Job Description

About The Role
Are you someone who is passionate about making a difference to the lives of residents and the places where they live?
If yes, an exciting opportunity has now arisen to lead one of the three Neighbourhood Teams in Manchester (South, which includes Wythenshawe). The Strategic Lead for Neighbourhoods plays a pivotal role in collaborating with elected members, a wide range of services within the City Council, other public sector partners, residents, voluntary & community sector and businesses, to drive the delivery of place-based priorities within the context of the citywide Our Manchester strategy.
As a city, the Our Manchester Strategy (25-35) is driving the vision of a 'world-class city, which makes Manchester dynamic, thriving and ever changing. Strong economic growth is driven through the City Centre, Manchester Airport, large business base and Universities. An integrated neighbourhood management model is in place focusing on clean, safe & vibrant neighbourhoods that are desirable to live in. New homes and neighbourhoods are being created offering more choice and supporting a growing population, and a vibrant leisure and cultural offer is helping the City to be an attractive place to live, work and visit.
All of this activity influences how Manchester's neighbourhoods function. At a geographic level, the Neighbourhood Teams are split into three areas (North, Central & South).
Through an equality, diversity & inclusion lens, the role of the Strategic Lead is to ensure neighbourhoods are desirable places to live, that residents and communities who live in them can take advantage of what the City has to offer, that they are engaged, enabled to lead their own ideas for change and are involved in decisions that affect them and their neighbourhood. They do this by translating citywide priorities into delivery that is reflective of the neighbourhood's characteristics, through collaboration across the Council's services, elected Members, wider public sector, businesses, residents and the voluntary and community sector.
About the Candidate
We are looking for a candidate who has an extensive track record of managing and delivering a complex and diverse range of priorities, work programmes and relationships.
You must be able to:

• Proactively work at a senior level to build and maintain relationships that translate multiple-thematic strategies into action to benefit places and communities.

• Collaborate politically from the Leader, Executive Members, Ward Members and MPs, to drive change and impact;

• Drive the proactive and reactive delivery of an integrated neighbourhood management approach that maximises impact, efficient allocation of resources, and identifies trends, solutions and innovative delivery models;

• Drive people-based reform programmes to tackle inequalities, so residents are able to access the right services at the right time to improve their quality of life;

• Provide leadership to ensure community engagement, development and participation is inclusive, and drives a stronger sense of belonging within local communities;

• Focus on collective action and enabling residents to adapt their behaviours to a changing climate to protect the City's future;

• Lead and direct a team, which demonstrates your ability to develop and maintain an engaged workforce and enable individuals and the team to reach its full potential.

• Demonstrate excellent written, verbal communication and influencing skills, able to understand, assimilate and communicate complex information in a way that is easy for others to understand, and be able to react and work well under pressure.

Please note that due to the nature of the role, some evening and weekend work will be required.
If you wish to have a conversation about the role, please contact Mark Rainey, Head of Neighbourhoods, on 07944 691451.
To apply, please submit your CV and an expression of interest (1,000 words max), explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this role.
About Us
We're the local council for one of the UK's most vibrant and diverse cities.
Working for Manchester isn't just a job - it's an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it's strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you'll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.
is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city - a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We 'own it' and we're not afraid to try new things
• We're proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension - You'll be enrolled in the UK's largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council
At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.
Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our

can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our . This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.
Guaranteed Assessment Scheme
We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us
We're a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email .
What we will need from you if you're successful
In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.
Pre-Employment Checks
If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you've applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You'll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
• References: We'll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Proof of Qualifications: Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.
• Proof of Manchester Residency: For some roles, you may need to demonstrate that you reside within the boundaries of Manchester City Council.
• Police Vetting: Some roles may require police vetting to ensure suitability for accessing sensitive law enforcement systems or information.
• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Clearance: BPSS clearance is primarily used for roles that involve access to government data, systems, or assets. It ensures that individuals meet basic security requirements and can be trusted with sensitive information
• Driving Licence: If the role requires driving, we'll need evidence of your valid driving licence.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.
Other relevant information
We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we'll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.
For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.
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