Strategic Lead - Fire and Police in Birmingham

If you enjoy working on complex change that genuinely matters, bringing clarity to ambiguity, building trust across organisations, and helping public services work better for communities, this role offers a rare opportunity to do exactly that. As Strategic Lead Fire and Police Transfers, you will play a central role in one of the most significant public service programmes in the West Midlands. You will support WMCA to take on new responsibilities for fire and police governance under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, shaping how change is delivered safely, lawfully and with public confidence.

You will work closely with senior leaders across WMCA, emergency services and partner organisations, operating at the intersection of strategy, governance and delivery. You will have the opportunity to make a lasting contribution to public safety and public service innovation.

Please note that this role is a fixed-term contract until 31st August 2028. We welcome applications from candidates seeking an external secondment. Please indicate in your application if you wish to be considered on this basis.

What you will be doing:

• You will lead the strategic coordination of the proposed Fire and Police and Crime Commissioner Transfer Programmes, helping to turn national policy into well governed, locally deliverable plans.
• Supporting Senior Responsible Owners with programme direction, governance and delivery assurance.
• Leading and servicing programme governance arrangements, including boards, reporting and assurance processes.
• Coordinating activity across WMCA directorates and partners, including policy, legal, HR, finance, IT, estates and communications.
• Identifying, managing and escalating programme risks, issues and dependencies.
• Overseeing readiness planning for the transfer of staff, assets, liabilities and operational responsibilities.
• Monitoring progress and milestones to ensure the fire transfer is operational by potentially 2027 and the police transfer is prepared for 2028.
• Supporting operational continuity and service resilience throughout the transition.
• Preparing and presenting reports to internal boards, partners and government departments.
• Supporting financial planning, budget management and value for money.
• Ensuring equality, diversity, inclusion and public sector values are embedded throughout the programme.

What's essential:

• Experience of leading complex programmes involving multiple organisations and stakeholders.
• A proven ability to work effectively in matrixed environments across organisational boundaries.
• Experience of governance, organisational change or public service innovation/reform programmes.
• Strong risk management skills and sound professional judgement.
• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship building skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver work at pace.

You will also bring:

• An understanding of public sector governance.
• Aware of statutory obligations, including employment law, public safety and equality duties.
• Knowledge of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, or the ability to develop this quickly.

Location: The location for this role Summer Lane with at least 2 days a week spent in the office.

How to apply:

Applying for a role with WMCA is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started:

• Create your Careers Account. Register with your name, email address, and a password.
• Build your Profile.
• Upload your CV to help populate your career and education details.
• Write your Supporting Statement. Make sure to address each of the required essential criteria.
• Submit your application. Do one final check and once complete, click submit.

Reasonable adjustments: If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team.

Salary and benefits: We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme.
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology.
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more.

Why join WMCA? WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home.

We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values: Our behaviours sit at the heart of our values, helping to shape how we work together as WMCA employees and setting clear expectations.

• Collaborative Team Focused - working as part of team, managing and leading.
• Service Driven - customer, resident and partner focused.
• Driven - Empowered and Accountable - taking ownership and leading when needed.
• Performance Focused - being ambitious and going the extra mile.
• Inclusive - One Organisation Mindset - believe in each other's expertise.
• Open and Honest Communication - we do what we say we are going to do.
• Innovative - Forward Thinking - embrace change and open to new possibilities.
• Problem Solving - go for clear and simple whenever possible.

Creating an inclusive workplace: WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We're a Disability Confident Employer with Leader status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying.

Right to Work in the UK: Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed. Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).