There is nowhere quite like West Yorkshire. A region with a rich heritage, and a modern blend of urban dynamism, rurality, and natural beauty. West Yorkshire boasts diverse landscapes from the Pennine uplands, to the Vale of York, to thriving cities and towns including Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax. A vibrant and diverse region, West Yorkshire spans 750 square miles and is home to 2.4 million people speaking 180 languages. There are many different ethnicities, backgrounds and different lived experiences.

West Yorkshire has always been at the forefront of innovation and industry. From the Industrial Revolution to today, it is a region known nationally and internationally for determination, creativity, and hard work. It is home to the UK’s leading professional services hub outside of London and offers access to a highly skilled workforce of 1.1 million people.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (the Combined Authority), chaired by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, plays a leading role in transport, economic development, regeneration, and policing connecting people to better living standards, higher-earning jobs, and improving overall health, well-being and community safety. It has an inspiring programme ahead – including building a mass transit system, introducing franchising of bus services, and reforming systems to drive investment and increase productivity.

The Combined Authority is responsible for billions of pounds of investment into West Yorkshire communities (its budget in 2024-25 alone is over £850m), and it lies at the heart of the government’s devolution agenda. It is different from, but works closely in partnership with, the five local authorities of West Yorkshire. It is funded differently, and has different challenges both strategically and operationally.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s vision is to create a West Yorkshire that is prosperous, well connected, safe, inclusive and a hotbed of creativity and sustainability. Underpinning this is the West Yorkshire Plan which sets out an ambitious vision and five missions for 2040 that will drive our work to transform lives and communities across the region.

As our new Director of Finance, you will play a pivotal role in aligning our financial and commercial strategies with our overarching organisational objectives. You will ensure robust corporate governance and risk management, oversee the delivery of high-quality financial services, and drive initiatives to maximise value for money. Your expertise will be crucial in building Centres of Excellence across Finance & Commercial, providing assurance on internal controls, and championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in every aspect of your role.

In this leadership position, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will produce and manage the medium-term financial strategy and annual budget, hold statutory responsibilities as the S73 Financial Officer, and set financial planning, accounting, and reporting procedures. You will lead and mentor the Finance and Commercial teams, fostering an environment of success and developing top talent. Additionally, you will sit on key committees and boards, sharing collective responsibility for the long-term strategy and vision of the Combined Authority. You will be a key adviser to elected members and the rest of the officer leadership team, and build strong partnerships across the public financial management community in West Yorkshire.

For a confidential conversation with one of our advisors, please contact:

Jonathan Clark

07736 818 185

jonathan.clark@berwickpartners.co.uk

Marek Dobrowolski

07793 529 576

Marek.Dobrowolski@berwickpartners.co.uk

Ruth Hernandez Turner

0121 654 5936 

Ruth.Hernandezturner@berwickpartners.co.uk