Head of Regeneration (Town Centres)

Bury Council; Bury; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Bury Council is seeking an exceptional Head of Regeneration to provide strategic leadership and accelerate delivery across a transformative town centre programme. You will lead cross‑Council teams and manage a portfolio spanning housing, employment growth and major regeneration sites.

This three-year fixed-term role offers strong political backing and the chance to shape Bury’s future, delivering lasting community and economic benefits through effective governance and inclusive leadership.

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level experience in regeneration, development management and major project or programme delivery.
• Demonstrable record of converting strategy into delivery across complex, high-profile programmes.
• Strong and inclusive leadership skills, with experience of leading teams, advisers and delivery partners.
• Experience of securing, structuring and managing external funding, investment and delivery partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Leading the delivery of the Bury Town Centre masterplan and associated regeneration programme, translating strategic ambition into clear priorities and deliverable projects.
• Working closely with the Council’s joint-venture partner to develop and improve Mill Gate Shopping Centre and support its role in the wider transformation of the town centre.
• Driving a portfolio of high-profile capital and development projects from inception, business case and funding through to procurement, delivery and benefits realisation.
• Building and managing senior relationships with Transport for Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, government agencies, developers, investors and other strategic partners.
• Ensuring regeneration activity is aligned with the Council’s corporate priorities and Let’s Do It! vision.
• Leading effective town centre governance through the recently established programme and board structures, providing clear reporting, assurance and escalation.
• Providing visible and inclusive leadership across multidisciplinary teams, professional advisers and complex partnership arrangements.
• Identifying and implementing innovative, commercially sound development and delivery models that unlock investment and manage risk.
• Overseeing programme governance, financial and commercial management, risk, resources, dependencies and benefits.
• Creating places that combine commercial success with sustainable, inclusive growth and positive outcomes for communities.

Skills

Senior regeneration leadership

Delivery of complex programmes

Job description

Three-year fixed-term contract

Shape the future of one of Greater Manchester's most ambitious regeneration programmes

Bury is a borough that delivers.

Over the last three years, we have turned ambition into delivery: more than 1,400 new homes; progress on the regionally significant Northern Gateway development; the operation of two major public-private joint ventures; £81 million of Levelling Up Fund investment; and substantial investment in highways, schools, supported housing and infrastructure.

We are now entering an exciting new phase of growth and are looking for an exceptional Head of Regeneration to provide senior leadership, accelerate delivery and help shape the next chapter of the borough’s transformation.

Why Bury?

This is a place where regeneration is happening at pace. We combine significant ambition with a proven ability to deliver complex projects on time and within budget. Bury is the third most popular retail destination in Greater Manchester and is experiencing significant housing and employment growth.

The Council will shortly finalise an updated town centre masterplan. It will celebrate what has already been achieved while providing a strong platform for the next generation of placemaking initiatives. The emerging programme for Bury Town Centre will support further housing growth, enhance the town centre offer and create new facilities for residents and visitors.

The Council has secured funding to commence development activity across multiple sites in Bury Town Centre, laying the foundations for one of the most transformative regeneration programmes in the borough's history. This work will create vital connections between the emerging Casewell's food, beverage and events destination, the £85 million Interchange development, the planned Mill Gate redevelopment and The Rock, helping to create a vibrant, connected and investable town centre.

The opportunity

This three-year fixed-term role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact quickly. As Head of Regeneration, you will provide strategic leadership and additional senior capacity within the Council's Regeneration and Projects Division. You will take ownership of an ambitious development programme spanning Bury Town Centre, linking into key growth locations across the borough.

Your portfolio will include housing and employment growth, the successful operation and improvement of Bury's Mill Gate Shopping Centre through the Council's joint venture with Bruntwood, and the development of health, transport and community infrastructure.

You will play a leading role in moving the Bury Town Centre programme from vision into delivery, coordinating a diverse portfolio of regeneration initiatives and building confidence among residents, elected members, public-sector partners, investors, developers and funding bodies.

