Job Description:

Service Director – Economy, Property & Regeneration

Location: Gateshead
Contract: Interim / Contract

Fox Morris Group are working with Gateshead Council to appoint an experienced Service Director – Economy, Property & Regeneration.

This is a senior strategic leadership opportunity with responsibility for driving economic growth, regeneration, property and investment across Gateshead. The successful candidate will play a key role within the Council’s senior leadership team, shaping strategy, delivering major programmes and developing partnerships that support long-term economic growth and regeneration.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across economic development, regeneration, property and infrastructure services.
• Contribute to the Council’s strategic direction and the wider Economy, Innovation & Growth agenda.
• Lead the development and delivery of economic strategies, business growth initiatives and inward investment programmes.
• Influence national, regional and local economic policy and ensure Gateshead is well positioned to maximise investment opportunities.
• Represent the Council on key external bodies, regional partnerships and strategic collaborations.
• Lead business support services, including business centres, advisory services and initiatives designed to attract, retain and grow businesses.
• Develop and deliver major regeneration, property and infrastructure strategies aligned with the Council’s corporate priorities.
• Oversee the strategic management, modernisation and development of the Council’s property portfolio and assets.
• Provide leadership and oversight of major regeneration programmes, capital projects and funding portfolios.
• Identify, secure and manage significant external funding from regional, national and international sources.
• Develop strong relationships with developers, investors, businesses, funders, government bodies and regional partners.
• Provide high-quality strategic advice and reports to Elected Members, senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Lead budgets, workforce planning, assets, performance management and Trade Union engagement across the service.
• Ensure effective governance across risk management, business continuity, policy development and performance.
• Deputise for the Strategic Director when required.

Essential Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Extensive senior leadership experience within economic development, regeneration, property, infrastructure or a closely related environment.
• A relevant professional qualification or substantial experience operating successfully at an equivalent senior/director level.
• Strong knowledge of current national and regional policy relating to economic growth, regeneration and property.
• Experience leading large, complex and multidisciplinary services within a politically sensitive organisation.
• A strong track record of delivering major regeneration programmes and high-value capital projects.
• Proven experience of identifying, securing and managing significant external funding and investment.
• Experience developing strategic partnerships with developers, businesses, investors, funders, government organisations and regional bodies.
• Strong commercial awareness with excellent negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing significant budgets, assets, resources and organisational performance.
• Excellent political awareness with experience of advising Elected Members and senior stakeholders.
• Evidence of successfully leading transformation, organisational change and service improvement.

The Ideal Candidate

This role would suit an established Director, Service Director, Head of Regeneration, Head of Economic Development, Head of Property, Director of Place, Director of Regeneration or similarly experienced senior leader who has operated within a Local Authority or comparable complex public-sector environment.

You will need to be comfortable operating strategically while maintaining oversight of major programmes, investment, property assets and service performance.