YNYCA - Head of Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in learning more about the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (“the Combined Authority”) and this exciting new role.

As the first Director of Legal, Governance and Compliance & Monitoring Officer of the Combined Authority, I am very proud to be at the forefront of an organisation which will bring positive and lasting change for the residents and business communities of our fantastic region. This is a very exciting time for York and North Yorkshire - we are at a pivotal point in our history, and this role will be fundamental to the development and running of the Combined Authority itself. This vital role will appeal to ambitious and experienced leaders who, like me, are eager to play a key role in making sure we forge a bright future and create a lasting legacy for York and North Yorkshire.

We are in the fortunate position of being able to capitalise on devolved funding from central government. It is now almost 2 years since the Combined Authority was launched and so we are now very well placed to develop our existing structure to meet our growing agenda and opportunities.

This is where you come in – the service is currently undergoing a period of transformation and this new role will form part of a talented team of inspirational leaders with the vision and ambition to help spearhead the change. As Head of Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer this is a visible and impactful role which will involve liaising closely with the Mayor and his office, as well as members. Reporting directly into me, the role is vital in helping to drive the service forward. I am looking for an exceptional strategic leader who will see the importance of people, be ambitious in supporting their career development and act as a true role model in shaping and maintaining a positive culture for all.

The role provides a fantastic opportunity to help lead this next phase of the York and North Yorkshire success story at a critical moment in its’ history. Opportunities to join an organisation at the start of its’ inception and on the cusp of exciting growth which enable you to make your mark and leave a legacy will not come much better than this.

If you have the experience, passion and ambition to join us and help lead at this pivotal time in our journey, then we would like to hear from you. In the meantime, I would be very happy to arrange a conversation to discuss our exciting plans with you. Please contact one of my colleagues in our Resourcing Solutions team to arrange this.

Salary: £71,425 - £80,216 per annum, plus relocation support
Location: York & Northallerton / Hybrid

The role supports the new Legal, Governance and Compliance Service within the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. The postholder will play a key role in enabling the Mayor to deliver his manifesto and ensuring legal and democratic compliance across a diverse region.

You will lead, develop and deliver the Combined Authority’s approach to governance, uphold high ethical standards, and support Members and Officers in decision-making. The role involves influencing stakeholders, ensuring statutory obligations are met, and developing a strong governance framework to help drive the Combined Authority’s priorities and transformational economic ambitions.

The role will be responsible for

Ensuring legal compliance within the Combined Authority.
Being a trusted adviser to Members and Officers in relation to the legal development, implementation and running of Combined Authority.
Having a positive impact on the long-term running of the Combined Authority – and in it meeting its statutory duties
Deputising for the Monitoring Officer as required
Acting as the day to day lead on all legal issues for the Combined Authority.
Developing, influencing and having an impact on progressing the newly formed Combined Authority, including assessment of the effectiveness of current resources.

This is a politically restricted post.

What you will bring to the role

Qualified solicitor or barrister status, entitled to hold a practising certificate or full CILEX (Fellowship) qualification with extensive relevant post-qualification experience, ideally in a public sector organisation.
Deep understanding of legal and democratic frameworks, especially within Local Authorities.
Strong grasp of statutory requirements including equality, data protection, and confidentiality.
Proven experience in senior legal roles and strategic planning within public sector environments.
Skilled in managing budgets, staff, and performance indicators in complex settings.
Demonstrated success in multi-agency leadership and stakeholder engagement.
Excellent interpersonal, advisory, and leadership skills particularly in pressurised environments.
Politically astute with the ability to foresee and manage emerging issues.
Strong project management and organisational capabilities.
Effective communicator with high-level written and presentation skills.
Inclusive leadership style aligned with corporate values.
Trusted advisor with a focus on regional impact and service improvement.

For more information please the job description here

The Combined Authority was launched as a new organisation in early 2024. It is a public sector employer with access to powers and funding to unlock transport and housing improvements, boost skills provision and help the economy transition to net zero for York and North Yorkshire. Making the most of the combined strengths of the city region and rural powerhouse, the Combined Authority is a long-term commitment to shaping a brighter future for generations to come. As one of only two combined authorities to incorporate partners in the form of Police, Fire and Crime and the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, plans are in place to harness huge economic opportunity for the region and to raise the living standards for communities to enable the region to make a full contribution to the UK economy. There is a focus on delivery to put the York and North Yorkshire area on the map for regional and national success.

By working for us you will play a part in making positive changes, unlocking investment, supporting business and communities to thrive and creating new and better opportunities for people that live and work here.

Roles within the Combined Authority operate on a hybrid basis. While flexible working is supported, postholders will be expected to attend in-person meetings and partnership activities at our offices in Harrogate, Northallerton, and York, as required by the role and service.