Working at the heart of a complex stakeholder environment, you will bring clarity, momentum and strong governance. You will align partners around a shared delivery plan and ensure that projects generate lasting economic, social and environmental benefits.

What you'll be responsible for

• Leading the delivery of the Bury Town Centre masterplan and associated regeneration programme, translating strategic ambition into clear priorities and deliverable projects.
• Working closely with the Council’s joint-venture partner to develop and improve Mill Gate Shopping Centre and support its role in the wider transformation of the town centre.
• Driving a portfolio of high-profile capital and development projects from inception, business case and funding through to procurement, delivery and benefits realisation.
• Building and managing senior relationships with Transport for Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, government agencies, developers, investors and other strategic partners.
• Ensuring regeneration activity is aligned with the Council’s corporate priorities and Let’s Do It! vision.
• Leading effective town centre governance through the recently established programme and board structures, providing clear reporting, assurance and escalation.
• Providing visible and inclusive leadership across multidisciplinary teams, professional advisers and complex partnership arrangements.
• Identifying and implementing innovative, commercially sound development and delivery models that unlock investment and manage risk.
• Overseeing programme governance, financial and commercial management, risk, resources, dependencies and benefits.
• Creating places that combine commercial success with sustainable, inclusive growth and positive outcomes for communities.

About you

We are looking for a credible, highly motivated and commercially astute regeneration leader with a strong track record of delivering complex development and infrastructure programmes at scale. You will be comfortable operating strategically while remaining close enough to delivery to remove barriers, make informed decisions and maintain momentum.

You will bring:

• Extensive senior-level experience in regeneration, development management and major project or programme delivery.
• A demonstrable record of converting strategy into delivery across complex, high-profile programmes.
• Strong and inclusive leadership skills, with experience of leading teams, advisers and delivery partners.
• The judgement and political awareness to operate confidently in a member-led, stakeholder-rich environment.
• Experience of securing, structuring and managing external funding, investment and delivery partnerships.
• A collaborative and influential leadership style, with the ability to build productive relationships across the public, private and community sectors.
• A strong commitment to placemaking, inclusive growth and sustainable outcomes for communities.
• Excellent programme, financial, commercial, governance and risk-management skills.

Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to help shape and deliver one of Greater Manchester's most ambitious town centre regeneration programmes. You will join a highly capable team with a strong delivery record, significant political support and a growing portfolio of transformational projects.

The fixed-term nature of the role creates a clear three-year mission: to establish delivery momentum, strengthen partnerships, unlock investment and leave a lasting legacy for Bury and its communities.

If you share our ambition, bring the senior-level experience to turn complex plans into delivery and want to make a lasting impact in a borough committed to action, we'd love to hear from you.

Normal hours of work are 37 hours per week based around the usual business working week. Dependent on service requirements, you may be required to work on a rota basis.

About Bury

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Appointment may be subject to a satisfactory disclosure at the appropriate level under the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In line with safer recruitment, please ensure that your application/CV covers your full employment history and there is a reason noted for any gaps in employment. Successful candidates will be asked to provide relevant references for the past ten years and character references will not be accepted.

Please note we are unable to support with sponsorship at this time.

As a Corporate Parent, ensure that the work and services you deliver considers our care experienced young people, promotes their life chances empowers them to influence the policies, services, and decisions that affect them, champions their rights, and ensure they grow up in the best possible way

Benefits of working for Bury Council

• To hear about the benefits for working with Bury Council, please visit Bury - Home | greater.jobs
• We support employees to work with agility, where appropriate for the post and service requirements.
• We are committed to Bury being an equal society that recognises values and embraces all people, regardless of any difference, for the skills, abilities and experiences they bring into the workforce and the wider community. Therefore we guarantee an interview for disabled people, looked after children/ care leavers, armed forces personnel (including reservists and veterans) and carers of adults or disabled children if they meet the essential criteria.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.