Principal International Growth & Delivery

GMCA; Manchester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is seeking a strategic leader to drive the Principal International Growth agenda and strengthen the city-region’s global connections. You will lead cross‑directorate work on trade, investment and knowledge exchange, providing high‑level advice to the Mayor and senior leaders while managing budgets and governance across major international initiatives.

Join a collaborative, outward‑looking team that engages national government, universities and business

Qualifications

• Strategic leadership, political awareness, and understanding of economic growth and international policy.
• Experience with international trade, investment and city-region policy.
• Ability to engage senior stakeholders across public, private and academic sectors.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation and briefing skills.
• Strong programme management, governance and budget oversight.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership within the International Team, with line management responsibilities.
• Lead the design, development and delivery of policies and programmes for international growth.
• Act as GMCA’s principal lead for international growth across trade, investment and knowledge exchange.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with government, authorities, universities and business partners.
• Provide strategic advice, briefings and presentations to senior officers and political leaders.
• Lead and coordinate international missions and market activity supporting GMCA growth opportunities.
• Provide governance, risk management, budget oversight and reporting to senior boards.
• Support government departments on Free Trade Agreements and trade policy.
• Commission and manage external contracts and secure resources.
• Represent GMCA locally, nationally and internationally.

Skills

Strategy development

Policy design

Delivery leadership

Trade policy

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Programme governance

Budget oversight

Partnerships

Inclusion & collaboration

Job description

Principal International Growth

Grade 10 | Policy and Strategy | International Team

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Greater Manchester is a city-region with global reach and ambition. We are looking for an experienced and strategic leader to help shape and deliver Greater Manchester’s international growth agenda, strengthening our position as a globally connected, outward-looking city-region.

As Principal International Growth, you will play a senior leadership role within GMCA’s International Team, working across the Economy, Innovation, Culture and International Directorate. You will lead the development and delivery of key priorities within Greater Manchester’s International Strategy and related economic growth work, with a particular focus on trade, investment, economic diplomacy, sector collaboration and international knowledge exchange.

This is a high-profile role at the heart of Greater Manchester’s international activity. You will provide strategic advice to senior leaders, including the Mayor, Chief Executive and CA Leaders, while working closely with local authorities, universities, businesses, government departments and delivery partners to ensure international activity supports measurable economic outcomes for the city-region.

About the role

You will lead and coordinate activity that helps Greater Manchester build strong international relationships, respond to global growth opportunities and strengthen its influence nationally and internationally. This will include oversight of international market activity, senior stakeholder engagement, missions and delegations, policy development, programme management and governance.

You will act as GMCA’s principal lead for international growth opportunities, helping to align trade, investment, business growth, knowledge exchange and sector collaboration with Greater Manchester’s wider economic priorities. You will also play an important role in shaping Greater Manchester’s relationship with national government on international policy, trade agreements and investment priorities.

The role will involve working in a complex partnership environment, influencing senior stakeholders, providing strategic challenge, managing budgets and resources, and ensuring delivery is well-governed, evidence-led and aligned with the Greater Manchester Strategy, International Strategy and Local Industrial Strategy.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Provide senior leadership within the International Team, including line management responsibilities.
• Lead the design, development and delivery of policies, programmes and initiatives that support Greater Manchester’s international and economic growth priorities.
• Act as the principal GMCA lead for international growth, spanning trade, investment, economic diplomacy, sector collaboration and knowledge exchange.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with national government, local authorities, universities, business organisations, delivery partners and international stakeholders.
• Provide strategic advice, briefings and presentations to senior officers and political leaders.
• Lead and coordinate international missions and market activity that support growth opportunities for Greater Manchester.
• Provide programme management oversight, including governance, risk management, budget oversight and reporting to senior boards.
• Support Greater Manchester’s work with government departments on Free Trade Agreements and international trade policy.
• Commission and manage external contracts and work with partners to secure resources for delivery.
• Represent GMCA locally, nationally and internationally, acting as an ambassador for Greater Manchester.

About you

We are looking for someone with strong strategic leadership skills, excellent political awareness and a deep understanding of economic growth, international trade, investment and city-region policy.

You will be confident working with senior stakeholders across the public, private and academic sectors, and able to build trusted relationships in a complex partnership environment. You will bring strong influencing, negotiating and communication skills, alongside the ability to turn strategy into meaningful delivery.

You will also be comfortable working at pace, managing competing priorities and providing clear advice on complex policy and delivery issues.

You will bring

• Proven experience of strategy development, policy design and delivery in an economic growth or international context.
• Strong knowledge of international trade, investment and economic growth policy.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders, including public sector leaders, government departments, businesses and partner organisations.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation and briefing skills.
• Strong programme management, governance and budget oversight experience.
• The ability to influence, negotiate and secure support across complex systems.
• Experience of working in partnership across public, private and academic sectors.
• A commitment to inclusion, collaboration and GMCA’s values.

Why join us?

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape Greater Manchester’s international future at a time of significant ambition for the city-region. You will work on high-profile priorities, support senior leaders, build partnerships across the UK and internationally, and help ensure Greater Manchester’s global relationships deliver real benefits for people, places and businesses.

If you are a strategic, collaborative and outward-looking leader with a passion for international growth and city-region impact, we would welcome your application.

Supporting Documents

Principal International Growth RP V2