Job title: Chief Officer Economy and Skills
Salary: £96,315 - £105,742
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Leeds
As our Chief Officer Economy and Skills you will relish the opportunity to champion Leeds and secure the long-term future of the city as a place of opportunity for citizens and business alike.
You will be a member of the leadership team in our City Development directorate, which has wide-ranging responsibilities across Leeds that cover the economy, jobs and skills, built environment, transport, culture and sport. The role will have a key focus on the growth of our key sectors of Financial & Professional Service, Digital and Health, all under pinned by our innovation strength.
In this newly framed role of Chief Officer Economy and Skills you will prioritise

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Job Description
Job purpose Lead the strategic direction of the Council economic policies and strategies to deliver inclusive growth across Leeds. Promoting Leeds as a global city, a great place to live, learn, work, visit and invest, advocating for and supporting businesses to enable a resilient future and providing opportunities for people to develop skills, get into good work, innovate and thrive.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As our Chief Officer Economy and Skills, you have an exciting opportunity to shape the future of Leeds. With your compelling record and innovative approach, you can make a real difference for residents and their communities, businesses and everyone who visits or works in the city. The service covers Economic Development and Policy, Business Support, Innovation, International Relations, Inward Investment, Visitor Economy and Employment and Skills.
This is a high-profile role at the heart of collaborative efforts to develop our city for the better. You will lead teams in City Development dedicated to delivering our

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Play a key role in interpreting, shaping and implementing policy at international, national, regional and local level, through a range of formal and informal networks including but not limited to Core Cities, Innovation Networks and the Inclusive Growth Network.
• Provide strategic leadership, advice and expertise to decision makers across the Council on Economic Development matters.
• Work with key partners at national, regional and local level (including the MCA, HE&FE, Government and Business) and in collaboration with colleagues and partners, support the delivery of real economic change across the city.
• Work across the Council to implement and deliver economic and skills programmes including ecosystem and sector development into place propositions.
• Delivery of key employment and skills, innovation, business support, economic strategy and policy, and visitor destination partnerships, for the success of the city.
• Promote and maximise opportunities to enhance the economy and support local employment (for example through facilitating the delivery of major investments in the city).
• Support the Director by leading a major area of the Directorate to ensure delivery of Best Value services to customers, to meet the objectives of the Council Corporate Plan and comply with Government Standards.
• Monitor and review the achievement of targets and activity and take action to ensure targets are met and improvements achieved.
• Lead on the relationship with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Economic Development and Policy, Business Support, Employment and Skills and Destination Marketing including inward investment.
• Ensure that the Council has strong strategic relationships with businesses, providing advocacy and support particularly in key sectors including digital, financial and professional services, health and manufacturing and with business representative organisations (e.g. Chamber of Commerce and CBI).
• Develop and nurture key partnerships in support of the delivery of inclusive growth. Specifically, ensure the success of the Leeds Anchors Network, the Business Anchors Network, the Leeds Innovation Partnership and the Future Talent Board.
• Play a key role in the Best Council Leadership Team and actively support the Council Corporate Leadership Team in ensuring our organisational developments and improvements remain focused on delivering improved outcomes for local people.
• Meet agreed objectives as laid out in Council and Directorate plans ensuring compliance with legislation and, where appropriate, national standards, in pursuit of excellence in service delivery.
• 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 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 governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures.
• 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.
• 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 Strategic Leadership Team, to support the Director and other Chief Officers in the achievement of city wide outcomes.
• Actively drive and deliver continuous improvement initiatives taking the strategic lead in developing the service in the context of city, regional and national priorities.
• Lead and contribute to cross Council projects, collaborative working with partners and supporting Directorate Management Teams.
• 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, community representatives and other stakeholders 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.
• In line with the Budget Management Accountability Framework to be responsible and accountable for developing appropriate, proportionate and effective financial solutions to be implemented across the Directorate.
• Set and deliver transformational goals with broad perspectives and long term timelines, which maximises effective resource management, ensures financial compliance and is responsive to sector and city priorities. Plans are in place to meet priorities; budgets are maximised and there is an efficient and sustainable use of resources.
• 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 and post graduate qualification together with in depth experience at a senior level within the service area or relevant environment is essential.

As our Chief Officer Economy and Skills, you will be qualified to postgraduate level in a relevant subject area, or have equivalent experience. In addition you will bring to the role:

• substantial experience at senior level in the service area or a related setting of Economic Development
• in-depth understanding of the legislative, strategic and policy context of inclusive economic growth and innovation
• evidence of success in driving partnership programmes to deliver cross-sector priorities
• strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and raise the profile of the council and the city regionally, nationally and internationally
• sound judgment and reasoned decision-making with experience of operating in a political environmen