Director Of Operations

POSITION TITLE Director of Operations – DEVON AND TORBAY COMBINED COUNTY AUTHORITY LOCATION Hybrid working /Devon County Council offices / Torbay Council offices REPORTING TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF DEVON AND TORBAY COMBINED COUNTY AUTHORITY EVALUATED GRADE DATE OF EVALUATION SERVICE/SECTION/SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND PARTNERSHIPS EFFECTIVE DATE OF JD JOB NUMBER H. JOB PURPOSE: Describe in one or two sentences the basic reason why the job exists The Director of Operations will be responsible for the operational leadership and performance of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA) and will direct a range of functions supporting the economic prosperity of Devon and Torbay. The post holder will support the Chief Executive, to set direction and strategic priorities, and working with the Monitoring Officer and Finance Director of the DTCCA ensure compliance with governance, audit, and scrutiny functions, facilitate outcomes, and deliver value for money across a range of public investments. The post holder will provide operational leadership to a small team of core staff and initially will manage wider economic development and skills resources through Service Level Agreements with Devon County Council and Torbay Council and work alongside housing teams within Torbay Council and Devon District Councils and transport teams within Devon County Council and Torbay Council to deliver outcomes. The role will be accountable for the performance of the DTCCA and deliver high-performing functions, programmes, and initiatives. The post holder will work closely with Advisory Groups and Directors across all local government partners including the Team Devon Joint Committee. The post holder will operate at a senior level engaging with Government Departments and other key stakeholders and agencies, locally, regionally, and nationally, supporting the CEX and CCA Board as appropriate. The post holder will provide advice and support to the Chief Executive and DTCCA Board, alerting the Board to any significant operational risks, including reputational, and working with the Monitoring Officer and Finance Director ensure the organisation operates compliantly within its legal framework and constitution and within its annual operating budget. CONTEXT: Please explain how the job fits into the organisation and how it relates to other functions, both internal and external, for example national initiatives. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 gives the Secretary of State the power to make regulations that establish Combined County Authorities as separate free-standing bodies and give them the responsibility for specific local authority functions. The DTCCA will be a corporate body brought into being through statutory regulations, secondary legislation approved by parliament. The regulations will establish the DTCCA and give effect to the Devon and Torbay devolution deal. The regulations will include the DTCCA’s governance arrangements and the functions that it will exercise. It is expected that the DTCCA will be formed in Autumn 2024, and shadow arrangements, including this appointment are being put into place now in readiness for the establishment of the DTCCA. The DTCCA once established will have a number of powers covering economic development, transport, planning, housing, and skills and some of which will operate concurrently with the upper tier authorities of Devon County Council and Torbay Council and eight Devon District Councils. As a public sector body, the DTCCA will operate within normal public sector finance, employment, scrutiny, audit, and governance procedures and be bound by its constitution. Torbay Council is providing the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer roles, and Devon County Council is the Accountable Body and provides the Finance Director role. The governance model of the DTCCA is appended to this job description. As the Accountable Body, Devon County Council is the employing authority for this role and all core staff employed within the DTCCA. The role is hosted within Devon County Council’s Performance and Partnerships Directorate. The Chief Executive of the DTCCA is the line manager of the post and day to day support is also provided through the Director of Performance and Partnerships at the County Council and the Director of Pride in Place at Torbay Council. Resources and the staffing structure proposed for the DTCCA once established will include a small core team covering operations and communications. A team of economic development officers will provide additional resources under Service Level Agreements drawn from local authority partners. The previous functions undertaken by the Heart of the Southwest Local Enterprise Partnership are currently held by Devon County Council and Torbay Council. It is the intention that these key functions will transfer to the DTCCA on 1st April 2025, subject to decisions by upper tier authorities. The DTCCA will work alongside a Team Devon Joint Committee, a formal committee being established to lead on a number of growth and public sector joint services. The Committee will include membership from each of the eight District Councils within Devon, Dartmoor National Park, and the Devon Association of Local Councils. There are several other pan-regional partnerships that will interface with the DTCCA including the Great Southwest Partnership, the Peninsula Sub Regional Transport Board and the Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay Integrated Care Board. There are other key regional partnerships such as the Local Skills Improvement Partnership, Plymouth and South Devon Freeport and co-operation agreements in place with Somerset Council and Plymouth City Council managing the Heart of the Southwest Local Enterprise Partnership’s legacy programmes. The DTCCA is part of a growing network of devolved administrations, with and without Elected Mayors, with the aim that all of England has a devolved arrangement by 2030. Engagement by the post holder at the national level through this network is an important part of the operational landscape for the Combined County Authority. RESOURCES Finance Operational Revenue Budget – circa £750k per annum, including core funding, Growth Hub, and Career Hub Funding (from 1st April 2025 earliest). Indirectly capital and programme budgets held by the Accountable Body – circa £16m 2024/25 and sums thereafter to be confirmed. Devolved revenue funding – revenue circa £35m per annum - £15m Adult Education Budget from 26/27 onwards; UK SPF estimated at £15m 25/26; Universal Support revenue funding – notional allocation of £6.5m 25/26. Staff Line management of: Full time Programme Manager Part time Communications Officer Indirect line management under Service Level Agreements of: circa 15 economic development officers within Devon County Council and Torbay Council (to be agreed). Other Any other statistics directly relevant relating to the job. Explain how and why these statistics impact on the job. