Deputy Head of Business Administration

Leeds Safe Roads Partnership; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - GBP 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A public service organization is seeking a Deputy Head of Business Administration Service whose role involves leading high-quality administrative services and managing teams effectively. The successful candidate will drive continuous improvements, ensuring efficient operations and strong communication within the council's services. This role offers an opportunity to make a positive impact while working with various teams in a hybrid environment, requiring flexibility and strong leadership skills. Apply before 20 February 2026.

Benefits

Annual leave of 29 days plus statutory holidays

Flexitime eligibility

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in managing and motivating teams.
• Proven leadership skills to drive service improvement.
• Ability to identify efficiency areas in service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead continuous improvement and change programmes.
• Manage staff and ensure efficient service operations.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with various stakeholders.

Skills

Staff Management

Leadership

Communication Skills

Efficiency Improvement

Education

Degree in relevant subject or significant experience

Tools

Microsoft Applications

Job description

Job title: Deputy Head of Business Administration Service

Hours: 37 Monday to Friday

Contract: Permanent

As a Deputy Head of Business Administration, you’ll thrive on supporting the wellbeing and development of staff whilst leading the delivery of high-quality administrative services. In a climate of ongoing budget reductions, you’ll champion new ways of working, balancing the need for cost-effectiveness with a commitment to excellent service and staff support.

As a Deputy Head of Business Administration, you will bring:

• Extensive experience of managing staff and can engage and motivate teams to recognise their full potential. You will demonstrate excellent leadership and people skills, as you play a key role in future service improvement.
• You will be expected to play an active role in fulfilling the Best City Ambition as it relates to resources prioritisation; efficiency and value for money; income generation; support services; workforce planning and leadership to increase efficiency.
• You will be expected to lead on continuous improvement and change programmes to provide customer focused, modern, robust and effective services.
• You will identify areas for efficiency in order to support increases in demand and reducing budgets.

About the role

The role requires the ability to work in partnership with a range of people and services across the Council using excellent communication skills to ensure productive and collaborative relationships. You will influence change to improve service outcomes and have the drive and commitment to work with the rest of the management team to continue to develop, co-ordinate and improve administration support.

As our next Deputy Head of Business Administration you’ll demonstrate a positive commitment to continuous improvement and creative thinking which are vital in developing and modernising our service to ensure business outcomes are achieved.

This role is a key part of our Business Administration Service (BAS) team, and you will work as a senior member of the BAS Management Team (SMT). This PO6 opportunity is ring-fenced to colleagues currently working at the Administration Manager (PO3) level within BAS. Once the new Deputy Head of BAS is appointed, SMT will review the current HUB structure and, depending on the appointee’s experience, redefine areas of responsibility across the PO6 tier. This role is scheduled to formally commence on 1 April 2026.

This role involves hybrid working, with a minimum of two days in the office but depending on service need, this may mean more. Flexibility in connection with this is essential. One day based at Merrion House, Leeds City Centre with the Business Administration Management Team and at least one day based across Leeds with the team/s that the role directly manages.

How to apply

This vacancy will form part of a trial of the Council’s new recruitment system for local recruitment. BAS will be one of the first services to use this, so please bear with us as we get started. We’d really welcome any feedback.

To apply, please submit your CV (maximum two sides of A4) via the recruitment portal and complete the additional questions asked. You do not have to complete the training and education section if you included this in your CV. In the mandatorySupporting Statementsection, please can you describe in a minimum of 250 words “if you were successful for this position what are your main development areas” .

As part of the process, we are also asking you to submit a short video (no longer than five minutes). In your video, please introduce yourself and answer the following question:

“What does the Business Administration Service mean to you, and what are you proud of?”

Please ensure your video does not exceed the five-minute limit and send it directly to Louise Sanderson, Head of Business Administration Service.

Your CV must be submitted via the recruitment portal, and your video sent to me, by Friday 20 February 2026.

Interviews will take place on Tuesday 3 March 2026. Helen Fallows and James Wetherall will join Louise and be part of the interview panel.

Good luck and thank you for your interest.

Leeds City Council Job Profile

Job Purpose:

Working as part of a Shared Services management team, you will demonstrate the council values and behaviours to help us to achieve our ambition to become the best city council in the country. Your role will be crucial in ensuring the Council is more enterprising and efficient by providing efficient and effective customer and business support functions and through the delivery of transformational change programmes.

You will be expected to play an active role in fulfilling the Council’s Business Plan Objective, particularly as it relates to resources prioritisation; efficiency and value for money; income generation; support services; workforce planning and leadership to increase efficiency, including income and trading opportunities. You will promote the efficient use of resources and ensure that they meet efficiency targets. You will identify areas for efficiency or value for money initiatives.

You will provide leadership, vision and drive as part of the Shared Service team and you will be expected to lead on continuous improvement and change programmes to provide customer focused, modern, robust and effective services.

You will develop and manage a performance management and service improvement culture, by ensuring that performance management and service improvement arrangements are effectively embedded within the service.

