Chief Officer Asset Management And Regeneration - Req25043

Job title: Chief Officer Asset Management and Regeneration  

Salary: Dir 80%  £100,097 -  £109,907 

Hours: 37

Contract: Temporary

Location: Leeds

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

As our Chief Officer Asset Management and Regeneration, you’ll thrive on using your strong leadership skills to deliver transformational place led change across our city and help the council achieve its ambitions.

You’ll manage the council’s land and property assets, deliver our housing growth and wider place delivery programmes and lead on ambitious regeneration projects across the city. 

You’ll be a confident and passionate leader with the ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders across many place disciplines.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As our Chief Officer Asset Management and Regeneration, you will bring to the role:

• A relevant Place degree qualification or equivalent substantial knowledge gained through experience working in this field.
• Significant leadership and managerial experience.
• A proved track record of delivery across complex place schemes and programmes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors and disciplines to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
• Evidence of working with partners and key stakeholders to drive successful partnerships that deliver cross-sector priorities and outcomes.

About the role 

As our Chief Officer Asset Management and Regeneration, you’ll lead on the delivery of a range of place-based projects and programmes to support regeneration and growth in the city. You’ll also be responsible for the council’s property portfolio, including strategic planning, disposal and leasing of properties.

You’ll provide advice and expertise to decision makers across the council, ensuring that the council’s aims and objectives are being met and that government standards are adhered to. 

You’ll lead a team who are equally as passionate about the future of Leeds, supporting them to be their best and driving forward positive change. 

You’ll report to the Director of City Development and will play a key role in our Best Council Leadership Team, doing your bit to ensure the council achieves its ambition to be the Best City in the UK. 

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please upload your CV and complete a personal statement (of no more than 500 words) and upload via our jobsite ensuring your application reflects the requirements of the role as outlined in the role profile.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. 

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Angela Barnicle, Interim Director of City Development at Angela.Barnicle@leeds.gov.uk.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an age-friendly employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
 
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job purpose Provide advice and expertise to decision makers across the Council. Working with key partners at national, regional and local level the Chief Officer will champion the use of the Council’s land and property assets within the organisation and in collaboration with external land owners and developers.

Responsibilities 

• With an emphasis on strong leadership, this role operates within the context of the ambition for Leeds, and the city’s broader strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic leadership, providing advice and expertise to decision makers across the Council.
• Work with key partners at national, regional and local level and in collaboration with colleagues and partners support the delivery of real change across the city.
• Support the Director by leading a major area of the Directorate to ensure delivery of Equalities plans, Best Value services and meet the objectives of the Council’s Corporate Plan and comply with Government Standards.
• Support the delivery of real change across the city.  With an emphasis on strong leadership, this role operates within the context of The Best City Plan and the city’s broader strategic objectives. 
• Accountable for the delivery of agreed outcomes, targets and objectives including strategic management of the Council’s land and property assets, programme and project management of property and Regeneration based projects, strategic leadership of the Regeneration activity of the Council and the delivery of the Council’s Housing growth programme.
• Play a key role in the Best Council Leadership Team and actively support the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team in ensuring organisational developments and improvements remain focused on delivering improved outcomes for local people.
• Meet agreed objectives as laid out in Annual Appraisals ensuring compliance with legislation and, where appropriate, national standards, in pursuit of excellence in service delivery.
• Work collaboratively across the council to contribute to the leadership and management of the city and take the lead for relevant priority areas.
• Lead managers within the service to develop a high performing workforce and manage resources to achieve service and overarching objectives in line with the city’s agreed prioritisation. 
• Undertake effective consultation and engagement activities and communications with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders in accordance with Council policy.
• Support open, responsive and accountable government, ensuring good governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures. 
• Manage all aspects of risk and be accountable for the safety of staff, service users and contractors in accordance with all statutory obligations and relevant health and safety policies.
• As a member of the Strategic Leadership Team, support the Director of and other Chief Officers in the achievement of city wide outcomes.
• Promote and maximise all opportunities to enhance the economy and support local employment (for example through facilitating the delivery of major developments in the city)
• Motivate, develop and coach managers within your major area of the Directorate so that they manage the Directorate staff and other resources to achieve Corporate Plan and Service Plan objectives.
• Drive and deliver continuous improvement initiatives taking the strategic lead in developing the service in the context of city, regional and national priorities.
• Work with partners and key stakeholders and of forging and driving successful partnership programmes to deliver cross sector priorities and outcomes.
• Take responsibility for maintaining effective communications and engagement with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders and which supports open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government.
• Actively support Corporate Management Team in achieving continuous improvement across the Council and; as a member of Directorate Management team, develop and implement initiatives to support continuous improvement in the Directorate Services.
• Work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, responsive and accountable government providing appropriate advice relating to the work of the Directorate to Members and council officers so as to manage risk and support them in their respective roles. 
• Lead, promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and inclusion in all aspects of  service delivery, community engagement and human resource areas, focussing on equality of outcome.
• In line with the Budget Management Accountability Framework Ensure that effective budget Management and control takes place across your service, the planned level and quality of service provided for within the revenue and capital budgets are delivered and that budget pressures are resolved.
• Responsibility for the direction and control of a significant budget,  the financial integrity of the service and accountable for directing and implementing comprehensive risk management programmes and resources across the service(s).  Delivering within budget; value for money is maximised, and operational, regulatory, statutory and financial risk is managed and monitored in compliance with council requirements and with Local Government and national working practices.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate to the grade.

Qualifications 

Relevant degree qualification, professional qualification or substantial experience in working in this field together with substantial senior leadership and management experience is essential.

Working Context - Post holders will work flexibly both at home and at various locations across the City and region. All colleagues should work in line with our hybrid working principles and spend regular time in the workplace to support service delivery, meeting the needs of the team and the requirements of their individual role.  The hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday. However, the post holder will be expected to work outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening/weekend meetings or events if required to meet the needs of the service. 

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current local, regional and national issues and the legislative and political context relating to Asset Management and Regeneration. 
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of economic strategy and policy, understanding of local government political systems and experience of working on politically sensitive issues including significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions and Corporate Leadership Team.
• Evidence of working with partners and key stakeholders and of forging and driving successful partnership programmes to deliver cross sector priorities and outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
• Experience of successful leadership and management of large scale complex change programmes with an understanding of the strategic issues that face integrated work.
• Evidence of ability to make reasoned and logical decisions allied with high level organisational skills.
• Significant successful senior leadership experience.
• Substantial experience of operating in a political environment.
• Extensive experience of exercising sound judgement and providing clear advice at senior level.
• Experience of developing and implementing highly complex strategies leading to successful outcomes.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required.

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Be aware of promote and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
• Be award of and support difference ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values and standards of Leeds City Council. 
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.