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES: list the principal accountabilities and indicate the approximate % time spent on each. NOTE: There should typically be no more than 6-8 principal accountabilities for any job, and each accountability, no more than 2 or 3 sentences long. % 1 Working closely with the Chief Executive and statutory officers, the DTCCA Board and local authority Directors lead the development and implementation of Devon and Torbay’s strategic priorities set out in an agreed Policy Framework to include the Economic Strategy and Annual Delivery Plan. 20% 2 Responsibility for the overall operational management and operating budget of the DTCCA work programmes within the Annual Delivery Plan and Operating Budget, working in close co-operation with Advisory Groups covering business, skills, transport, housing, innovation, and low carbon priorities and the DTCCA’s investment programmes. 20% 3 Responsibility for developing and implementing the DTCCA’s Business Plan, overseeing performance and risk management, attending and reporting to the DTCCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee, as required and working with the Monitoring Officer and Finance Director to ensure compliance with the DTCCA’s governance set out in the constitution and financial management processes . 20% 4 Responsibility for operating resource and staff management, including financial management of an annual operating budget, responsibility for negotiating Service Level Agreements and providing leadership to staff, ensuring the DTCCA demonstrates value for money. 20% 5 Responsibility for the DTCCA’s Communications and Engagement Strategies, working with the Chief Executive, CCA Board and strategic stakeholders including MPs to develop and maintain strong relationships with Government and effective local partnerships. 10% 6 Providing advice and guidance to the Chief Executive and CCA Board on new investment opportunities and work with Team Devon Joint Committee, Advisory Groups, and other stakeholders on developing a pipeline of programmes and projects to secure additional investment for the area. 10% It should be noted that the duties or tasks associated with of the post may change from time to time without altering their general character or the level of responsibility entailed and without affecting the grading of the post. The job holder must: Be aware of the DTCCA’s aims, legal framework, its Constitution, partnership working principles and organisational values and behaviours and their impact on this post. Participate in national devolved administration groups and networks and maintain a good knowledge of Government policy areas affecting the priorities of the DTCCA. Carry out the duties of the post in accordance with Public Sector Rules, Regulations and Policies financial and legal frameworks including procurement, recruitment, contracting and equality and diversity. Carry out all duties and responsibilities with reasonable care for the health and safety of you and any other person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work and to co-operate fully with health and safety matters. Comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (all employees of the Council will not disclose or make use of, for their private advantage, any information held on manual or computer records, which are not available to the public, however acquired), Equality Act 2010. The above-mentioned duties and activities associated with this job are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the job holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required within the grading level of the job and the competence of the job holder. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: Identify education, qualifications, training, and experience necessary to enable the job to be carried out fully and effectively. Note this information should relate to the qualifications etc, required for the job and not be specific to an individual. Be careful not to include any requirement which maybe regarded as discriminatory, e.g. X number of years experience. QUALIFICATIONS Professional qualification and/or can demonstrate significant relevant experience - Essential. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in a related discipline – Essential KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE Extensive experience of working at a senior level within the public sector – Essential Demonstrable knowledge of good operational performance and compliance – Essential Experience of managing and maintaining effective partnership relationships – Essential Ability to evaluate systems and processes, identifying and capitalising upon opportunities for continuous improvement – Essential. An inspirational leader with the ability to effectively motivate a staff group to achieve results – Essential. Excellent understanding of business planning, commercial risk management and financial management – Essential Experience of working within a service management environment – Essential Experience of operating/advising at a leadership level – Essential Experience of working in the public sector and within a political environment – Essential Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite – Essential SKILLS / ABILITIES: Business Acumen – sound financial management, setting & achieving targets, diversifying income streams, negotiating contracts – Essential. Think and operate strategically and translate strategy into practical delivery – Essential. Manage, motivate, and support staff under direct control and wider sphere of influence – Essential. Ability to influence and be persuasive through the use of evidence and intelligence and develop strong business cases, funding proposals and cases for change - Essential. Ability to be agile and flexible, respond to changing policies, opportunities and adapt to change – Essential. Ability to think entrepreneurially and creatively and develop a culture within the organisation. Excellent presentation skills and high personal impact. Essential Manage information quickly and accurately, think laterally, analyse options and present workable solutions to complex issues; Essential. High level leadership and motivational skills. Essential APPROVAL: I confirm this Job Description conveys a full and accurate description of the job and has been agreed with the post holder (where applicable). SIGNED: Line Manager (Name and Job Title) DATE Governance of the Devon and Torbay County Combined Authority