Responsibilities for Grade:

• To line manage the relevant section within shared services and to implement and develop management, information technology, quality administrative and other systems and procedures as required in the section, or service-wide.
• To support the Shared Services Management Team, and to manage such projects as are assigned by the Management Team.
• To proactively take the lead on performance management, and service improvement issues across the relevant service area.
• To monitor and manage the relevant service area budget, and to proactively report on budget issues to the Management Team, and to report on the budget and the performance of the service to corporate meetings as required.
• To lead on procurement and contract management of service and council wide contracts as required.
• To undertake managerial responsibility for the staff within the relevant service area.
• To undertake the duties delegated including , working arrangements, leave, managing attendance, recruitment and selection, training and development, disciplinary matters, grievances, complaints of discrimination, violence or bullying at work, performance capability, emergencies and service continuity, health and safety, information technology and confidentiality.
• Develop, implement, and report on effective information management systems and processes, to ensure information is properly managed, reported and best practice is shared and implemented across the service
• Promote and deliver positive solutions to achieving diversity and equality in all aspects of service delivery, community engagement and human resource areas, focussing on equality of outcome for the service.
• Ensure that service planning and monitoring is carried out across the relevant service area in accordance with the corporate requirements, and that in particular key tasks and activities are completed and reported on, and that service plans reflect key activities and actions being carried out
• Ensure that risk management is effectively embedded across the service and that key managers and individuals understand and implement effective risk management in day to day tasks and specific projects, and report all high risk matters to the Management Team.
• To ensure that the division has a high degree of assurance in the accuracy of activities undertaken, and to play a key role in working with Internal Audit to ensure effective service delivery.
• To ensure the effective and efficient allocation of work within the relevant section having regard to the skills, experience and qualification of each member of the Section.
• To co-ordinate and ensure a high standard of relevant management information is provided to stakeholders including internal customers and external bodies (including schools).
• To participate in Service, Directorate and Corporate meetings as required, and to initiate and arrange for appropriate action in relation to matters arising at those meetings as required.
• To contribute to initiatives within the service and within the Directorate generally.
• To deliver or receive such training as is required.
• Work flexibly and move within service areas – working at different locations depending on service demand.
• Willing to abide by the Council’s Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies.
• Willing to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.

The above list is not exclusive or exhaustive, and the service may require the job holder to undertake duties commensurate with the level of the role. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or significant experience relative to the post

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate. All critieria below will be assessed through Application Form, Interview & Test.

• To prioritise and organise workload within time constraints
• To relate effectively to people at different levels inside and outside the organisation
• Possess or ability to develop IT skills in particular an ability to utilise Microsoft and other applications
• To ensure that the Council fully meets its statutory and contractual obligations in respect of the function and where relevant; returns to the various bodies.
• To keep abreast of legislative, technical and other changes that impact upon the relevant function and ensure that the service responds to such change.
• To lead, manage, motivate and develop staff to achieve high standards of service
• To draft and prepare clear and concise documents, reports, letters, memoranda, guidance notes, procedures and reports
• Ability to express concepts and ideas clearly
• Working in partnership with other organisations both in the public and private sector
• To lead and manage external income generation within the service
• Advanced IT skills
• Knowledge of the financial aspects of a large organisation
• Understanding of accountancy principles, techniques and financial systems
• Knowledge of the Change Management principles
• Knowledge of current issues in local authority finance
• Awareness of current IT issues and developments
• Ability to provide quality advice and guidance to Directorates / Schools and Third parties on a range of shared services issues including compliance with statutory obligations as relevant.
• An understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR) in relation to the recording, retaining and maintenance of personal data due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the work undertaken
• Experience of planning work and staff supervision and organisation
• Experience of undertaking significant business change to achieve positive outcomes
• Experience of working in the relevant environment eg Administration, HR, Payroll, Finance
• Experience of managing large staff groups with positive outcomes.
• Having the ability to challenge staff effectively within the service at all levels
• A self-starter who can work on their own initiative on outcome focussed issues
• A commitment to initiate and manage change in a positive manner
• A commitment to provide and develop for clients, high quality shared services.
• A professional approach and presentation
• A commitment to own personal development and training
• An awareness of the sensitive and confidential nature of the work
• A willingness to work occasionally beyond normal hours
• Adopt an innovative approach to work
• A commitment to keep informed of legislative and policy changes and development of best practice to ensure the on-going development of the service.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

• Experience of managing or developing IT systems
• Experience of Managing Projects

Relationships: The post holder will be required to maintain effective relationships with other Leeds City Council staff, Elected Members, members of the public and other partnership organisations as appropriate.

Physical Conditions: Primarily office based, potentially working face-to-face with customers, working within the council boundaries as required. Leeds City Council has a no smoking at work policy.

Social Conditions: Annual leave of 29 days, plus 5 days following 5 years local government service pro rata. 8 statutory holidays.

Economic Conditions: Grade: PO6

Hours: 37 hours per week , any part time opportunities will be detailed in the advert

Flexitime: Eligible to participate in flexi-time scheme

Conditions of Service: NJC National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service for Local Government Services apply.

Prospects: Promotion: Whilst there is no automatic progression to any more senior posts, opportunities do exist for advancement and promotion, dependent upon normal staff movements and on the capabilities of the individual post holder.

Training: The Department encourages training both “in-house” and external to meet the needs of the individual and of the Department.

DBS Checks: Some posts may be subject to checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment; this will depend on the circumstances and background to any offence.

Disabled Employees: Where the postholder is disabled, every effort will be made to supply all necessary aids, adaptations or equipment to allow them to carry out all the duties of the job. If, however, a certain task proves to be unachievable, job redesign will be given full consideration.

Council Values: The council values are at the heart of everything we do. They inform the way we design and deliver our services and the way we all work and behave. Our values | Leeds Jobs