Chief Officer Resources & Strategy

As the Chief Officer - Resources and Strategy in our Adults and Health directorate, you'll thrive on delivering real change to the people of Leeds, ensuring the services we provide are they best they can be. You'll be an influential leader, providing strategic direction for Adults and Health. You'll also work alongside the Chief Officers for Resources and Strategy in other directorates on council-wide strategic, financial, people and digital initiatives to support organisational priorities. This role is about more than meeting statutory service standards. You will support the teams you lead to exceed those standards and continually improve the services we deliver through implementing innovative and cost-effective strategies. With your expert advice and insight, you will support your teams to deliver real and impactful change across the city for adults with care and support needs, ensuring they get the best possible outcomes aligned to corporate ambitions., By joining Leeds City Council's Adults and Health directorate as Chief Officer - Resources and Strategy, you will develop a rewarding career at the heart of the organisation and the city. You'll play a vital role in leading and supporting services across the Adults and Health directorate, all of which are dedicated to ensuring every person in Leeds can live a fulfilled, healthy life as independently as possible. When residents need additional help, our teams are on hand to provide the right care and support at the right time. The main purpose of your role will be to develop and implement corporate strategies to deliver coordinated support to these front-line services, ensuring the best possible outcomes for residents with care and support needs with the limited resources available. You'll achieve this by managing a number of services, and working together with integrated support services to direct and influence organisational priorities. You'll directly line manage the following services:

• Adult Operational Financial Services
• Organisational and Workforce Development
• Complaints Service
• Policy, Performance & Intelligence Service
And you'll work collaboratively with a range of internal support services and governance and key external partners including the NHS. There will be many opportunities to work on cross-council projects and priorities alongside the Chief Officers for Resources and Strategy that sit in other directorates. You'll work with them to maximise resource, champion change and innovation, and ensure public money is used appropriately, economically, and effectively. The role is integral to our Adults and Health directorate and wider Council and while it will be challenging at times, there is huge potential to make a real difference to the people of Leeds that rely on us to provide the effective and reliable services that improve their quality of life., Job purposeProvide strategic leadership on all aspects of resource management and business support within the directorate, with a particular focus on financial management and strategy providing advice and expertise to decision makers across the Council. Champion within the directorate, cross council strategic, financial, people and digital initiatives to support the delivery of the organisational priorities to support the Directorate Leadership Team to deliver real change across the city. Working with key partners at a national, regional and local level.,
• To develop and implement strategies to deliver coordinated support to front line services pursuing excellent outcomes for citizens with care and support needs within the limited resources available. This is achieved through the direct line management of a number of services and working with integrated support services to deliver the best outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership, advice and expertise to decision makers across the Council. Working with key partners at national, regional and local level.
• To work collaboratively with the Best Council Teams to ensure the values, priorities and ambitions of the Council are realised through maximising resources and delivering potential across the Council.
• Work with other CORs to deliver on the Council's financial, people and digital strategies ensuring public money is safeguarded and used appropriately, economically, efficiently and effectively.
• Engage with the organisational plan through Best Council Teams, champion and ensure the implementation of key organisational strategies and initiatives within the directorate.
• Lead a major area of the Directorate to ensure delivery of Best Value services to customers, meet the objectives of the Council and comply with Government Standards.
• Take the strategic lead in developing the service in the context of city, regional and national priorities.
• Lead, promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and inclusion in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement and a organisational culture , focussing on equality of outcome.
• Support Directorate colleagues to ensure that service delivery meets the required performance standards and that the statutory duties of the authority are delivered by taking an innovative approach, bringing together key support services within Adults and Health.
• Responsible for, supporting service improvement including effective and flexible deployment of staff to ensure improvement priorities are achieved.
• Responsible and accountable for developing appropriate, proportionate, and effective financial solutions to support the delivery of a balanced budget.
• Motivate, develop and coach managers within your major area of the Directorate so that they manage the Directorate staff and other resources to achieve Organisational Plan and Service Plan objectives.
• Monitor and review the achievement of targets in a major area of the Directorate activity and take action to ensure targets are met and improvements achieved.
• Take strategic lead in developing the service ensuring alignment so far as is possible between directorate and corporate policies procedures and priorities in the context of city, regional and national priorities.
• Effective partnership working with partners and key stakeholders and of forging and driving successful partnership programmes to deliver cross sector priorities and outcomes.
• Be accountable for and provide appropriate strategic advice relating to the work of the Directorate to Members and council officers and other stakeholders so as to manage risk and support them in their respective roles.
• Take responsibility for maintaining effective communications and engagement with staff, service users, councillors, trade unions, partners and other stakeholders and which supports open, inclusive, responsive and accountable government.
• Actively drive and deliver continuous improvement initiatives through leading and contributing to cross Council projects, collaborative working with partners and supporting Directorate Management Teams which includes taking overall responsibility for the digital and information technology Roadmap for the Directorate and the Business Intelligence requirements for ensuring improvements in Service Delivery.
• Actively support the Corporate Leadership Team in achieving continuous improvement across the Council and; as a member of Directorate Leadership team, develop and implement initiatives to support continuous improvement in the Directorate Services.
• Work with elected members, service users and community representatives in ways which support open, responsive, and accountable government.
• Provide 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.
• Manage, 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.
• 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 while managing complex risks. Support the Directorate to draw up and implement a Medium Term Financial Strategy.
• 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 Appropriate professional qualification (preferably CIPFA) is essential Working Context - Post holders will work flexibly both at home and at various locations across the City and region. All colleagues should work in line with our hybrid working principles and spend regular time in the workplace to support service delivery, meeting the needs of the team and the requirements of their individual role. The hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday. However, the post holder will be expected to work outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening/weekend meetings or events if required to meet the needs of the service.,
• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Be aware of promote and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values and standards of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• Understand and observe Leeds City Council approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
  
  As our Chief Officer - Resources and Strategy, you will bring to the role:
• A relevant professional qualification (preferably CIPFA) and relevant experience in this field.
• Excellent leadership and strategic planning skills with substantial experience leading large-scale and complex change programmes.
• Strong collaboration skills to deliver on core organisational strategies and priorities.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current local, regional and national issues and the legislative and political context relating to the Leeds Health and Social care system.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to motivate, influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
• A values driven, adaptable and can-do approach to work with excellent judgement in a range of scenarios., Ability to provide effective leadership in the Directorate and implementation of innovative solutions to complex financial problems.
• Able to support the Director by leading a major area of the Service in delivering high quality, efficient services that meet the objectives and strategic priorities of the Council and government and legislative standards.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current local, regional and national issues and the legislative and political context relating to the Leeds Health and Social care system.
• Demonstrate knowledge of applicable legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information and relevant strategic functions e.g. health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of economic strategy and policy, understanding of local government political systems.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
• Substantial experience in working in this field together with substantial senior leadership and management experience.
• Evidence of working with partners and key stakeholders and of forging and driving successful partnership programmes to deliver cross sector priorities and outcomes.
• Experience of successful leadership and management of large scale complex change programmes including service redesign and transformation with an understanding of the strategic issues that face integrated work.
• Experience of working on politically sensitive issues including significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions and Corporate Leadership Team.
  
  Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
  
  a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further