Licensing Manager (Commercial)

Peterborough City Council; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car lease scheme

Extra annual leave

Flexible holidays

Pension AVCs

Development opportunities

Volunteer hours

Equality network

Recognition awards

Discounts via platform

Job summary

Peterborough City Council is seeking an experienced Licensing Manager (Commercial) to lead the Licensing Service during a period of growth. You will oversee licensing functions within Legal Services, provide expert guidance and drive improvements across regulations.

The role requires strong leadership, collaboration with partner agencies, and the ability to implement innovative, customer-focused processes in a modern, digital environment.

Qualifications

• Experienced Licensing Manager with strong technical knowledge and a proactive approach.
• Ability to lead, coach and develop a team of Licensing and Enforcement Officers.
• Proven ability to shape policy, improve services and drive digital transformation.

Responsibilities

• Provide strong day-to-day leadership for the Licensing Service and manage performance.
• Offer expert licensing advice and oversee complex licensing matters.
• Drive policy development, service improvement and modernisation of processes.
• Manage enforcement and regulatory activity with external partners.
• Support governance, reporting and representation at hearings and tribunals.
• Oversee budgets, income streams and statutory reporting requirements.

Skills

Licensing knowledge

Team leadership

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Public sector experience

Job description

This is a fixed contract until 31st March 2027.

The quoted salary is annual and will the pro-rata accordingly

Peterborough City Council is a fast-growing, ambitious unitary authority serving a diverse and vibrant city. With strong regional connections, a proud heritage and major opportunities for growth, Peterborough is an exciting place to deliver services that make a visible difference to residents, businesses and communities.

Our priorities are focused on improving outcomes for local people, supporting sustainable growth and delivering accessible, modern public services. It is an exciting time to join us as we continue to strengthen how residents and businesses engage with the Council.

We are immensely proud that when asked what's great about working for Peterborough City Council, the most popular response from our workforce has been ' our colleagues '.

Our Team:

Regulatory Services supports communities, businesses and visitors across Peterborough by providing expert advice and proportionate enforcement across a broad range of legal and compliance matters. Within the service, our Licensing Team plays a vital role in promoting public safety, supporting a fair local economy and ensuring licensing laws are applied effectively and consistently.

We are seeking to appoint an experienced, confident and proactive Licensing Manager (Commercial) to lead the Licensing Service at an important point of service growth and development.

As the team expands, the successful candidate will bring strong technical knowledge of licensing matters, a proportionate and pragmatic approach to regulation, and proven team leadership skills. They will be able to motivate, coach and support colleagues, build confidence across the team, manage performance effectively and create a positive working environment in which officers are empowered to develop and deliver high standards. The postholder will play a key role in shaping the expansion and development of the existing team, including preparing for the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act and strengthening the processes used to support businesses, promote compliance and deliver a modern, digital, resilient and customer-focused licensing function for Peterborough.

Your Contributions:

As Licensing Manager (Commercial), the postholder will provide visible and effective leadership to a dedicated team of Licensing and Enforcement Officers, setting clear expectations, supporting professional development and ensuring the effective delivery of all licensing functions falling within Legal Services.

You will work closely with colleagues across Regulatory Services, wider Council services and partner agencies to ensure licensing legislation is complied with and to play a key role in shaping a responsive, compliant and customer-focused service for the city.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strong day-to-day leadership for the Licensing Service, including managing team performance, coaching and developing staff, supporting resilience and ensuring high-quality service delivery across all licensing functions falling within Legal Services.

• Providing expert licensing advice and oversight, acting as the Council's lead specialist on complex licensing matters, legislative compliance and statutory responsibilities.
• Driving policy development and service improvement, reviewing and implementing licensing policies, modernising processes and supporting digital transformation initiatives.
• Managing enforcement and regulatory activity, overseeing inspections, investigations and compliance work while maintaining strong partnerships with agencies including Police, HMRC, the Home Office and the Gambling Commission.
• Supporting governance and decision-making, preparing reports, presenting to Regulatory Committees and representing the Council at hearings, tribunals and court proceedings where required.
• Managing service performance and resources, including budgets, income streams, licensing fees, performance monitoring, data management and statutory reporting requirements.

It is essential for this post that you are able to travel across Peterborough and, where required, further afield. You will be required to hold a full driving licence and have access to a car for business purposes.

Should you have any questions about the role please email [e-mail]

Provisional Interview date 9th September

Our Benefits

We value our colleagues and have developed a number of benefits in addition to our generous annual leave starting at 25 days + bank holidays, sick pay and local government pension scheme...

• Access to a range of benefits via our Employee Benefits Platform, including in-store and online discounts as well as our Cycle to Work and Home & Electronics schemes
• Buy up to 10 days additional annual leave (pro-rata)
• Access to car lease scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared Cost AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities including apprenticeships to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to our equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to receive Employee Recognition Awards

Our Commitments

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to fostering diversity, advancing equity, and building an inclusive workplace for everyone. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those from underrepresented groups, including disabled people, care leavers, and individuals from minority ethnic communities. Your unique perspectives and experiences are encouraged and valued and will play a vital role in our success.

We are committed to making our recruitment process as accessible as possible. If you are a person who has or considers yourself to have a disability and you require reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

If you've already applied and completed the recruitment process for this position within the last three months, there's no need to reapply. We really appreciate your interest and thank you for considering us.