Shape the future of England's largest council area
North Yorkshire is a place of extraordinary scale, ambition and opportunity.
As the largest geographical council area in England and the third-largest unitary authority in the country, North Yorkshire Council serves diverse urban, rural and coastal communities stretching from the Yorkshire Dales to the North York Moors and from thriving market towns to world-renowned visitor destinations.
Four years on from local government reorganisation, our focus has evolved. While many councils across the country are beginning their journeys through local government reform, we have already established our foundations. We have brought together services from eight former councils, implemented a single operating model, introduced universal systems and created one organisation with a shared purpose.
Three years after becoming a unitary authority, independent analysis ranked North Yorkshire Council as the third most productive local authority in England and the highest performing in the North, demonstrating our commitment to delivering outstanding value for taxpayers.
We are financially resilient, stable, ambitious for our communities and committed to continuously improving local, customer-led services. Our Council Plan sets out a clear vision: to harness the power of North Yorkshire's natural capital, unique communities and businesses, continuously improving our services to enable a good quality of life for all.
Now comes the next phase.
We are focused on people-led, technology-enabled transformation, unlocking value, driving growth and delivering even greater impact for residents, communities and businesses. This is a pivotal moment to join one of the country's most significant local authorities and help shape what comes next.
North Yorkshire Council. One County. Many Places. Unlimited Potential.
Welcome from Richard Flinton, Chief Executive
Thank you for your interest in becoming our next Corporate Director of Community Development.
Coming soon: watch a video of Richard Flinton discussing the role with Nic Harne, the current post holder.
North Yorkshire is one of the most exciting places in local government today. Four years after local government reorganisation, we are no longer focused on creating a new council. We are focused on maximising the opportunities that come from being one council with the scale, influence and ambition to make a real difference.
As England's largest geographical council area and the third-largest unitary authority, we have established ourselves as a strong-performing organisation, recognised for delivering change at pace while maintaining a relentless focus on residents and communities.
Our Community Development portfolio sits at the heart of North Yorkshire's future. It brings together planning, housing, economic development, regeneration, tourism, skills, culture, leisure, libraries, museums and some of the county's most significant venues and assets, including Harrogate Convention Centre and Scarborough’s Open Air theatres. These are the services that help shape places, create opportunity, support growth and improve quality of life.
The foundations are in place. Following reorganisation, we have established common systems, structures and approaches. We have brought together services from eight legacy councils, strengthened performance and created a platform for the future. We now have a significant opportunity to transform how services operate, using innovation, technology and commercial thinking to deliver even greater value and impact.
This role offers the chance to influence at the highest level. You will be a key member of our Management Board, working alongside elected members, senior colleagues and partners across the region. You will play a leading role in our relationship with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, helping to maximise the benefits of devolution and ensuring North Yorkshire plays an influential role both regionally and nationally.
You will work with a wide range of partners to deliver our ambitions for growth and prosperity, including close collaboration with Homes England to unlock strategic housing opportunities and accelerate the delivery of new homes. Just as importantly, you will help shape outcomes that matter to residents every day, supporting healthier communities, reducing inequalities and helping ensure that children and young people across North Yorkshire have the best possible opportunities to thrive.
You will join us during a period of significant opportunity. With new Chief Executive Dale Owens arriving in 2027 and local elections creating the opportunity to develop the next Council Plan, you will help shape the strategic direction of North Yorkshire for years to come.
Most importantly, you will be joining talented and committed colleagues. Our workforce combines the experience, legacy knowledge and corporate memory of those who have served North Yorkshire for many years with the energy, innovation and fresh perspectives of those who have joined more recently. It is a powerful combination and one that creates a culture where people can thrive.
If you are an ambitious, collaborative and visionary leader ready to make an impact at scale, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Contact us through our Executive Search partners Resourcing Solutions.
Richard Flinton
Chief Executive, North Yorkshire Council
About Community Development
Community Development is one of the most visible and strategically important directorates within North Yorkshire Council.
The portfolio brings together services that directly influence how places grow, prosper and thrive, including:
- Economic Development, Regeneration, Tourism & Skills and Planning Services
- Housing including responsibility for approximately 8,500 council homes, the delivery of new homes and strategic housing functions covering homelessness prevention, housing standards and private sector housing
- Culture and Arts, Libraries, Museums and Archives, Leisure Services and Strategic Venues and Cultural Assets including Harrogate Convention Centre, Scarborough Spa and Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Together, these services help shape the future of North Yorkshire's communities, economy and environment.
