York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Director of Resources – up to £105K plus relocation allowance

MCA York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Introduction

This is a very exciting time for York and North Yorkshire - we are at a pivotal point in our history.

In April 2023 the eight councils that served North Yorkshire unified to create geographically the largest council and third largest unitary within the country. York is at the heart of North Yorkshire and both City of York Council and the new North Yorkshire Council will play a key role in our journey towards devolution.

We are now at the next stage in that journey – on 22 January 2024 the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (“the Combined Authority”) was formed by Parliament and will be responsible for overseeing devolved decision-making powers and harnessing millions of pounds of funding for both York and North Yorkshire. The devolution plans will bring significant benefits to our 815,000 residents and more than 32,000 businesses across York and North Yorkshire, including new jobs, more affordable housing and measures to tackle climate change.

The Director of Resources is an exciting new role which affords an unrivalled career opportunity for a successful and influential leader to help spearhead this next phase in the North Yorkshire success story at a critical moment in its’ history. Opportunities to make your mark and leave a legacy will not come much better than this.

As Director of Resources you will be a founding member of the Combined Authority Management Board, charged with using your own outstanding strategic and organisational leadership skills to develop, embed and sustain the Combined Authority. With colleagues you will have collective responsibility for the development and delivery of the operating model as well as supporting the development and embedding of the values and behaviours throughout the Combined Authority. You will promote diversity and inclusion and work through partnerships and relationships with other stakeholders, including working effectively with elected Members of the constituent councils and the Mayor, to ensure the vision and strategic direction of the Combined Authority is delivered.

Externally you will act as an advocate for the Combined Authority at local, regional, and national level, developing and enhancing its’ reputation and influence, building partnerships and enabling the Combined Authority to be a leader in the field.

Director Roles MCA York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

 

MCA York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

The wider management board will be recruited shortly after this role; recruitment for the Chief Executive Officer will commence in April, appointed in May following the Mayoral Election, after which recruitment to the Head of Legal (Monitoring Officer) will take place over the summer, with interim support already in place.  Details are being taken for candidates interested in these roles now and further details will be forwarded when released.

The Combined Authority and what the future might hold

Home - Mayoral Combined Authority (yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk)

The Combined Authority will involve North Yorkshire Council, City of York Council and the Office of the Crime, Police and Fire Commissioner working together to champion the North Yorkshire and York regions and help ensure prosperous and attractive places to work and live, and that we are seen as places where it is easy to do business. It will assume responsibility for providing some services which were previously held by central government so as to directly benefit the people of North Yorkshire as a whole – for example, taking ownership of transport, infrastructure, skills, business investment, housing, culture and tourism. Making local decisions to support local people and drive economic growth.

The Combined Authority will place local investment and economic success right at the heart of its’ activity, championing our region and fostering cohesive working relationships to ensure we get a fair share of money through devolution deals and a bigger voice to attract even more investment. It will also ensure that York and North Yorkshire is a safe and inclusive place to live, that communities are well connected with each other and that everybody has a voice which is heard. Affordable housing, environmentally-friendly businesses and support for issues like arts and culture will all feature as a fundamental part of the agenda.

To Sum Up

The challenges are significant, but the rewards are too – here is a role which will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Combined Authority; an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy. In return you will be welcomed by dedicated and supportive colleagues who appreciate everything York and North Yorkshire has to offer and who want to do their very best for the region. Make your future, our future.

Please feel free to contact colleagues in the Resourcing Solution Team, who will be delighted to discuss this opportunity with those who might wish to learn a little more.

About the role

MCA York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

The role
Salary:  from £95,050 up to £105,438 plus relocation support of up £8000
Location: York & Northallerton ; Hybrid

Your Responsibilities

As Director of Resources you will act as the Combined Authority’s principal financial advisor (Section 73 Officer) providing high quality advice to both Members and officers of the Combined Authority and execute the Combined Authority ‘s legislative and financial requirements.

You will lead key services for the Combined Authority specifically around:

  • Financial Management
  • Property, Procurement and Commercial (including overseeing a number of SLAs)
  • Governance
  • Health and Safety
  • Communications 
  • Investment appraisals

What will you bring to the role?

We are looking for an astute and experienced strategic leader with significant experience of managing others, who can also act as an external ambassador for the Combined Authority. We are looking for a combination of the following key skills:

  • Substantial knowledge of the national policy context, regulatory environment and financial legislation /key issues with the ability to review financial resources, evaluating competing budgetary priorities and establish effective performance measures.
  • Significant understanding of the workings of local government and the issues to be faced with a proven track record of significant achievement in delivering services and managing large and complex budgets within this context.
  • The ability to exploit new opportunities with experience of operating successful commercial organisations and programmes at Board level.
  • Experience of leading successful major organisational culture change within a large diverse organisation, including effective workplace relations to put the customer at the heart of service delivery.
  • Strategic planning skills with the ability to develop strategy, set high quality goals, objectives and priorities and the determination to secure their achievement.
  • Excellent communication skills, strong negotiation and influencing skills and ability to effectively deal with the media.

What will you gain in return?

By joining the Combined Authority at such a pivotal time, this is a unique opportunity.

