The West Midlands Combined Authority is at a defining moment for the region. With growing devolved powers, major investment opportunities and a clear Growth Plan focused on delivering growth for everyone, we have a vital role to play in shaping a stronger, fairer and more prosperous West Midlands. Our ambition is to connect people to good jobs, support thriving businesses, create better places, and ensure the region speaks with a confident and influential voice.

Delivering that ambition depends not only on what we do, but how we work. Our People & Culture Strategy sets out our commitment to becoming a high-performing, values-led organisation where people feel supported, included and able to do their best work. As Executive Director of Strategy and Policy, you will play a central role in bringing these ambitions together: shaping the long-term strategy for the region while building the collaborative, evidence-led and delivery-focused culture needed to turn that strategy into action.

This role exists to bring clarity, evidence and direction to some of the region's biggest choices, ensuring Mayoral priorities, devolution opportunities, local authority ambitions and partner plans come together into a coherent strategy that can be delivered. You will help WMCA understand what matters most, where we can have the greatest impact, and how we turn long-term vision into practical action for residents, communities and businesses.

As Executive Director of Strategy and Policy, you will:

• Lead WMCA's long-term strategy and policy direction, acting as principal adviser to the Chief Executive and aligning the Growth Plan, Mayoral priorities, devolution commitments, local authority plans and partner ambitions into a clear agenda for action.

• Build and lead a newly integrated Strategy and Policy directorate, bringing together strategy, policy, research, insight, performance and integration into a high-performing, inclusive function with a culture of collaboration, challenge and delivery.

• Shape evidence-led policy and decision-making across the region's key priorities, including economic growth, jobs and skills, transport, housing and regeneration, energy and climate change, public service innovation and health.

• Strengthen WMCA's influence and regional voice, leading work on devolution deals and strategic agreements with government, building trusted partnerships, and representing the West Midlands regionally, nationally and internationally.

We are looking for an exceptional strategic leader who can operate with credibility in a complex political environment. You will bring significant experience of strategy and policy at scale, strong political judgement, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across government, the public sector and wider partnerships. You will be able to turn evidence and insight into clear choices, bring people together around shared priorities, and lead a function that helps WMCA deliver tangible impact for the region.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the strategic direction of one of the UK's most important regions. For the right person, it offers the chance to strengthen the West Midlands' voice nationally, influence major decisions about investment and devolution, and help ensure growth translates into real outcomes for the people and places of the region.

For a confidential discussion, please contact our executive search partners GatenbySanderson: Seb Lowe (07464 543442) or Alex Hayes (07586 715843).

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Recruitment Timetable

Closing date
Sunday 16th August

Long listing
W/C 17th August

Preliminary interviews
W/C 17th and 24th August

Assessment
W/C 14th September

Final panel
W/C 21st September

How to Apply

• Please submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement addressing the person specification criteria, evidencing how you meet the criteria.
• Detail any employment or education gaps.
• Be ready to provide the names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees; one should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will be contacted for those proceeding to final stages. We will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
• Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
• Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive, please email contactus@gatenbysanderson.com