Our ambition is significant.
We are one of the largest planning authorities in the country, with a critical role in supporting sustainable growth and investment.
We have ambitious plans to accelerate housing delivery, support regeneration across our towns and communities, strengthen our visitor economy and unlock opportunities through economic growth.
Working closely with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, public sector partners, businesses and investors, we are focused on translating devolution into tangible benefits for residents and communities. We also work alongside Homes England to unlock strategic sites, accelerate housing delivery and secure investment that supports long-term growth and prosperity.
The service has come a long way since local government reorganisation. Having brought together teams and services from eight sovereign councils, established a common operating model and introduced consistent systems and processes, we are now focused on the next stage of our journey: creating modern, customer-focused, commercially aware services that maximise value and impact.
We are proud of the significant improvements already delivered across our housing services following our proactive work with the Housing Regulator. That openness, ambition and commitment to continuous improvement characterise our approach across the directorate.
About the role
Title: Corporate Director Community Development
Salary: £145,894 to £169,693 plus relocation support
Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire
As a Corporate Director, you will provide outstanding strategic and organisational leadership to create, embed and sustain the council. With colleagues, you have collective responsibility for delivery of the council’s operating model and embedding the values and behaviours throughout the council. You will promote diversity and inclusion throughout the council and through partnerships and relationships with other stakeholders.
As a member of the management board you will support the journey of the council and the CEO in the devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire working in partnership with the Mayoral Combined Authority.
You will work effectively with elected members to ensure the vision and strategic direction of the directorate is delivered.
You will act as an advocate for the council at local, regional and national level, enhancing the council’s reputation and influence, building partnerships and enabling the council to be a leader in the field. You will lead and be involved in many key strategic partnerships.
You will continue to shape the way the council delivers its services to its residents across key functions that touch the heart of the communities. These functions are:
- economic development, regeneration, tourism and skills and planning services
- culture, arts, libraries, museums, archives, key venues and leisure
- housing services
As Corporate Director Community Development, you will provide strategic leadership for the economic development, regeneration, tourism and skills across North Yorkshire, working closely with the Mayoral Combined Authority. You will ensure services are provided across the council to enable residents and visitors to our region to experience great services and opportunities through culture and arts, enabling the use of our key venues in this experience and enabling the full utilisation of the multiple libraries and leisure facilities available to them.
You will be responsible for key venues across North Yorkshire ensuring their safe operation and sustainability.
Key documents
We encourage all prospective applicants to familiarise themselves with North Yorkshire Council's strategic priorities and future ambitions.
Council Plan
Performance information
North Yorkshire Council snapshot
View quarterly performance reports here
Corporate and strategic information
Our role, structure and objectives
The North Yorkshire Local Plan
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Recruitment documents
Job description and person specification (docx / 488 KB)
Financial information
North Yorkshire Council Capital Five-Year Spending Plan
Revenue budget for 2025/26 and medium-term financial strategy 2026/27 to 2027/28: Executive Summary
Recruitment process and key dates
We are committed to providing a professional, positive and inclusive recruitment experience.
Recruitment process
- Stage 1: Closing date for applications: 13 December 2026
- Stage 2: Assessment event: 7 January 2027
- Stage 3: Final interviews with elected members: 15 January 2027
Further details regarding the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates.
Living in North Yorkshire
The place. The lifestyle. The opportunity.
Few places offer the quality of life available in North Yorkshire. From the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks to our spectacular coastline, vibrant market towns and thriving business communities, North Yorkshire offers an exceptional environment in which to live and work.
Residents benefit from:
- outstanding natural landscapes
- historic towns and cultural attractions
- excellent schools and educational opportunities
- strong connectivity by road and rail access to vibrant regional centres including York and Leeds
- diverse housing and lifestyle options across urban, rural and coastal communities
Whether your preference is city living, a market town, a coastal location or a rural setting, North Yorkshire provides a unique combination of professional opportunity and lifestyle quality.
Watch this video to see more of what North Yorkshire has to offer.
This is a place where you can lead one of the country's most ambitious councils while enjoying a lifestyle that is difficult to match anywhere else.
For more information go to Visit North Yorkshire.
