INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Localities Programme Manager (Pride in Place)

Salary: PO6 £51,356 - £54,495

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: 2 year fixed term

Location: Reginald Centre

As a Localities Programme Manager (Pride in Place) you’ll thrive on leading meaningful, place‑based change that empowers communities, brings partners together and delivers lasting improvement in some of Leeds’ most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. You’ll be motivated by the opportunity to shape long‑term regeneration, build community pride and help local people take greater control over the future of their area.

It’s not about just managing programmes or processes – it’s about visible leadership, collaborative working and turning ambitious city‑wide policy into real, locally felt outcomes for residents and neighbourhoods.

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.

About you

As a Locality Programme Manager (Pride in Place), you will bring to the role:

Proven experience of leading complex programmes or neighbourhood initiatives from development through to delivery, performance management and evaluation.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage, motivate and support multi‑disciplinary teams to achieve shared objective
Experience of working effectively within a multi‑agency or partnership environment, building trusted relationships across sectors
A strong understanding of locality working, community engagement and empowerment approaches, particularly in areas facing deprivation and inequality.
The ability to communicate clearly and credibly at senior level, producing reports and recommendations for decision‑making bodies and partners.

We particularly welcome applications from people who live in, work in, or have strong connections to the Pride in Place neighbourhoods of Middleton Park Avenue, Armley New Wortley, Farnley East and Seacroft North Monkswood, as local insight and lived experience can be a real strength in this role. However, this opportunity is open to all applicants who can demonstrate the skills and experience required.

About the role

This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering the Government’s flagship Pride in Place Programme, a long‑term investment designed to regenerate disadvantaged neighbourhoods, strengthen communities and create thriving places across Leeds.

As our next Localities Programme Manager, you’ll provide strategic leadership across four Pride in Place neighbourhoods, ensuring effective governance, compliance, performance monitoring and evaluation, while supporting local Neighbourhood Boards to agree and deliver ambitious 10‑year visions and investment plans.

The role is integral to our Locality Partnerships and the wider Safer Stronger Communities team, working alongside Senior Locality Officers, Locality Officers and a wide range of partners. You’ll help bring together residents, elected members, community organisations and public sector partners, ensuring communities are central to decision‑making and that investment delivers real, measurable improvements to people’s lives and neighbourhoods.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

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

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidancefor further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Liz Jarmin via email Liz.Jarmin@leeds.gov.ukto arrange a call.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

To lead and manage locality working programmes in Priority Wards, including the Pride in Place targeted wards
Provide leadership and operational management for multi-disciplinary teams
Lead on the ambition of working in neighbourhoods “Bringing people together to make a difference and helping them do more for themselves and others so that their communities thrive and so Leeds achieves its ambition to be the best city for communities” and aligned to the Pride in Place programme objectives.
To lead the implementation of the city’s ambition for locality working as set out in the City Ambitions
To lead on the development and implementation of a performance management framework which measures progress and performance aligned to the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Boards priorities.

Responsibilities

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
To lead local partnership programmes that support the delivery of the Council’s priorities to deliver better, integrated, and more responsive local services.
To lead and manage neighbourhood improvement programmes through collaborative working with partners and directorate teams.
To work with elected members, partners, service users, and community representatives in ways that are open, inclusive, responsive and accountable.
To work as a team for Leeds to achieve excellent outcomes for residents and aim to be the best council in the UK.
To lead on maintaining good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and partners underpinned by the Council’s Values.
To lead on the performance management of neighbourhood improvement programme, including risk and contingency
To have an in depth understanding of the national Policy context for localism and detailed knowledge of the public and partnership infrastructures to support the agenda.
Leadership, accountability and management of team performance to achieve delivery of the service plan.
Lead the development of Priority Neighbourhood / Ward and community committee change programmes.
Lead and manage the implementation of area and city wide integrated change programmes, taking responsibility for specific neighbourhood improvement work
Coordinate arrangements for governance of Neighbourhood improvement and locality working city wide.
Lead the commissioning and development of local projects to meet the needs and challenges of local communities.
Lead and manage sustainable community engagement and empowerment activities to advance local resident involvement in the design and delivery of services and promote the links with democratic decision making.
Lead collaborative problem solving activities, challenging existing local systems to drive improvement
Lead on the implementation of neighbourhood improvement activities to bring coherence to neighbourhood services and improve outcomes for residents.
Initiate, develop and lead key strands of locality and city wide working as agreed through the Neighbourhood Improvement Board, Community Committees and Council Directorates.
Manage and promote the implementation of locality working as set out in the City Ambition
Detailed knowledge and understanding of the current issues facing local government
An understanding of the current issues for key partners including police, health and the voluntary and third sectors.
Knowledge and understanding of community involvement approaches and their applications.
Knowledge and understanding of community cohesion issues and their impact in communities.
Detailed knowledge and experience of using indices of multiple deprivation intelligence to shape strategic responses.
Knowledge and understanding of local government political systems

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent qualification with commensurate operational experience in a locality working setting

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

Ability to lead, manage and monitor performance effectively and set clear objectives
Ability to make an effective contribution to internal and external meetings
Ability to lead initiatives and policies from development to implementation
Ability to contribute effectively to internal and external meetings at a senior level
Ability to lead work across sectors to achieve strategic objectives
Ability to develop positive working relationships that command respect, trust and confidence
Ability to provide leadership and management to staff and project colleagues
Ability to write and present effective reports for a range of audiences including formal decision making and external partners
Ability to improve service quality and support a culture that drives up standards and performance.
T. competencies to undertake a range of tasks.
Ability to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities
Lead the effective communication of team priorities including the use of social media
Leading on service delivery and improvement activities, and/or programmes of change
Working on community / neighbourhood issues to achieve prescribed objectives.
Working in a multi-agency setting to achieve shared objectives.
Producing and implementing plans, monitoring and evaluating plans against objectives.
Managing the development of projects and funding bids / packages of support.
Collating and analysing data to monitor service delivery and identify local needs.
Lead and manage community involvement activities
Strategic management of budgets aligning to service delivery activities.
Working effectively with others to deliver cross sector or cross service projects
Responding to customer or community needs.
Staff management and motivation
Working effectively with a range of colleagues and partners to deliver cross sector or cross service projects
Experience of leading programme, project and performance management arrangements.
Managing competing priorities within a team setting whilst delivering on a range of projects

Essential behavioural and other characteristics

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 Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities, and a resilient sustainable city
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures
Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters

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