Address
Form of work
SalaryPost Title Policy Officer x3 (Environment); Policy Officer (Environment and Mass Transit); Policy Officer (Place and Mass Transit
Salary & Grade £42,821- SP23 8
Location Leeds City Centre (hybrid/flexible working)
Hours Full Time, 37
Tenure Permanent
• Do you want to work for an organisation that values you as an individual?
• An organisation that will support your professional development?
• What about an organisation that is embedding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the heart of everything that it does?
• How about an organisation that does all these things and more?
• Yes? Then look no further than the West Yorkshire Combined Authority!
• Listen to what our staff say on our 'Life at West Yorkshire Combined Authority' webpage.
We currently have three vacancies for a Policy Officer (Environment), Policy Officer (Environment and Mass Transit) and Policy Officer (Place and Mass Transit) to join our Place and Environment Policy team.
The Place and Environment Policy Team form part of the Combined Authority’s Policing, Environment and Place Directorate.
The focus of the team is policy and programme development to support sustainable growth and resilience across the region. Our activity aims to accelerate delivery and improve the quality of infrastructure and place making activities including housing, employment sites, net zero and energy, climate resilience and environment, and urban design. Our activity supports a cross-boundary and cross-policy approach to infrastructure planning and delivery, seeking opportunities for cost and efficiency savings.
Our programme development activity targets areas of market failure or addresses other interventions not provided by the commercial market to drive improved sustainability, accessibility and inclusive growth. Our activities aim to influence government policy to the benefit of West Yorkshire and the wider North of England, secure additional government funding, and unlock or enhance the quality of commercial investment. Other team’s activities include maintaining a robust evidence base, policy development, programme development, engaging with government and maintaining strong partnerships.
It is an exciting time to be joining the Mayoral Combined Authority. We have a wide variety of exciting projects that we are working on which will help shape the West Yorkshire region.
In 2021 the £1.8bn devolution deal was secured for West Yorkshire. This meant the first Mayor of West Yorkshire was subsequently elected, with Tracy Brabin taking up post in May 2021. The devolution deal and election of the Mayor has enabled us to start to drive up living standards for local communities while tackling the climate emergency and helping to deliver our commitment to become a net zero carbon city region by 2038.
To find out more about the work the Combined Authority is involved with take a look at our latest news stories.
Please specify the role/s that you are applying for in your statement.
The Role:
Policy Officer (Environment)
Reporting into the Head of Environment and Infrastructure your key responsibilities will include:
• Leading, owning and developing policy proposals, appraising of strategy options, and coordinating of projects and initiatives in relation to the climate resilience and environment agendas, including West Yorkshire’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• Working closely with the Head of Environment and Infrastructure to develop and implement environmental and climate resiliance policies aligned to the West Yorkshire Plan
• Working closely with internal colleagues, District partners and other relevant stakeholders to influence and shape their activities and gain their input to support the delivery of Combined Authority ambitions.
• Leading and developing businesses cases for programmes and projects across our environmental agenda ensuring their seamless transition into delivery.
• Identifying and leading thinking to be at the forefront of changes in one or more of the listed policy areas.
Policy Officer (Environment and Mass Transit)
Reporting into the Head of Environment and Infrastructure your key responsibilities will include:
• Leading environmental input into the Mass Transit Programme as part of an intelligent client group.
• Working closely with colleagues to support development of a Mass Transit Carbon Management Plan and wider Environmental Strategy.
• Leading, owning and developing policy proposals, appraising of strategy options, and coordinating of projects and initiatives in relation to the environment agenda, and supporting development of West Yorkshire’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy
• Working closely with the Head of Environment and Infrastructure to develop and implement environmental and climate resilience policies aligned to the West Yorkshire Plan
• Working closely with internal colleagues, District partners and other relevant stakeholders to influence and shape their activities and gain their input to support the delivery of Combined Authority ambitions.
• Leading and developing businesses cases for programmes and projects across our environmental agenda ensuring their seamless transition into delivery.
• Identifying and leading thinking to be at the forefront of changes in one or more of the listed policy areas.
Policy Officer (Place and Mass Transit)
Reporting into the Head of Spatial Planning and Strategic Sites your key responsibilities will include:
• Leading place policy input into the Mass Transit Programme as part of an intelligent client group.
• Working closely with colleagues to support development of cross-boundary Corridor Development Frameworks.
• Leading, owning and developing policy proposals, appraising of strategy options, and coordinating projects and initiatives in relation to the place agenda.
• Working closely with the Head of Spatial Planning and Strategic Sites to develop and implement place-based policies strategic sites, aligned to the West Yorkshire Plan
• Working closely with internal colleagues, District partners and other relevant stakeholders to influence and shape their activities and gain their input to support the delivery of Combined Authority ambitions.
• Leading and developing businesses cases for programmes and projects across our place and environmental agenda ensuring their seamless transition into delivery.
• Identifying and leading thinking to be at the forefront of changes in one or more of the listed policy areas.
About You:
You will have the following key skills, attributes, education and experience:
• Strong understanding of policy development and experience of working within a place or environment setting.
• Experience of policy and strategy development within a complex organisation, translating policy objectives into programmes and delivery.
• Excellent communication, partnership working and negotiating skills to lead on working with a range of key partners.
• Familiarity with the principles of developing good quality business cases within the public sector (including an overview of the Greenbook 5 case methodology) is desirable
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills able to relay complex information to a range of senior stakeholders
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• A demonstrable commitment to EDI
Our offer
Alongside a competitive salary, we offer an excellent benefits package including:
• 28 days Annual Leave (increasing upon years of service) plus bank holidays
• Generous Employer-Contribution Pension Scheme
• Free Travel on rail and buses across West Yorkshire with the M-Card (Zones 1-5)
• Flexible Working Practices with Health & Wellbeing initiatives, including agile working options if you would rather work from home, or another suitable location, as well as a generous flexi- time scheme to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals.
Having recently undergone a major office refurbishment we have bright, airy, modern office space, with all latest technology, and just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station.
Have a look at our Employee Benefits webpage to find out more.
To apply
If this sounds like your next role, please complete the application form and tell us within the supporting statement why you would be a great fit for our role and how your skills, knowledge and
experience align with the requirements within the Role Profile. Please review our Role Profile Guidance for support in completing your application form.
If you would like to discuss the Policy Officer (Environment) or Policy Officer (Environment and Mass Transit) role in more detail please contact Justin Wilson via justin.wilson@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or 0113 348 1186.
If you would like to discuss the Policy Officer (Place and Mass Transit) role in more detail please contact Hannah Andrew via hannah.andrew@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or 0113 348 1042.
Further Information
The Combined Authority is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity. or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro-divergent. To find out more about inclusivity at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority please visit our dedicated webpage.
Applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met. Whilst agile working is an option for most staff, there is an expectation that employees are able to attend the office in central Leeds as and when required.
Candidates will be notified of invitation to interview by e-mail and interviews will be carried out either by phone, video or face to face. If you have any difficulty with the type of interview you are invited to, please inform the recruiting manager at your earliest convenience to enable them to consider an alternative solution.
Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, which is the salary stated above, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases, on an annual basis.
Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to respond to every applicant. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has not been successful. We do however thank you for your application and encourage you to continue looking for roles on our Careers with Us website page.
Candidate information will be retained by the Combined Authority for six months unless you make a request for this to be deleted.
The above post is not a Leeds City Council vacancy and has been advertised on behalf of the relevant organisation. To apply please follow their application instructions.
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.
