Assistant Director – Legal, Governance & Compliance (Monitoring Officer)

We currently have a vacancy for the post of Assistant Director for Legal, Governance & Compliance to lead our Legal, Governance & Compliance Service and hold the statutory role of Monitoring Officer for the Authority. We exist to serve the people of West Yorkshire. Our missions are to create a West Yorkshire that is prosperous, happy, well-connected, sustainable, and safe – for everyone. Our relentless focus on delivery of those missions requires us to deliver at pace, adapt and prepare for the future. We need a forward-thinking leader to help us on the journey.

This is a rare opportunity to play a central role in delivering the objectives of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as a key member of our Senior Leadership Team. As Assistant Director of Legal, Governance and Compliance (and Monitoring Officer), you will bring your expertise as a qualified and experienced legal professional to the organisation, where you will focus on providing strategic legal direction and governance support in an evolving and fast-paced political environment. This role would suit an experienced leader of legal services with a commercial, collaborative, can-do approach, who is motivated by the opportunity to deliver a brighter future for West Yorkshire.

In this essential and statutory role, you will be responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with partners, colleagues, and Elected Members. You will demonstrate resilience and the ability to challenge constructively and solve problems, ensuring the highest standards of governance, legal compliance and integrity throughout the organisation.

Our Offer

• Alongside a competitive salary, we offer an excellent benefits package including:
• 28 days Annual Leave (increasing upon years of service) plus Bank Holidays
• Generous Employer-Contribution Pension Scheme
• Free Travel on rail and buses across West Yorkshire with the M-Card (Zones 1-5)
• Flexible Working Practices with Health & Wellbeing initiatives, including agile working options, as well as a generous flexi-time scheme to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals.
• Bright, airy, modern office space, with all latest technology, just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station.

The Role of Assistant Director – Legal, Governance & Compliance

Reporting into the Chief Executive Officer, your key responsibilities will include:

• Enabling delivery of the organisation’s objectives by providing strong leadership, overseeing the full range of legal, governance & compliance core functions including regulatory, property & contract law, compliance oversight, external & internal governance and information governance.
• Providing a comprehensive legal service over the whole range of organisational functions including Police and Crime Commissioner functions – including acting as the most senior legal adviser supporting the Combined Authority, the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and the Head of Paid Service, identifying potential areas of risk and liability and advising on solution-focussed strategies to deliver the Combined Authority’s priorities.
• Discharge the statutory duties of the Monitoring Officer functions via the leadership and delivery of all functions associated with the role, ensuring the Combined Authority fulfils its lawful obligations and statutory duties in accordance with the Combined Authority’s Constitution.

Please review the Role Profile on our website for more information about the responsibilities.

About You

You will have the following key skills, attributes, education and experience:

• Educated or experienced to master’s degree/postgraduate professional qualification level with supporting management training and/or relevant practicable experience.
• Be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister.
• Extensive practical experience of successfully leading the provision of legal and governance services in a high profile, political environment, and significant experience of applying the law in a public sector setting.
• Strong leadership skills with a proven track record of delivering legal and governance services that have enabled the achievement of improved outcomes for communities.

This post is subject to vetting clearance. Due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will be subject to relevant vetting checks at the appropriate level and any job offer will be conditional subject to successful vetting clearance. Applicants should be aware that it is not possible to make meaningful vetting enquiries in many jurisdictions outside the UK. Vetting clearance cannot therefore be granted if the applicant has not been resident in the UK for the relevant minimum period and comparable vetting enquiries cannot be made in jurisdictions where the individual has been residing.

To Apply

If this sounds like your next role, please complete the online application form using the link below and tell us within the supporting statement why you would be a great fit for our role and how your skills, knowledge and experience align with the requirements within the Role Profile.

Online application form Please visit our Advice for Candidates webpage and review the guidance on this page for support in completing your application form.

Further Information

The Combined Authority is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro divergent. To find out more about inclusivity at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority please visit our dedicated webpage. Under the Disability Confident Scheme, applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met.

Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, which is the salary stated above, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases on an annual basis.