Senior Heritage Officer - REQ001572

Job title: Senior Heritage Officer

Salary: PO2 £38,626 - £41,511

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8BB. Hybrid working available.

Leeds is the UK’s fastest growing city and is the main economic driver of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with a £70 billion economy and a combined population of 3 million. Leeds also has over 3000+ heritage assets which includes over 80 Conservation Areas, 15 registered parks and gardens, 58 scheduled monuments and over 2000 listed buildings. From the grand buildings of the City Centre such as the Corn Exchange, to the villa’s of Headingley, country estates such as Bramham House right down to back to backs in the inner suburbs, lodge houses scattered across the district and a former bear pit.

This brings exciting opportunities through new development and investment, to re-shape places, including dense urban areas like the city centre, inner suburban areas like Beeston with its Victorian terraces, large towns such as Morley and Wetherby, and villages such as Gildersome, Harewood and Bramham.

As a Senior Heritage Officer, you will be working closely with Development Management officers, developers and other consultees to help deliver on a wide range of development schemes. This could include:

High density city centre dwellings and their impact on historic structures or land forms.
Infrastructure delivery such as the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, Mass Rapid Transit, Park & Ride schemes and smaller highway schemes, much of which involves heritage impact such as on listed bridge structures.
New build within Conservation Areas and dealing with impact of placemaking affecting all Heritage Assets.
Helping to bring about new uses for abandoned heritage assets, giving them a new lease of life and opportunity to continue contributing to a vibrant economy.

There are several exciting projects ongoing in the Leeds District which will be key to unlocking further economic, social and environmental benefits and this includes:

A Transformational Regeneration programme agreed with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, featuring six neighbourhood growth areas across the City Centre where over 20,000 new homes will be built,
A new national poetry centre in a listed church.
British Library development at Temple Works, a Grade I listed building.
A new Mass Rapid Transit system, being delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and local authorities, which will travel through the Innovation Zone.
Further expansion of the District Heating Network.
The City Council is also preparing an extensive update to its Local Plan with planning policies that will frame and help implement sustainable development across the District.

About the role

This role will provide heritage and conservation advice to help inform planning applications from external developers, and to help shape and steer Council schemes including those for council housing and highway infrastructure. You will work closely with a range of other internal consultee specialisms including design, landscaping, biodiversity and of course planning policy colleagues. You will need to interact with a wide range of stakeholders including professional architects, heritage professionals, developers, the public and Elected Members, however most of the work will be alongside Development Management officers.

The role also involves dealing with listed building consents, monitoring buildings at risk, proactive intervention where needed and assisting with the creation of our Non-Designated Heritage Asset list. You will also work on new or revised Conservation Areas and act as a heritage specialist in situations such as public inquiries.

About you

You will have a relevant professional qualification which provides eligibility for Institute of Historic Building Conservation membership. Ideally you will have experience of working in a heritage or conservation-based role for a minimum of 5 years', and it would be helpful to have some knowledge of the UK Town Planning system.

You will need to demonstrate through examples of your own work and experiences that you can negotiate, attend and lead meetings and produce high quality outcomes.

You must be able to give examples of how you can problem-solve and how these skills then help achieve high-quality, workable heritage solutions.

The role will require you to have knowledge and understanding of national planning guidance and policies and how these then filter down to local plan policies and guidance documents, and you will need to understand how these can be applied to produce optimum outcomes for heritage assets. You must be able to demonstrate how you assess heritage significance and impact on significance.

You will need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to manage a high caseload, to prioritise work and an ability to work to tight timescales.

You will need to evidence good personal management skills, motivation and

the ability to adapt to a changing work environment, being able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and independently.

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.
Opportunity to work flexibly and in a hybrid format, subject to service requirements
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. We cannot accept CV’s or informal approaches.

Please read our guidance for further advice, check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like further details on the role please email us at building.conservation@leeds.gov.uk

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

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, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Provide in-house specialist expertise to the City Council’s planning services and contribute positively to the City Council’s corporate efforts to promote sustainable management of historic environment in accordance with the Council’s policies.

