Team Leader- Heritage, Landscape and Biodiversity - REQ002478

Job title: Team Leader - Heritage, Landscape and Biodiversity.

Salary: PO6 - £49,764 - £52,805

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House

As a Team Leader within the Environment & Design Group you will thrive on championing the heritage assets of Leeds, and leading on matters around heritage, landscaping, and biodiversity. You will be leading a group of professionals with expertise in all these issues, but you will also need to focus particularly on heritage.

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 Team Leader you will bring to the role:

Management experience in a multi-disciplinary environment.
In-depth knowledge of the statutory and policy framework within which planning decisions are made, and of the statutory framework around heritage assets.
Ability to assimilate, analyse and present complex information that may encompass differing opinions, bringing creativity and innovation to problem solving.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage, influence, negotiate and to forge positive relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners including elected Members, major developers, local communities and media.
Ability to lead professional employees and to provide coaching and mentoring to employees at varying levels in their careers.

About the role

As our next Team Leader you bring your extensive knowledge and experience of heritage and other planning issues to our team. You will be applying that knowledge to place-leadership projects and will coordinate with other professionals both within the Environment & Design Group and the wider planning services as well as highways, flood management, and others.

The role is integral to our Heritage, Landscape and Biodiversity team who provide expert specialist advice on those three specialisms to our planning service through both Development Management and policy consultations. As a Team Leader you will manage a small team within a wider group of consultees and you must be able to lead, innovate, adapt and deal with people throughout the Council, representing planning services and championing the built and natural environment.

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

Complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role contact Martin Elliot, Head of Service. Email Martin.elliot@leeds.gov.uk

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.

Leeds City Council Job Description

Job Purpose

Working as part of the team, you will live and model values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country. Your role will be important in ensuring the Council is more enterprising and efficient and ensuring that the authority has in place proper arrangements for the administration and delivery of projects. This includes advocating for heritage, environment and design solutions in supporting the development of the City, tackling Climate Change and providing expert advice and guidance to stakeholders both internal and external.
You will be involved in place-leadership projects covering a range of matters and will need to integrate with other specialisms such as planning, highways and regeneration to provide a comprehensive service. You will have a proven track record in delivering strategic, high-profile, city-wide projects and of working in a political arena. Your role will require you to manage a team of skilled multi-faceted professionals, applying project management and leadership skills to champion the work that the Group undertakes as well as influencing other Departments. The role operates within the context of the Council Business Plan Objective to increase efficiency.
The Team Leader will be responsible for providing leadership, advice, challenge, information, and guidance of multidisciplinary teams across P&SD. The post holder will be responsible for monitoring and managing the provision of those functions identified by the business and to ensure the council business plan is achieved.
The post holder will be able to demonstrate relevant skills and experience in delivering and managing significant aspects of service and business priorities, and will be responsible for providing leadership within the appropriate function.

Responsibilities for Grade:

To lead and manage a defined range of the Service activities to:
Direct resources to specific projects and programmes of work, as agreed with the Chief Planning Officer, relevant Head of Service or Group Manager.
Ensure delivery of services to customers which meet agreed performance targets.
Ensure that legislative requirements and relevant professional standards are met or exceeded.
Contribute to service improvements to promote effective and efficient working, including through better use of information management technology.
Assist in the wider delivery of Service and Council objectives.
Ensure that staff are coached, developed and trained as appropriate including through the carrying out of staff appraisals.
To deputise as appropriate for the Chief Planning Officer, relevant Head of Service or Group Manager
To work with elected members, service users and community representatives, and other stakeholders in ways which support open, responsive and accountable government, ensuring good governance compliance with financial and procurement procedures.
To be personally involved in casework of a complex, high profile or politically sensitive nature, including contact with elected Members, with the media and involvement in customer service complaint and Ombudsman investigations.
To represent the Council in a professional capacity as required at public hearings, inquiries and examinations; and to represent the Council at public meetings and in other public forums.
As appropriate to the specific range of duties associated with a particular post, to provide required professional advice to elected members, Council officers, and service users.
Plan, organise, co-ordinate, deliver, control and monitor areas of work within a context of budget pressures and funding restrictions.
Contribute to effective joint working within the council and across the city. Provide direction and support to colleagues, clients and immediate line reports, creating an organisational culture of shared accountabilities, learning and continuous improvement.
Promote new ways of working, partnership working and long term relationships with key clients both internal and external to the council, to improve corporate priority outcomes and to ensure that developments and improvements remain focused on delivering outcomes for local people.
Promote and support positive solutions to achieve diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement activity and human resource areas.
Manage all aspects of risk and be responsible for the safety of staff, clients and contractors in accordance with all statutory obligations and relevant health and safety policies.
Advise on and ensure compliance with the council governance framework, Contract Procedure Rules, Financial Procedure Rules, relevant legislation, internal procedures, and statutory undertakings; and maintain and contribute to the development of quality accreditations where appropriate for services.
Maintain knowledge and pursue continuous personal development in relation to relevant specialist subject matter, and local, regional and national issues.
To carry out any other duties as may be required which are commensurate with the responsibilities and grade of the post.

Qualifications A relevant qualification (e.g. Heritage) is essential. Membership of a relevant professional body is desired and demonstration of significant successful and relevant experience/qualification at management level is desired.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.

Ability to analyse and present complex information in a clear and concise manner using a variety of presentational formats, with the ability to make technical or specialist information understood to non-specialists
Ability to find and implement creative and innovative solutions to complex problems in a complex and multidisciplinary environment
Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage, influence, negotiate and to form positive relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners i.e. elected Members, major developers, local communities, press and media
Ability to employ a range of management styles which focus on achieving results in terms of outcomes
Ability to influence and give appropriate professional advice at a senior management level
Ability to coach and mentor staff and other managers effectively to develop a culture of high performance
In-depth knowledge of the statutory and policy framework within which planning decisions are made
In-depth understanding of how planning can contribute to the delivery of high quality sustainable development and the achievement of sustainable communities
Management experience in a relevant service or organisation
Experience of managing and controlling budgets and resources
Experience of leading and working in a multi-disciplinary team environment
Experience in challenging existing ways of working and driving through change, with a good understanding of managing change and its importance in delivering sustainable change
Experience in promoting, leading and implementing improvement activity that improves service quality and supports a culture that drives up standards and performance
Experience in managing and contributing to delivery within complex environments involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes
Significant experience in delivering public presentations to a range of audiences

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 Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Demonstrate drive, energy, resilience and self-management skills as well as integrity, openness and awareness of others
Provide leadership and team working skills including ability to work with and through others; implements corporate decisions with energy and vigour
Ensure citizens and council members are provided with all relevant information to make decisions; learns from mistakes and seeks to promote continuous improvement and best practice
Work effectively with a variety of partners organisations to deliver services; communicates and involves stakeholders and the wider community in new developments to encourage ownership and commitment
Recognise that everyone has an equally important part to play within the Council and valuing the diverse and vibrant nature of the city and all its citizens
Sets high expectations of achievement across a range of strategic outcomes, actively seeks out opportunities to improve delivery of services through partnership and feedback from service users.

Apply for this job