City development

Our teams within the City Development directorate are responsible for the physical, economic, and cultural development of Leeds. We work to make Leeds the best city in the UK to invest in, visit and do business in. There’s a wide and diverse range of services and roles within this area, all focussed on shaping the future of the city, making it a great place to live and ensuring it thrives economically and culturally.

We have dedicated teams managing exciting arts and event programmes across the city and we’re responsible for running the city’s 9 museums and galleries including Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery, Lotherton Hall and Temple Newsam. Roles in these areas are varied, from events managers and curatorial roles to educational positions and retail posts. All our colleagues have in common a passion for arts, events, history and heritage and making these available to the people of Leeds and beyond.

We also have teams working hard to grow the city’s inclusive economy including coordinating work to create new good jobs, support businesses, promote enterprise and develop economic policy that seeks to benefit the city.

Our employment and skills service works with a range of partners to support local people into work, training, or education opportunities. It also works with businesses to help them recruit retain and develop a skilled and inclusive workforce and contribute to the city's economic growth. Many of these roles suit people who enjoy working directly with residents and partners.

Our asset management and regeneration teams lead on the delivery of a range of place-based projects and programmes to support regeneration and growth in the city. This service is also responsible for the council’s property portfolio, including strategic planning, disposal and leasing of properties.

Our highways and transportation team looks after the city’s roads including road maintenance, street lighting and road sign installation. This team is also responsible for gritting the roads through the winter and providing a traffic management system across the city. In addition the team seeks to develop and deliver major improvement schemes alongside bringing forward sustainable traffic and travel improvements. There is a huge range of opportunities at all levels, with plenty of room for growth and development.

The variety in City Development doesn’t end there. Our Active Leeds service provides opportunities for people living in Leeds to enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle, including by running the city’s 17 leisure centres including 13 gyms and 14 pools.

Our planning and sustainable development service has a wide range of responsibilities including dealing with planning and building regulations applications, dangerous structures and providing specialist advice on contaminated land, urban design, landscape, conservation, trees and ecology.

Our operations team works with partners to manage the city centre and retail markets and street trading across the city, as well as working with Strategy and Resources colleagues in areas like HR and finance to ensure City Development gets the support it needs.

City Development is a huge directorate and jobs are incredibly varied. If you are passionate about the future of Leeds and want to have impact on growth in the city, then there will be a job for you. Browse our opportunities and begin an exciting new career journey today.

Active Leeds and Operations

Our goal is a great quality of life for people in Leeds, through active lifestyles and creating an attractive, vibrant city centre.

Culture and Economy

We promote Leeds as a great place to do business alongside a rich cultural offer, where people, the arts and the economy can thrive.

Highways and Transportation

We keep Leeds on the move by managing our transport network and flood risk infrastructure as well as planning for a sustainable and climate resilient future.

Planning and Sustainable Development

At this time of growth for Leeds, our high profile service has important oversight of development and planning, building control and associated technical services.

Asset Management and Regeneration

We’re focused on realising our city’s potential, delivering major infrastructure and regeneration projects whilst managing an extensive property portfolio.