Senior Project Manager (WECA membership)

This is a secondment opportunity available to North Somerset Council Staff only. Please ensure you have the permission of your line manager before applying.

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

An exciting opportunity to be part of the discussions on North Somerset Council’s potential membership of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to create and drive forward the programme of activity and inputs across NSC and partners, ensuring that the council is well prepared and positioned to maximise the benefits of devolution for our residents, businesses and places. This will include developing and negotiating policy positions and proposals on how the authorities will work jointly going forward.

The Senior Project Manager will ensure strong governance and matrix management to align internal and external partners behind the programme and desired outcomes. They will ensure a robust programme of communication, and design and deliver engagement activity including public consultation.

You will be supported by a Project Officer and work under the supervision of the Head of Sustainable Place and Growth. The project will require matrix-working across the council as a whole, including close working with members of the Cabinet and Corporate Leadership Team, and with WECA and government colleagues.

Key responsibilities include:

• Programme design and pro-active management including timeline, key milestones and required inputs and outputs across a range of internal and external partners.
• Coordination and collation of member, officer and stakeholder priorities, alongside independent research, to inform options analyses and recommended policy positions and documentation.
• Pro-active collaboration with internal and WECA colleagues to reach shared positions on devolution proposals, interim arrangements and submissions to government.
• Creation and presentation of outline business cases for priority investments, funding and change requests.
• Meetings and negotiations with government officers to reach outcomes that are acceptable to NSC senior stakeholders and in line with Government devolution principles.
• Developing and delivering a comprehensive communication and engagement programme to manage effective stakeholder relationships and overcome barriers to delivery, including statutory public consultation, and analysis of outcomes.
• Reviewing internal and partnership governance and operational arrangements so as to make recommendations for improvement both before and after any membership.
• General oversight of wider NSC engagement with WECA, to understand policy and delivery discussions and where necessary to influence, coordinate and shape NSC inputs.

This is a great opportunity for a talented member of staff to further develop their understanding of our wider organisation, priorities and partnerships, and we look forward to your application.

A full list of expected responsibilities and activities is provided in the Job Description.

Workstyle

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more or less frequently, this may be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• Up to 2 - 3 days in the office
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

The post holder must be able to travel across North Somerset and the West of England and will on occasion be required to attend events outside of normal working hours, by agreement.

About You

We are looking in particular for an individual who, alongside the necessary qualifications, possesses the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience of effective partnership and policy working across public service delivery agencies, ideally in regional and/or national settings.
• Excellent organisational skills, with significant experience of successfully delivering new and/or complex projects with multiple stakeholders and competing drivers for change.
• Knowledge and understanding of government’s devolution policies and their practical application at Combined Authority level.
• Ability to think strategically and to translate strategy into deliverable workstreams.
• Ability to collect, collate and analyse evidence to inform policy, to present findings to stakeholders and senior decision-makers and to respond constructively to challenge.
• Excellent and effective communication skills, with experience in developing and delivering programmes for communication, engagement, consultation and influencing thinking.
• Strong political awareness and sensitivity.
• Reliability, motivation and resilience under pressure.

Please see the Person Specification for full details of requirements.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Local Government Pension.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums.
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year.
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team.
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes.

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How to Apply

If you share our vision and valuesand are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Jenny Ford, Head of Sustainable Places & Growth, at jenny.ford@n-somerset.gov.uk.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.