Why work for us
Lead one of England's largest councils. Build on strong foundations. Shape the future of North Yorkshire.
There has never been a better time to join North Yorkshire Council.
Influence at scale
Lead services across England's largest geographical council area and one of the country's most significant local authorities.
Shape the future
Join during a pivotal period that includes a new Chief Executive, a new Council Plan and the next phase of our post-reorganisation journey.
Drive growth and regeneration
Help deliver ambitious plans around housing, regeneration, investment, economic growth and place-shaping. Working alongside the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners including Homes England, you will help unlock investment, accelerate housing delivery and maximise the opportunities presented by devolution.
Make a difference to people's lives
This role provides the opportunity to deliver impact that extends far beyond economic growth and physical development. Through leadership of housing, communities, culture and strategic partnerships, you will contribute to improving health and wellbeing, reducing inequalities, strengthening communities and helping children and young people achieve the best possible outcomes.
Regional and national influence
Work closely with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and play a prominent role in shaping regional priorities and maximising the benefits of devolution.
This is a rare opportunity to lead a portfolio that sits at the heart of North Yorkshire's future. From delivering new homes and supporting 8,500 council tenants, to driving economic growth, shaping regional priorities through devolution, championing nationally recognised cultural venues and improving outcomes for residents, communities and businesses, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on one of England's largest and most ambitious local authorities.
Few leadership roles offer the opportunity to influence so much across such a diverse geography. From housing and regeneration to culture, health and wellbeing, economic growth and opportunities for children and young people, this is a role with genuine scale, visibility and legacy.
Strong foundations
Join a high-performing council that has already completed much of the structural transformation that many authorities are only beginning to undertake.
Career development
As a large and diverse organisation, North Yorkshire Council offers exceptional opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and career progression.
Talented colleagues
Work alongside experienced leaders who bring deep organisational knowledge and colleagues who contribute new ideas, fresh thinking and energy. Together they create a culture of challenge, support and continuous improvement.
North Yorkshire Council. One County. Many Places. Unlimited Potential.
We are a strong performing authority, with supportive political leadership and talented teams providing the platform to have a fulfilling, challenging and successful career in a truly stunning place.
A peer challenge found that the council is a good place to work, with strong leadership and a loyal and committed workforce who have access to well-regarded training and development.
We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice, offering a range of training and development opportunities and career progression allowing you to manage your own development journey and empowering you to control your career. Your career can change with your life here in North Yorkshire.
We believe in the importance of inclusion, which is why we are always working towards being a more diverse, equitable and inclusive employer. Find out more about our equality, diversity and inclusion work on our working for us page. You can bring your whole self to work and we will support you to be the best that you can be.
Our values, behaviours and ambitions underpin everything we do.
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially make life a bit easier. These include:
- a local government, career average employer contribution pension scheme
- family friendly leave
- salary sacrifice schemes
- modern flexible working practices
- learning and development packages
- career advancement opportunities
- employee discount benefits including shopping and gym discounts
- green car and cycle schemes
- travel loans
You can find more information on the range of benefits we offer on our total rewards page.
Our relocation package
If you are considering relocating to North Yorkshire, we provide a comprehensive relocation package, featuring up to £8,000 to cover reasonable costs such as:
- removal expenses
- storage costs
- legal and estate agent fees
- travelling expenses
Watch this video to find out about our employee networks.
Contact us and apply
This is an exceptional opportunity to join one of the most ambitious councils in the country and help shape the future of North Yorkshire.
For an informal confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact: Leanne Auton by emailing leanne.auton@northyorks.gov.uk or calling 07815 028 548 or Penny Keatings by emailing penny.keatings@northyorks.gov.uk or calling 07811 411 462.
Apply
To apply, send your application to Executive.ResourcingSolutions@northyorks.gov.uk.
Your application should be submitted as one Microsoft Word document that includes your:
- personal statement: this outlines your suitability for the role and your motivation
- background: your CV, outlining your track record. Please include work experience, education, salary, notice period and references.
Please do not submit a PDF document. We will anonymise your application on receipt.
We believe in the importance of inclusion, which is why we are always working towards being a more diverse, equitable and inclusive employer. You can find out more about our equality, diversity and inclusion work on our working for us page.
We are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.
Be part of something exceptional. Help shape the future of North Yorkshire.