York sits within North Yorkshire as a County and together they combine the best of the traditional and the modern and are widely regarded as one of the best places to live in the UK. York and North Yorkshire are great places to live, work and do business.

North Yorkshire is a county which already has firm foundations – a strong culture and identity which is rich in heritage; thriving communities where the people and places are resilient and innovative; beautiful scenery with stunning landscapes, quaint villages, market and coastal towns; plus the vibrant city of York which is renowned for its’ history and cosmopolitan culture.

This is an historic moment and the first powerful step towards long term change. Devolution will unlock a better future for everyone in York and North Yorkshire. It will lead to more, higher paid jobs and access to training which provide the opportunity to build a career locally and better transport and digital connections to enable this to happen.  The Director of Resources will play a key role in helping to spearhead this next phase in the York and North Yorkshire success story at a critical moment in its’ history. Opportunities to make your mark and leave a legacy will not come much better than this.

This role will operate on a hybrid basis from home in addition to working across York and North Yorkshire.  The Combined Authority operates from administrative offices in York and Northallerton and the postholder will be required to attend these offices for in person meetings and partnership working as needed for the role and service.

Coming Soon

We are recruiting for the following positions a little later in the year, register your interest now!

Chief Executive Officer

Head of Legal (Monitoring Officer)

Contact Penny Keatings on 07811 411462 / Penny.Keatings@northyorks.gov.uk

About the Combined Authority

What is a Combined Authority?

In January 2024, the Secretary of State signed off the decision made in Parliament and local leaders subsequently met to formalise the creation of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is not a council – it will be a partnership between North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, who will all work together, with the Mayor, to understand how investments need to made across the region to improve on issues such as transport, housing and economic growth. The functions of the Office of the Crime, Police and Fire Commissioner and Local Enterprise Partnership will be integrated into the Combined Authority.

Elections for the York and North Yorkshire Mayor will be held at the beginning of May 2024.

In the meantime, all council services to the public will continue without any interruption, and the intention is to create an organisation that is ready to hit the ground running as soon as the mayor is elected.

About Devolution

About Devolution

How devolution works

Over the last 10 years, the government has progressed a number of individually agreed ‘devolution deals’ in other English sub-regions, to transfer funding on specific policy areas, along with appropriate powers to partnerships of local authorities, known as ‘Combined Authorities’. These deals typically last for 30 years and can bring in significant local investment.

Areas that are seeking devolution must become part of a joint body - a ‘Combined Authority’ and have a regional directly elected mayor who will work with councils through the Combined Authority to use the powers and resources gained through any deal. The elected mayor has access to devolved powers and resources and acts as an individual to unite and work across the region. The elected mayor can be held to account for decisions made on a regional level.

Devolution is primarily about strengthening regional arrangements, with greater democratic accountability and powers to take decisions which are currently made in London.

What does devolution mean for York and North Yorkshire

The proposed devolution deal will deliver more local powers and decision making and additional funding. The planned 30-year agreement includes an investment fund of more than £540 million for York and North Yorkshire. Coupled with other funding secured from the government, the proposed deal represents a total of £750 million.

The deal for York and North Yorkshire would see the introduction of an influential mayor who would become a figurehead for the region covering more than 800,000 people and 32,000  businesses and will forge close links with the government for better control at a local level. The new mayor will lead the new combined authority and oversee strategic projects ranging from major transport improvements and boosting skills and education to providing more affordable housing.

This is an historic moment and the first powerful step towards long term change. Devolution will unlock a better future for everyone in York and North Yorkshire. It will lead to more higher paid jobs and access to training which provide the opportunity to build a career locally and better transport and digital connections to enable this to happen.

An elected mayor for York and North Yorkshire will be tasked with:

  • Take on new local powers for issues such as transport, housing and skills
  • Lead on delivering projects such as more affordable housing, environmentally-friendly business and support for issues like arts and culture
  • Champion our region nationally, making sure we get a fairer share of money and a bigger voice to attract even more investment

The proposed devolution deal includes:

  • £18 million per year in Gainshare funding over 30 years to invest in local priorities
  • £13 million for the building of new homes on brownfield land across 2023/24 and 2024/25
  • Up to £2.65 million to deliver affordable, low carbon homes across the area
  • Up to £50m investment for the York Central brownfield regeneration scheme
  • £7 million investment to enable York and North Yorkshire to drive green economic growth towards the ambition to become a carbon negative region
  • Closer relationships with key government departments to drive investment in digital broadband and mobile infrastructure
  • Boost regional innovation through better collaboration on projects such as the Scarborough Cyber-Cluster and the BioYorkshire programme
  • New powers from government to drive regeneration and build more affordable homes
  • New transport powers to improve and integrate the regional transport network
  • Integration of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership functions
  • Integration of the Police, Fire & Crime Commission Functions

 

Key documents

About York and North Yorkshire

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 - Full Version - YouTube

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

Key Dates

Close Date Monday 1st April midnight
Stage 1 – Assessment Event Monday 15th April in Northallerton
Stage 2 – Final Interview Monday 22nd April in York

 

Contact us and apply

For an informal confidential discussion about these opportunities, please contact Penny Keatings on 07811 411462 / Penny.Keatings@northyorks.gov.uk

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

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.

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.

We will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers.