Deputy Director Place Planning

Place Directorate | Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

Salary: SM5 / £84,182 - £93,127

Location: Greater Manchester (hybrid working)

About Greater Manchester and GMCA

Greater Manchester is a cityregion with a strong track record of devolution, partnership and delivery. Working together across our ten local authorities and with public, private and voluntary sector partners, we are focused on building a thriving, inclusive and sustainable cityregion where everyone can live a good life.

The Greater Manchester Strategy is the shared longterm vision that brings this system together. It sets out how economic growth and social progress must go hand in hand, and how we work across organisational boundaries to deliver better outcomes for people and places. GMCA plays a central role in convening this system, providing strategic leadership, coordination and delivery at scale.

The role

We are seeking a Deputy Director Place Planning to provide senior leadership at the heart of Greater Manchester’s place agenda. This is a pivotal role within the Place Directorate, shaping how planning policy translates into realworld delivery across the cityregion.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Sustainable Growth and Infrastructure, you will provide strategic leadership, advice and assurance across statutory planning and placebased priorities. You will work closely with GM districts, government departments, delivery agencies and infrastructure partners to enable sustainable growth, unlock development and support delivery of the Greater Manchester Strategy.

What you’ll do

Provide strategic leadership across planning, ensuring activity is aligned to the Greater Manchester Strategy and mayoral priorities.

Hold senior accountability for statutory planning functions, joint plans and related mayoral responsibilities, in particular the Spatial Development Strategy for GM.

Lead systemwide collaboration to support housing and economic growth, regeneration and placebased delivery.

Provide authoritative advice to senior leaders and support effective governance, performance and risk management.

Represent Greater Manchester at regional and national level, influencing policy and strengthening delivery partnerships.


About you

You will be an experienced senior leader with a strong background in planning or placebased policy and delivery. You will be comfortable operating in complex, politically led environments and confident working across organisational boundaries to achieve shared outcomes.

You will bring sound judgement, strategic thinking and the ability to translate complexity into clear advice and action. Just as importantly, you will be a collaborative, inclusive leader who shares GMCA’s commitment to partnership working and public service.

Why join us?

This is a unique opportunity to work at scale on some of the most important planning challenges facing a major cityregion. At GMCA, you will be part of a leadership community that values collaboration, innovation and impact and where your work will help shape the future of Greater Manchester.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Andrew McIntosh, Director of Place.

Mandatory Information:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

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Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.


Hybrid working

This role is part of GMCA’s hybrid working scheme. As part of our commitment to ‘Build Back Fairer’ in Greater Manchester following the Covid-19 pandemic, we have evolved our management methods by trusting and empowering staff to deliver their work in the best way that suits the business and their individual needs, and supports health and wellbeing. Our hybrid working policy sets out a flexible approach, combining attendance at our Manchester city centre office, allocated GM Local Authority office(s), or on site in the community, with remote working, typically from home (within a reasonable commutable distance from Greater Manchester); the location of work is primarily dictated by the needs of the business: ‘Do what is right for you and the business on that day’. If appointed to the role you will work with your manager to agree and regularly review the best working pattern for you, your team and your work.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme within the last two years, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application?


Supporting Documents

Dep Director Planning RP

Ready to apply?

Location

Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU, United Kingdom

Job ID

1121

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Across Greater Manchester’s local authorities, we want to hear your genuine experiences, skills and motivations, expressed in your own words.

To keep our recruitment process fair and inclusive, please complete your application personally and follow the instructions carefully. AI can be used to support you - for example, to help structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment - but your application should still reflect your authentic voice.

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