Hertfordshire Futures Board Member

Job Title: Hertfordshire Futures Board Member
Location: Hertfordshire

About the team

Hertfordshire Futures (formerly Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership) is a business-led partnership focused on accelerating employment, enterprise, and investment. We are responsible for setting and directing the economic strategy for the area.

Our mission is to build on Hertfordshire’s reputation as a premier location for growth, innovation, creativity and world-leading science, advanced manufacturing, space & defence, film & TV, professional services and others, to make it one of the foremost economies in the UK. In so doing, we can help realise opportunities to enable residents, communities, and businesses to thrive, benefitting the environment and providing a better quality of life for all.

Hertfordshire Futures’ family of sub-brands and programmes are focused on delivering sector growth and inward investment, business support and skills and employment. We are growing our pipeline of highly skilled talent to meet the skills needs of businesses and support people most in need to progress into good jobs. We provide a comprehensive package of support to businesses, employers and local partners and advocate for our county locally and nationally.

Hertfordshire LEP was established in 2011. In 2024, it became fully integrated with Hertfordshire County Council, adopting the new name Hertfordshire Futures to reflect its strengthened status and central role creating an environment that allows our economy to thrive for the good of the community, and everyone who lives and works in Hertfordshire.

Our business-led Board is responsible for setting the overall strategic vision and priorities for economic development in the county. The Board comprises public and private sector members who work collaboratively to ensure that decisions are made in the interests of promoting inclusive growth, prosperity, and improved productivity in the local area and beyond

About the role

This is an opportunity for an experienced business leader to become a member of the Hertfordshire Futures Board and support its agenda to grow the local economy and create jobs. The candidate must be a senior management post-holder, an owner or part owner, board level or similar level in a business that represents a key sector within the Hertfordshire area.

Hertfordshire Futures seeks candidates who can see the bigger strategic picture, offer challenge and insight, and genuinely input into the process of advancing the agenda of fostering real and positive change in the Herts region for the ultimate benefit of all. Strong partnership skills are essential and Board members will need to be collaborative in their style and approach.

We are positively encouraging applications from women and Black and Asian applicants as they are under-represented. We are actively seeking expertise within these key sectors:

• Advance manufacturing incl Space & Defence
• Film and TV
• Sustainability/Climate Change
• Digital

Board members should possess the necessary skills to support Hertfordshire Futures deliver on the fundamental task of generating local economic growth. This should include the ability to effectively gather and analyse evidence around the economic strengths, weaknesses, and barriers to growth of the area; identify the priority areas for investment; and develop an investment plan to secure the necessary funding to take this work forward. To ensure effective and efficient focus on the priorities for local economic growth and to deliver impact, there should be robust monitoring and evaluation of programmes, which is used to inform decisions around awarding, continuing, or withdrawing funding.

More specifically, the duties and responsibilities of Hertfordshire Futures Board members are to:

• Attend meetings of the Hertfordshire Futures Board.
• Reflect the agreed view of the Hertfordshire Futures Board and its members in all discussions with partners, stakeholders, government, and its agencies.
• Support the Chair by leading on activities relevant to their knowledge and experience by representing the interests of Hertfordshire Futures in meetings with partners, stakeholders, government and its agencies
• Actively develop an effective business-public sector partnership
• Contribute to the setting of the overall strategy, priorities, business planning, budget and the monitoring of performance and risk management
• Contribute knowledge and expertise to identify the economic and demographic issues facing Hertfordshire, its strengths and opportunities and the initiatives which should be taken to drive economic growth
• Formally represent Hertfordshire Futures in meeting other bodies and partner organisations as required
• Provide feedback to stakeholders on Hertfordshire Futures decisions and activities
• Lead for the Board on particular issues and activities including serving on or chairing programme board and sub-groups
• May be asked to chair or attend other sub groups
• Elect, from their number a Vice Chair

Business Board members must:

• Currently be a senior management post-holder or an owner or part owner, or at board level
• Have substantial experience and understanding of structuring effective working relationships with both the public and private sector in local, regional and national forums
• Have knowledge, understanding and a demonstrable commitment to leading and delivering economic change in the Hertfordshire area
• Have the ability to make informed, balanced and independent judgements on key economic issues facing Hertfordshire
• Have the ability to take a broad view on issues and consider the long-term implications, opportunities and risks
• Have the ability to act as an ambassador for the Hertfordshire economic area, with extensive experience of working with the private sector and engaging the confidence of key businesses, business organisations, local and central Government (including Ministers of State) and other agencies as appropriate
• Possess the knowledge, passion and energy for supporting business growth in Hertfordshire
• Have personal and professional demeanor/credibility that will command wide confidence of stakeholders and have a high degree of honesty and integrity
• Be a clear strategic and creative thinker, able to influence the delivery of complex projects
• Be able to work as a member of a team, acting and thinking corporately, with a collaborative style that engages people at all levels
• Possess public service values: be committed to public service values of transparency and accountability
• Have energy & focus: be highly motivated and not easily discouraged, with significant reserves of resilience and tenacity
• Be non-political, impartial and evidence based

Time Commitment:

In addition to serving on the Board, members may be asked to serve on other committees/panels as required, as well as attend meetings and events on behalf of Hertfordshire Futures.

Whilst it is inevitable that the time commitment of individual members will vary, the following is considered a typical commitment required over a year:

• Attend four Hertfordshire Futures Board meetings – meetings are up to three hours and dates are agreed well in advance.
• Take appropriate time before and between meetings to read papers and stay abreast of relevant developments.
• Take part in regular discussions and exchanges with the Chair and Executive Team.

Board members are de-facto ambassadors of Hertfordshire Futures, and as such there will be several events and activities throughout the year where Board member attendance may be required, which will be agreed in advance.

The anticipated time commitment is approximately two days per month; however, this will vary depending on additional sub board committee/panel membership.

It is expected that each Board member will do their best to support Hertfordshire Futures when their assistance is required.

Period of Appointment

The normal term of appointment is three years, to ensure a regular opportunity to refresh the membership of the Board. Should they wish, members may be re-elected for up to a further three years, but normally not exceed six years in total. The recruitment and replacement of Board members is staggered to ensure a degree of continuity. The term of office could be extended by single years due to exceptional circumstances.

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Sally.Stanley@hertfordshirefutures.co.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: Early September

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

We are changing
Hertfordshire County Councilis undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.