Do you have experience of delivering major housing and employment development projects in challenging circumstances, in both the public and private sectors? 

Do you have a passion for enabling the creation of the very best places for people to live, work and play which are connected and inclusive?

Can you remove blockages, problem solve, support the growth of internal talent and maintain a fast pace of delivery?

Can you work at pace and under your own initiative?

Do you enjoy seeing major development projects from concept all the way through to delivery?

Would you like to lead one of the largest housing and regeneration programmes in the UK?

The Housing & Regeneration team at WMCA are looking for a Head of Land and Development to lead and drive the implementation of Housing and Land’s business and engagement programme across its full range of exciting and diverse delivery programmes and policy areas. The role will lead the development of a strong regional pipeline of high-profile brownfield development and land projects.

This is a senior role with a significant opportunity to make a real impact in the region. It requires exemplary commercial acumen, strong real estate and asset development understanding alongside significant senior business and relationship management experience. The individual will lead a delivery team responsible for taking real estate projects from concept to implementation on the ground.

We need a can-do individual who can think differently, see the big picture and display strong communication, leadership and emotional intelligence skills. You will need to be politically aware, determined and have extensive experience of building strong partnerships with private and public sector partners at a senior level. The individual should demonstrate knowledge and experience of working in both the public and private sector at senior levels of responsibility at local, regional and national level.

Who we are

The West Midlands has been one of the most promising regions in England with the fastest growing economy outside London; it has been seen as one of the best places to invest; with improved living standards, regional infrastructure was benefiting from huge investment;  a rapid expansion in house building; increasing numbers of apprenticeship starts; construction on HS2 ; and the Battery Industrialisation Centre launched in Coventry.  The West Midlands has one of the greatest potentials to grow in 2021 and we are seeking investment in new markets, upskilling our workforce, protecting our environment, strengthening our communities and repositioning the region as a leader in the national economy.

Now more than ever, we need to be innovative and we don’t just return to the old ways of working and living. We already have many of the building blocks in place – we are resetting our thinking, rebuilding our region and reinventing our image as a national leader. In order to do that, we will listen to our communities and deliver change for the better as a result of what we’ve experienced.  There is a lot to look forward to – next year the region will host the City of Culture in Coventry; and following that it will be the site of the Commonwealth Games. These are opportunities to showcase our region to the world. 

The West Midlands is a region which is resilient and innovative, and WMCA is building the future, with a shared vision of a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands - a fast-growing global force with huge potential and ambition. Everyone who works here plays their part in this success story and we’re all determined to use our unique role to deliver lasting change across our region. Come and join the West Midlands Combined Authority; be part of Building the Future.

By joining our Housing and Regeneration Directorate, you will be working on some of the biggest and most challenging housing and regeneration projects in the country and play an integral role in a delivery-orientated organisation. We are focused on delivering high quality housing, commercial and mixed-use development at pace and scale, and are committed to working collaboratively to achieve inclusive growth for the region.

Against a backdrop of a uniquely challenging and evolving environment, we are looking for the right people to ensure we can meet the demands of delivering an ambitious agenda that aims to build a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands.

About the role

Supporting our Housing and Regeneration programmes and projects across the region and achieving leading-edge delivery on the ground, you will be a leading figure in actively shaping and driving a new operating model for housing and land delivery across the region. The successful candidate will lead in significantly in increasing the scale, pace and quality of new housing and employment delivery where this is needed most in the region to support inclusive growth.

The postholder will need to work closely with local councils and develop strong and effective working relationships with colleagues across the WMCA to ensure that investment is targeted at schemes which deliver the best outputs and outcomes, and with Transport for West Midlands, given that transport investment and delivery is such a key driver to achieving housing and employment delivery. .

In return for your hard work and commitment, we will reward you with a range of competitive and attractive benefits

Closing date: 6th October 2020

Interview dates: To be confirmed.

This is a remote working opportunity until a date is agreed for the WMCA workforce to return to our usual place of work at 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham.

Our priority is to keep all our employees safe and well during this time. We will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, and we are doing everything we can to ensure all our employees can enjoy a comfortable remote working space.

We are committed to developing an organisation that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

The following groups are currently underrepresented: young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who meet the essential job role criteria. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed. Wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance and support service delivery for the customer.