Adult Social Services, and before that the Director of Social Services, adults and children, for Greenwich Council since 2004. Prior to that he was the Director of Housing and Social Services for Southend Council.

John's career in social care started in the voluntary sector, but he has worked in local government since 1974, covering all aspects of children's, adults' and older people's social services, both as front line worker and senior manager. He also had a one-year secondment into the NHS in 1999 to assist in the application for a local Primary Care Trust to be established.

John is quite active for the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. He is currently the co-Chair of the Disabilities Network and Secretary of the Workforce Network, and until the programme finished in 2009, was the ADASS Lead for Supporting People.