Job title: Senior Manager Culture Programmes (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £46,464.00 - £49,497.96 (pro rata)

Hours: 37hrs (full-time or job-share)

Contract: Fixed term to September 2025

Location: Based at Merrion House with scope for Hybrid working

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

As the Senior Manager Culture Programmes, you’ll thrive on place shaping and creating the conditions for the Cultural and Creative Industries in Leeds and West Yorkshire to flourish.

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 Senior Manager Culture Programmes, you will bring to the role:

• A strong knowledge of the cultural and creative industries, including its social and economic significance and impacts
• An ability to influence key stakeholders to affect positive change and shape the city’s interventions to develop its cultural life
• Experience in leading meetings, co-ordinating teams and partner organisations, holding people to account for delivery.
• Ability to prepare and present high level information for a range of audiences
• Capacity to make a contribution to the strategic direction of the Service

About the role

Following the conclusion of LEEDS 2023, the city’s Year of Culture, this is a great time to join the Culture Programmes team to play a part in shaping the next 10 years for culture and creativity in our city. We are looking for a confident, motivated professional with significant experience in culture and/or the creative industries to contribute to leading the team and shaping our work through this period of transition.

Leeds is home to a rich and diverse body of cultural organisations and creative practitioners, including 26 Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations and a significant number of independent artists. With exciting capital ambitions on the horizon, including National Poetry Centre and British Library North, we will see our cultural infrastructure change and grow over the next five years. However, like many other major conurbations in the UK, Leeds also has its challenges which present notable risk to the sustainability and inclusive growth of our cultural industries.

You will work closely with the Head of Service, across internal directorates and with external partners from a broad range of fields and disciplines – from individuals to SMEs to large scale operations – as we explore new and innovative interventions to sustain and grow the city’s cultural and creative offer.  This will include scoping the development of a Cultural Compact for Leeds and engaging strategic partners as the city moves toward a refreshed city-wide strategic framework for culture and heritage.

Your role may include line management. Your knowledge and skills will enhance the Culture Programmes service through your collaborative and inclusive leadership style. You will be a confident communicator with a diverse set of stakeholders and someone who can inspire, empower and support their colleagues. Your ability to develop and manage effective relationships with a wide body of individuals and organisations is vital – relationships that command respect, trust and confidence. You will have the confidence and ability to work independently and as part of the team. You will be a natural networker, a problem solver with capacity for seeing the bigger picture and the determination to make it happen.

Prior experience in the creative and cultural sector is essential to the role as is a resounding commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

The role is integral to the Culture Programmes service – a team committed to supporting and enabling creative practice, cultural growth and public engagement with culture and heritage.

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.

We are open to accepting applications for part/time, job-share or secondment.

Interview date: 13th November 2024

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

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Pam Johnson, Head of Culture Programmes (pam.johnson@leeds.gov.uk) to arrange an informal discussion.

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. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK  - 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 and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Leeds City Council Job Profile

 Job purpose Lead on the development and delivery of major initiatives in culture and the creative industries.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Service, provide day to day management of the approved service work programme, ensuring effective delivery, outputs and outcomes.
• Lead and manage the design, direction and delivery of designated, strategic work programmes in culture and the creative industries (e.g. cultural education) including working across Council service areas and directorates as well as work with senior external stakeholders, Elected Members and members of the public.
• Work across service areas and directorates, identify and prepare major funding bids, and ensure strategic alignment with the Culture Strategy, Inclusive Growth Strategy and Leeds Talent and Skills Plan.
• Develop and maintain expertise in best practice and developments national and internationally in culture and creative industries and, through that, advise of appropriate opportunities for sectoral development in Leeds, ranging from innovative pilot initiatives to major schemes.
• Evaluate this work and, where appropriate, develop and implement of associated legacy programmes and mechanisms to make the initiatives sustainable.
• Maintain exceptional relationships with a broad range of internal and external individuals and organisations - both within and outside the culture and creative industries sector that command respect, trust and confidence.
• Advise on and interpret policy, economic and social changes which affect your portfolio of work.
• Deliver positive solutions to achieving equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of your work
• Continue your own personal and professional development as required for the role
• Accountable for the safety of all stakeholders in accordance with the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Deputise for Chief Officer or Head of Service, as required, supporting the wider Culture Service commensurate to the grade.

• The post is largely office-based, however there is an expectation the post holder will be ‘visible’ in the wider city and some national travel is likely.

• Many cultural events take place outside of office hours and therefore the post holder will need to work flexibly.

• 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 or equivalent qualification or with commensurate operational experience and knowledge 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 provide visible and supportive leadership, which empowers, enables and develops colleagues to achieve results
• Able to lead and work with senior stakeholders across the city and nationally
• Able to influence key stakeholders to influence and shape the city’s interventions to develop its cultural life
• Able to analyse policy changes in relation to culture and creative industries and to propose options and developments in response.
• Able to identify and implement innovative programmes and support a culture that drives up standards and performance
• Able to make a contribution to the strategic direction of the Service
• Able to prepare and present high-level information for a range of audiences
• Able to prepare clear, coherent and comprehensive reports for a range of audiences
• Able to manage conflicting demands and priorities within a political context. ü
• Able to chair meetings, task and co-ordinate teams, virtual teams and partner organisations, holding people to account for delivery.
• Extensive knowledge of culture and creative industries, including its social and economic impact and significance
• Substantial knowledge of relevant national policy and operating environment
• Awareness of Government policy and operational context around culture and creative industries
• Experience of leading and developing successful motivated teams both within an informal team setting and/or through matrix management.
• Experience of influencing teams to meet identified and changing needs
• Experience of raising funds and managing resources.
• Experience of developing, leading and maintaining partnerships
• Considerable experience of working in a multi-agency environment and working effectively with a range of senior stakeholders to deliver high profile events and/or projects
• Experience of developing policy in culture and the creative industries through a consultative approach
• Experience of project management
• Experience of managing competing priorities

• Experience of effective financial management to achieve budget efficiencies and/or increase income

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 theBest 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’s 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.

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