Lead Policy Officer (Creative Industries)

West Yorkshire Combined Authority; Leeds; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

West Yorkshire Combined Authority seeks a Lead Policy Officer with a strong Economic Policy background to join the Culture, Heritage and Sport team. The postholder will drive investment programmes in West Yorkshire's Creative Industries, supporting inclusive and sustainable growth.

You will collaborate across policy, investment, and convening activities, engaging with local authorities, HEIs, and funders, and contribute to regional strategies such as the West Yorkshire Plan and Local Growth Plan.

Qualifications

• Background in Economic Policy relevant to strategic regional work.
• Experience in policy development and influencing stakeholders.
• Experience delivering or enabling investment programmes in a regional context.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery and development of investment programmes within West Yorkshire's Creative Industries sector.
• Work across policy, investment, influencing, collaboration and convening to champion the creative industries.
• Contribute to delivery of regional strategies (West Yorkshire Plan, Mayoral Pledges, Local Growth Plan, Creative Industries Cluster Action Plan).
• Engage with internal colleagues across directorates and external partners (local authorities, HEIs, funders, AHRC/Innovate UK) to support sector growth.

Skills

Economic policy

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Investment programmes

Cross-team collaboration

Job description

Role details

We currently have a fixed term vacancy for a Lead Policy Officer (with a background in Economic Policy) to join our Culture, Heritage and Sport team.

This is a new role opportunity in the Culture, Heritage and Sport team, for someone with an Economic Policy background.

The successful candidate will use their significant experience and expertise to play a key role within the team, contributing to the delivery and development of programmes of investment within West Yorkshire's Creative Industries sector, supporting inclusive and sustainable growth and increasing the sector's GVA contribution. This will include working across policy, investment, influencing, collaboration and convening, as well as championing the creative industries sector.

The postholder will contribute to the delivery of key regional strategies, including the West Yorkshire Plan, Mayoral Pledges, the Local Growth Plan and the Creative Industries Cluster Action Plan.

The postholder will work closely with colleagues across the Inclusive Economy Directorate, particularly within Business and Innovation, and Education and Skills, as well as with wider Combined Authority teams including Research and Intelligence, Place, Marcomms and the Mayoral Office (e.g. preparing briefings, speeches and staffing creative industries sector events).

The postholder will also engage with a wide range of external partners, including the five West Yorkshire Local Authorities (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), the British Business Bank, private investors, Higher Education Institutes, charitable trusts, philanthropists, and Arm’s Length Bodies such as AHRC and Innovate UK.

It is important that you demonstrate how your breadth of experience, knowledge and skills align with the role when applying.