Executive Officer

City Region and Rural Powerhouse


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.
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 new Mayor of the Combined Authority will be elected on 2 May 2024 and will be looking to forge ahead with a brand new talented leadership team at the start of what is going to be an incredibly exciting time for the region. This is where you come in – as a founding member of the Combined Authority Management Board, the Chief Executive will work closely with the Mayor and many other influential leaders both locally and nationally, to help bring about significant change and make sure the region fully capitalises on all that devolution can offer.
Working with City of York Council, North Yorkshire Council, and the newly elected Mayor you will help shape and be responsible for the delivery of the Combined Authority’s priorities, the corporate and business objectives. It will be vital to engage effectively with a wide range of partners, using considerable skill and acumen to work with other authorities, central government, commercial partners, statutory agencies, residents and local businesses to ensure that everyone involved in the Combined Authority has a shared purpose and common goals.
Opportunities to spearhead a brand new organisation, make your mark and leave a legacy will not come much better than this.
The Combined Authority will work in close partnership with North Yorkshire Council and, City of York Council 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.
The Combined Authority represents the interests of local communities and ensure the Police and Fire & Rescue services are delivering the best possible service to them by maintaining an efficient and effective Police Service and Fire & Rescue Service for the area. setting the Services’ budgets and determining the police and fire precepts, and issuing the Police and Crime Plan, Fire & Rescue Plan and Risk & Resource Model for North Yorkshire;
commission policing & crime services and fire & rescue services, alongside convening work with other agencies and partners to improve overall public safety.
The Combined Authority will be the employer of the Chief Fire Officer, all Fire & Rescue staff and the staff of what was the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and will be responsible for developing and maintaining a workforce that is professional, resilient, skilled, flexible and diverse.
Hybrid
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.
Investment, business growth, local industry strategy which has inclusive growth as a driver
Lead the strategic approach to an improved integrated transport network that meets the needs of the region, including the delivery of a strategic transport plan and strategic infrastructure assessment management plan
Integration of the Office Police Fire and Crime service
Integration of the Fire Service
Management of the devolved Adult Education services from the two Authorities
Demonstrable and significant leadership and senior management experience in a large complex public, private or voluntary sector organisation.
Strong commercial skills, business acumen and experience of operating in a business development role with financial and risk management skills
Highly developed technical, professional and legislative knowledge and understanding of national and local policies, funding, commissioning frameworks, statutory financial and employment requirements, relevant frameworks and accountabilities that will impact on the Combined Authority.
Understanding of the context of public/private investment partnerships and its potential to transform how Combined Authority’s work
Able to influence and shape policy, key decisions and in other key areas across the region and nationally with key stakeholders, central and local government.
Determine and maintain the pace of change and deliver improved services within a pressurised and challenging financial context.
Substantial track record of giving advice to and building relationships at senior levels with Elected Members and/or Board Members.
Experience of building organisational effectiveness and creativity.
Collaborative and enabling management style, strong partnership skills and an understand of and belief in the devolution agenda as it affects local government
Display and promote commercial/business awareness and the ability to gain and sustain community/customer confidence.
Able to think strategically and to analyse financial and complex policy issues within a political environment utilising an evidence-based approach to understand the issues and work cooperatively to meet the needs of the organisation
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; This is an historic moment and the first powerful step towards long term change. 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 Chief Executive 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. This role will operate on a hybrid basis from home in addition to working across York and North Yorkshire. 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 works in partnership with North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, all working 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 Police, Fire and Crime and the Fire Service transfer to the Combined Authority with the election of the Mayor in May and the former Local Enterprise Partnership has already been integrated into the Combined Authority.
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.
The elected mayor can be held to account for decisions made on a regional level.
The devolution deal delivers more local powers and decision making and additional funding. The deal for York and North Yorkshire sees 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 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. 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.
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
~ 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
~ 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 transport powers to improve and integrate the regional transport network
~ Integration of the former York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership functions
~ Integration of the Police, Fire & Crime Functions

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