Strategic Business and Planning Manager
1 day ago
Leeds
Strategic Business and Planning Manager Salary£54,495 Closing date 6th April 2026 Interview date 17th April 2026 The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) brings together ten local councils to drive regional development and public service innovation. Located at the Tootal Buildings in Manchester, GMCA focuses on areas such as transport, health, housing, policing, and economic growth. Through collaboration among local leaders, public bodies, and community partners, the authority delivers integrated services designed to improve the lives of Greater Manchester residents. The Team The Greater Manchester Safer and Stronger Communities team operates at the frontline of public safety for one of the UKs largest city-regions. Led by Deputy Mayor Kate Green, the team shapes regional priorities across policing, crime, criminal justice and fire services, influencing decisions that affect millions of people. This is a high-profile, fast-moving environment where youll work closely with senior leaders and partners, support bold regional ambitions, and be part of work that genuinely makes Greater Manchester safer and stronger. About the Role Reporting to theHead of Oversight and Performance, the Strategic Business and Planning Manager provides high-quality strategic planning, business coordination, commissioning and analytical support that underpins the delivery of thePolice and Crime Planand wider Directorate priorities. Working closely with senior leaders and partners, you will ensure strong oversight of Directorate-wide activity, support the development and monitoring of plans and strategies, and maintain robust governance arrangements that enable transparent, timely and evidence-based decision-making. The role leads and coordinates a range of core business functions, including business support and correspondence, commissioning, contracts and grants, business resilience, and the coordination of funding bids and financial approval processes. Through effective partnership working, you will help drive improvement, influence regional and national agendas, and deliver best value for the people and communities of Greater Manchester. Key Responsibilities You will: • Provide strategic planning and high-value analytical support to senior leaders, aligning Directorate activity with the Police and Crime Plan and GMCA business priorities., • Offer policy advice and guidance to Principals and Senior Leaders within the Safer and Stronger Communities Directorate., • Support delivery of the Deputy Mayors plans and priorities across policing, community safety, fire and criminal justice., • Build and maintain strong relationships with Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, local authorities and voluntary and community sector partners., • Lead planning support that enables the Directorate to influence the policing and community safety agenda at local, regional and national levels., • Oversee the Business Support and Correspondence teams, ensuring workstreams are well-resourced, coordinated and delivered to a consistently high standard., • Monitor themes and trends from correspondence and escalate insight to the Senior Management Team., • Support governance and scrutiny arrangements, including statutory meetings and boards such as the Police, Fire and Crime Panel., • Oversee the commissioning and management of portfolio grants, ensuring strong management and best value., • Monitor Directorate and corporate risks, ensuring mitigations are in place and tracked effectively., • Support delivery of Police and Crime Plan and Fire Plan objectives through data analysis, forecasting and pipeline planning. About You You will be educated to degree level or professionally qualified (or equivalent experience) and bring significant experience working at a senior level within a complex organisation. You will also demonstrate: • Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear plans and actions., • Experience of policy development, strategy implementation and programme or project management., • A proven track record of working in partnership, negotiating and brokering change with a wide range of stakeholders., • Experience of commissioning, contracts, grants or financial management within a disciplined environment., • Excellent communication and influencing skills, including the confidence to engage senior leaders, partners and political stakeholders., • Inclusive leadership skills, with experience of supporting high performance, wellbeing and professional development., • Political awareness and the ability to navigate complex governance and decision-making structures., • Strong organisational skills, resilience and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. JBRP1_UKTJ