Responsibilities

Provide specialist heritage advice to colleagues within the City Development Directorate on development proposals, taking into account the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental effects of heritage conservation by seeking proactive and progressive solutions.

Work within and apply legislation, national and local policy and guidance as it applies to heritage.

Be aware and apply related statutory codes, policy and guidance as necessary.

Manage a complex caseload and undertake allocation and checking of work as required.

Understand and articulate heritage significance using appropriate search techniques and setting the heritage asset in the local, regional and national context.

Provide appropriate retrofit advice to respond to the council’s declaration of a climate emergency.

Provide advice to general public on the upkeep and repair of historic buildings, including the specification of appropriate materials and conservation technologies.

Assist with the preparation and maintenance of a Buildings at Risk Register and secure the preservation of heritage assets on the list using the council’s statutory powers if necessary.

Implement programme of conservation area reviews from inception to conclusion including a management plan showing appropriate policies and opportunities for enhancement, including the designation of new conservation areas.

Maintain and administer the Local List and make applications for statutory listing, as necessary.

Work with local communities, Ward Members and Area Management to promote interest in the historic environment and supporting those communities in their activities to conserve their local heritage.

Make bids for area-based conservation-led regeneration schemes and implement these and existing grant schemes.

Liaise with national and local conservation amenity bodies such as Historic England and the Leeds Civic Trust.

Contribute to policy and design documents and strategies, including review of the Leeds Local Plan, informal guidance such as shopfront design guides and technical guidance for the council website. Input to Neighbourhood Plans where necessary.

Deputise for senior management commensurate to the grade as required

Actively support continuous improvement initiatives, contributing to cross council projects such as decarbonisation or mass transit.

Represent the council in public forums such as Plans Panel or neighbourhood meetings.

Provide expert witness advice at all forms of appeals and plan examinations.

Engage with Ward Members and local community groups providing clear recommendations for them.

Use project management techniques such as Gantt charts or critical path methods to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close projects.

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.

Qualifications Degree and/or postgraduate qualification in historic environment conservation or town planning or a related subject is essential.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Able to work flexibly and travel throughout Leeds City Council boundaries and move location within the service working at different sites /areas depending on need.
Able to organise and prioritise work effectively as part of a team, demonstrating organisational and time management skills prioritising own and colleagues work to meet conflicting deadlines.
Able to make recommendation on budget management and financial planning.
Able to accurately enter and retrieve data and information from digital and manual systems preparing and presenting reports and data to a wide range of audiences in an accurate and timely manner.
Able to communicate effectively sensitive and complex information with a wide range of people including internal and external partners and customers
Able to use initiative to develop solutions to issues and problems
Able to design and implement complex strategies.
Able to innovate and propose new systems and policies to improve delivery of service and outcomes.
Able to demonstrate leadership skills.
Familiarity with the historic environment of Leeds.
Understand governance and compliance in local government.
Understand legislative context as it applies to historic environment local and national planning policy.
In depth knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, policies with ability to interpret and apply them consistently.
Knowledge of Information Governance issues related to historic environment. ensuring paper and electronic information are treated appropriately and comply with legal and regulatory obligations, in accordance with requirements of GDPR
Understand responsibilities in terms of Health and Safety, security, confidentiality and data protection
Experience of working to strict deadlines.
Experience in the use of information technology e.g. word, spreadsheet, database, internet etc.
Experience of working as part of a team, developing constructive working relationships with services
Experience of using initiative to make decisions and develop solutions to issues and problems
Experience of working in an operational/customer service environment.

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.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Cary out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & 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.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Able to communicate ideas using a variety of methods.
Membership of relevant professional body.
Valid driving licence.
Knowledge of Information Governance issues related to historic environment.
Knowledge of project management and associated tools and software systems.
Experience of working and making decisions under own initiative.

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