Director Role Profile

Job Title:

Directorate:

Director – Governance

                                  

Corporate Services

Reports to:

Chief Operating Officer

Date:

Nov 2020  

 

1          PURPOSE OF YOUR JOB

 

To provide strategic leadership and support to members and officers to enable effective decision making and ensure transparency and compliance across the council by championing good governance.  To work with the Councils Executive to ensure the achievements of the corporate objectives and the needs of the council are met. To be the guardian of the Council’s constitution and democratic process.

 

To steer policy,  strategy development and communications across the council supported by business intelligence.

 

To work collaboratively with other partners in the wider city and region governance systems. To ensure robust and transparent governance arrangements for the Council and to maximise the opportunities for residents and communities.

 

To support the Chief Operating Officer in the corporate and strategic management of the Council.

 

 

Total Budget:

£ xxm

People:

c  xx fte

Premises:

as per portfolio

Equipment:

as per portfolio

Projects:

as per portfolio

 

 

2           DIMENSIONS

 

3          Principal Accountabilities

 

Strategic

 

·        Scans and understands the external and political environment in which the Council operates and takes lead responsibility for ensuring that the strategic plans of the whole organisation meets the needs of the current administration.

 

·        To ensure that members and officers are aware of their roles and provide the necessary training and development to ensure consistency and quality of decision making.

 

·        To ensures that elected Members are fully aware of strategic plans and that they are positively, pro-actively and appropriately engaged in the portfolio.

 

·        To support executive members in policy formation, development and providing briefings in their respective portfolio areas.

 

·        To support the Council and Chief Operating Officer in the corporate management of the Council.  Lead, plan and deliver the Councils corporate priorities including existing and new legal responsibilities and functions conferred upon the council.

 

·        As a member of the Corporate Management Team, actively contributes to the strategic management of the Council to ensure achievement of corporate aims and objectives.

 

·        Pro-actively seeks opportunities to represent the organisation at high levels with stakeholders across the Yorkshire Region and nationally, where applicable.

 

·        Contributes to the development, articulation and communication of a clear vision for co-ordinated services across York, and provides a framework to ensure an effective and shared programme of joined up service delivery with key partners.

 

·        To leads the formulation and application of strategy for the portfolio within the context of the overall CYC Council plan

 

·        To lead on strategy and policy development in line with the council plan and decision sof the Executive.

 

·        Makes decisions critical to the organisation’s success in respect of the wider City of York agenda and the specific portfolio responsibility

 

Business operations

 

·         Responsibility for the Councils performance and assurance framework.

·         To ensure Business Intelligence is responsive the the needs of the Council and executive membrs.

 

Partnership

 

·        Identifies key stakeholders and develops an engagement plan that ensures that CYC is engaging appropriately to deliver improved partnerships and, consequently, service outcomes.

 

·        Identifies and supports new governance arrangements and activities that support the Council in achieving its priorities.

 

·        Pro-actively seeks opportunities to represent the organisation at high levels with stakeholders across the Yorkshire Region and nationally, where applicable 

 

·        Leads the development and sustainability of collaborative working arrangements internally within CYC and with partner organisations and where appropriate commissioning, to agree strategic priorities and ensure integrated and cost effective service design and provision.

 

·        Responsible for building and strengthening the relationship between members and officers.

 

·        To maintain positive and effective working relationships with elected Members of the Council to ensure effective communication, engagement and leadership of the Council.

 

·        Responsible for the development and training of all elected members to support them in carrying out their role on behalf of the electorate.

 

People Leadership and Management

 

·        Ensures that all members of the portfolio team are aware of the requirements of their role and how that contributes to the success of CYC and how it benefits the residents of CYC

 

·        Takes personal responsibility for identifying and nurturing talent from across the whole organisation and at every level within the organisation and ensures that people with potential are pro-actively supported to deploy their talent and progress to the benefit of CYC

 

·        Leads individuals and teams through change, ensuring that service is protected and people are actively engaged in the seeking of, developing of and delivering of change initiatives which add value to CYC performance and service

 

·        Ensures that each member of the team have clear annual targets and have the resources available to deliver

 

·        Ensures the performance management of the team and individuals within it are effectively and continuously managed and that underperformance is dealt with positively and robustly

 

·        Ensures that all people resources add value to the organisation and the City and that structures are clear, efficient and well targeted

 

Programme and Project Management

 

·        Is responsible for sponsoring and delivering complex programmes of work that improve performance of CYC and  delivers exceptional service to residents and partners

 

·        Takes lead responsibility for identifying, sponsoring and ensuring the delivery of performance improvement projects

 

·        Accountable for ensuring project delivers sustainable results for the benefit of the organisation and the City of York

 

Equality and Diversity

 

·        Takes lead responsibility for equality, diversity and fairness issues

 

·        Takes personal responsibility for ensuring that all services, employees and service users are treated with dignity and respect

 

·        Ensures that the service portfolio is inclusive for all users and is flexible to meet the diverse needs of service users

 

4          Knowledge Skills and Experience

 

Knowledge

·       Knowledge and understanding of local government

·       A degree level qualification and/or professional managerial qualification (such as qualified lawyer or equivalent) or equivalent;

·       Understanding of organisation structure, operations, decision making channels, planning processes and systems and the ability to identify opportunities for improvement

·       Understanding of collaboration with partners and the governance arrangements needed to ensure the council is protected.

 

Skills

·       Ability to successfully develop and deliver strategies to meet organisation   objectives and achieve planned results in a complex multi-functional organisation;

·       Ability to manage large and complex budgets with an emphasis on value for money and efficiencies

·       Highly effective leadership and motivational skills and behaviours that develop and inspire others, promote high standards and collaborative working amongst internal and external stakeholders;

·       Outstanding interpersonal, negotiating and commissioning skills;

·       Excellent verbal and written communication skills that are persuasive, informative and effectively engage the interests of a wide range of audiences;

·       IT skills and the ability to fully exploit access to modern Information technology;

·       Highly developed skills in numeracy and budget management;

·       Corporate  and service planning skills that ensure effective resource management, service delivery, best value and continuous improvement;

·       Analytical skills that contribute effectively to the identification of development and trends, prioritisation and problem solving.

·       Ability to keep equality of opportunity and diversity at the heart of all strategic management and operational activity

·       Ability to advise, influence, persuade, command confidence and act assertively in a political environment with all key partners, internal and external, including members.

 

Experience

·       A successful track record of achievement in a senior management role

·       Substantial record of achievement in successfully managing change and large-scale projects;

·       Significant experience of successfully motivating, managing, persuading and leading staff;

·       Wide experience of successful inter-agency working and demonstrable success in developing effective collaborative working with a range of stakeholders to achieve objectives;

·       Experience of significantly improving service delivery;

·       Evidence of decision making based on sound risk management principles and contingency planning, which comply with the Council Procedures and processes

·       Experience of managing performance within a complex environment where  there is constant challenge and  change

·       Experience of negotiating significant contracts, commissioning services and monitoring provision

·       Experience of working in a political environment.

·       Experience of advising elected members at all levels.

 

 

5          Statutory or specialist knowledge, skills and/or experience required

 

·       Senior experience in providing high level legal advice to a large and  complex organisation

·       Thorough understanding of the legal framework that local authorities operate within

·       Knowledge and experience of the democratic process within local government

 

 

 

6          Portfolio

 

The service areas responsible by this post holder include the following:

·        Legal Services including Complaints, FOIs and Official correspondence

·        Civic and Democratic services

·        Elections

·        Audit Services

·        Policy & Strategy

o   Business Intelligence

o   Climate Change

o   Communications

o   Policy & Partnerships