The benefits of working for the Combined Authority include:

Generous leave entitlement, starting at 28 days plus 8 bank holidays (pro-rota for part time staff)
Flexible working practices including working from other locations and from home
Local government pension scheme
Commitment to staff development and continuous learning

York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Living and working in York

We are proud of York’s status as one of the safest and best cities to live in the UK, engaging our 202,000 residents and 7 million visitors to live healthier, happier independent lives.

We are a vibrant, digital city at the heart of Yorkshire - the best of tradition and the modern. With excellent connectivity by road and rail, the neighbouring towns and cities of Leeds, Hull and Harrogate are in easy reach. National Parks and areas of areas outstanding natural beauty are on our doorstep, with their quaint villages and market towns, whilst the Yorkshire coast provides a retreat ideal for sunny days.

We are known for our considerable assets – we have our internationally important heritage, with strong creative industries and a significant cultural offering. We have strengths as a science city, and our digital infrastructure recognises us as the UK’s first Gigabit City. We have a young and highly skilled workforce, and lay claim to world-leading universities and some of the highest performing schools and colleges in the country.

We are ambitious and aim to be a prosperous city for all - where local businesses can thrive and residents have good quality jobs, housing, opportunities and access to quality public services. We celebrate and champion the diversity of our population and encourage everyone to play an active role in the city, so that our vibrant economy and rich communities can make York the acclaimed city it is. We are one of the safest cities in the country and offer some of best available education.

A city of Sanctuary and Human Rights, our community is truly multicultural and diverse. We are the first city in the North of England to set the aspiration to make our city an anti- racist and inclusive one. We are committed to tackling discrimination in all aspects of services that the Council delivers, including public health, in order to have an impact and bring about positive change to our residents.

Our thriving retail and visitor economy welcomes millions of visitors every year. We have been recognised as the ‘foodie centre of the universe’ and our Christmas market is the best in the UK. Our many awards include Sunday Times best place to live, Conde Nast city of best architecture and in 2018 YouGov found that we are the nation’s favourite city. We are friendly, community-spirited, festive and summer-friendly – what’s not to like?

Find out more about working and living in the City of York here It's All York

Living and working in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is a thriving county that adapts to a changing world and remains a special place to live and work.

North Yorkshire's natural beauty is captured in its three areas of Outstanding Natural Parks, National Nature Reserves, stunning coastlines, scenic rural villages, vibrant cities and market towns. North Yorkshire really is a beautiful, thriving and special place to live and work, rich in heritage and culture.

North Yorkshire features significantly in the ten best places to live in the UK in Halifax Quality of Life Survey. The Quality of Life index aims to quantify where living standards are highest in the UK by ranking local performance across a range of indicators. Local areas featured in the top ten included Richmond, Selby and Malton.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics bulletin positions North Yorkshire as the safest place in England with extremely low crime rates.

In addition, the county benefits from excellent road and rail links, with easy access via the east coast mainline, the A1(M) and A19. Leeds, York, Newcastle, Durham and Teesside are all easily commutable, and London and Edinburgh are just two hours away by train.

From its lively cities to pretty villages, rolling countryside and grand coastline, North Yorkshire has so much to offer including great employment opportunities for your family members, along with a higher proportion of schools which are good or outstanding compared to national figures.

You can find out more about what North Yorkshire has to offer on the No place like North Yorkshire website North Yorkshire - start planning your visit - VisitNorthYorkshire.com

If you are interested in this fantastic opportunity or would like to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Charlotte Wilkinson 07483 103301 or email Charlotte.Wilkinson@northyorks.gov.uk

To apply please submit one Word document that details a comprehensive CV, including current salary, and a supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role.

Applications should be emailed to Executive.ResourcingSolutions@northyorks.gov.uk. Please do not send PDFs.

It is important that your written application fully addresses the experience criteria as detailed in the person specification.

You should include contact details for at least two referees, one of whom must be your current / most recent employer/engager. If you specifically do not wish referees to be approached without your permission, please indicate this.

We will remove your personal details from your application on receipt to enable anonymised shortlisting, therefore it is important that your application is made using one Word document. Please do not send PDF versions and please make it clear which role you are applying for.

Please ensure that you have included both your work and home telephone contact numbers and e-mail addresses where applicable.

We believe in the importance of inclusion, which is why we are always working towards being a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive employer.

This is a politically restricted post and will require police security vetting.

We will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers.

Key Dates:

Closing date: Sunday 26 October (midnight)
Shortlisting date: Tuesday 28 October
Interview date: Tuesday 4 November at County Hall, Northallerton

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

City Region and Rural Powerhouse

Head of Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer
£71,425 - £80,216 plus relocation
Location: York & Northallerton / Hybrid

About the role

About the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority