Place & Investment Promotion Lead

Place and Investment Promotion Lead (Inclusive Economy Lead)

£69,852 per annum - Grade 11

Leeds / Hybrid Full time - 37 hours per week

Permanent

Closing date - Sunday 23 August 2026 at 23:55

Please note that the Combined Authority will consider requests for part-time working and/or job share. We have an exciting opportunity for a Place and Investment Promotion Lead to establish and lead a new regional function focused on attracting occupiers, investors and developers to West Yorkshire.

Working across the organisation and with local authorities, developers, investors, occupiers and government, you will build and promote a compelling investment proposition for the region, helping to secure the private investment needed to deliver West Yorkshire's growth ambitions.

This high-profile role offers the opportunity to shape the future of major regeneration, infrastructure and development opportunities across Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees. You will lead the promotion of West Yorkshire's investment and development opportunities, driving inward investment and supporting the delivery of the Local Growth Plan.

Leading a team of six investment, communications and marketing professionals, you will combine strategic leadership with hands-on engagement, building relationships with investors, developers, occupiers and public-sector leaders.

We welcome applications from candidates with experience in commercial real estate, regeneration, investment, development, inward investment or place promotion. Most importantly, you will bring strong commercial awareness, an understanding of investment decision-making, and the ability to build credibility with senior stakeholders across the public and private sectors. You will also have the vision to maximise opportunities through events such as UKREiiF and MIPIM, helping to raise West Yorkshire's profile and unlock investment opportunities.

Our Offer

· Work your way – From flexible and agile working options, including a generous flexi-time scheme to help you balance your personal life and career.

· Time to recharge – Enjoy 28 days of annual leave (with increases based on length of service), plus all Bank Holidays.

· Free greener travel across West Yorkshire – Cover your commute sustainably with unlimited free bus and rail travel using the MCard (Zones 1–5).

· Secure your future – Benefit from a highly competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.

· Investing in you – Take advantage of supported professional development, regular training, and up to 3 paid volunteering days per year.

· Grow with us – Incremental salary progression for most roles and annual cost of living increases.

· Family first – We offer enhanced parental and bereavement leave, plus other family-friendly policies to support you when it matters most.

· Your wellbeing, our priority – Access 24/7 free confidential counselling services and the Headspace app for you and up to 5 family or friends.

· Modern workspace in a prime location – Work in bright, contemporary offices just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station, fully equipped with the latest tech.

The Role

Reporting into the Head of Business and working closely with senior colleagues in Place and Environment, Comms and Marketing and Commercial and Finance, your key responsibilities will include:

· Provide strategic leadership for West Yorkshire's Place and Investment Promotion activity, shaping priorities and driving the development and delivery of a coherent investment promotion approach.

· Work collaboratively across the organisation, local authorities and private sector partners to maximise investment opportunities and strengthen the region's investment proposition.

· Lead high-profile investment promotion initiatives and events, including UKREiiF and MIPIM, while overseeing the governance, performance and continuous improvement of investment attraction activities.

Please review the Role Profile for more information about the responsibilities.

Please note:

The Inclusive Economy, Skills and Culture Directorate uses generic role profiles across a number of positions. As a result, the title shown on the Role Profile may differ from the advertised position. However, the Role Profile reflects the broad responsibilities, requirements and objectives that will apply to the postholder.

About You

You will have the following key skills, attributes, education and experience:

· Significant experience within commercial real estate, inward investment, regeneration, development, economic development or place promotion, with a strong understanding of investor, developer and occupier requirements.

· Comprehensive experience of leading, negotiating and influencing stakeholders, providing leadership in a complex public-private sector partnership context

· Highly developed communication skills with the proven ability to strongly lead, influence, negotiate and challenge

· Experience of developing and promoting investment propositions, development opportunities, destinations or major projects to external stakeholders with strong understanding of commercial property markets, development viability, investment drivers and market-facing engagement.

· Ability to lead West Yorkshire's presence at high-profile national and international investment events including UKREiiF and MIPIM, building relationships with

investors, developers, occupiers and strategic partners and positioning the region competitively on the global stage.

To Apply

If this sounds like your next role, please complete the application form on our website and tell us within the supporting statement why you would be a great fit for our role and how your skills, knowledge and experience align with the requirements within the Role Profile. Please visit our Advice for Candidates webpage and review the guidance on this page for support in completing your application form.

Further Information

The Combined Authority is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro divergent. To find out more about inclusivity at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority please visit our dedicated webpage.

Under the Disability Confident Scheme, applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met. Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, which is the salary stated above, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases on an annual basis.