Contract: Full time, permanent. 4 days (30 hours) a week.
Based at: Screen Yorkshire, Studio 30, 46 The Calls, Leeds, LS2 7EY.
Hybrid working: Duties may be split between home and office and will involve some travel. There will be a general requirement to work from the office two days a week, one of which must be Wednesday.
Salary: £50,053 pro rata (FTE £62,567)
Responsible to: CEO
Closing date for applications: Wednesday 2nd September, noon.

To apply please send a cover letter and CV to oliviak@screenyorkshire.co.uk

Interviews will take place in person at the Screen Yorkshire offices on Tuesday 8th September.

Background

Screen Yorkshire is the lead organisation for supporting and developing the screen industries across Yorkshire. Our ambition is to ensure the region maintains and grows its status as one of the UK’s leading centres for screen production by supporting business growth, attracting inward investment, developing talent and building a skilled, inclusive workforce.

As Screen Yorkshire enters an exciting new phase of growth, we are seeking an experienced and well-connected senior leader to develop strategic partnerships, strengthen stakeholder relationships and secure new investment to support our programmes and long-term ambitions.

This role sits on the Senior Management Team and plays a central role in helping shape the organisation’s strategic direction. Working across all areas of Screen Yorkshire’s activity, the postholder will be responsible for developing high-value partnerships, leading stakeholder engagement and fundraising activity, and ensuring a joined-up approach across our Skills, Talent and Film Office teams.

Purpose of the role

The Head of Strategic Partnerships and Industry Engagement will be responsible for developing and managing Screen Yorkshire’s strategic relationships with public sector partners, local authorities, combined authorities, universities, broadcasters, industry bodies, funders and businesses.

The role will identify and secure new funding opportunities, particularly from local and regional public sector sources, whilst ensuring that Screen Yorkshire’s programmes are aligned with regional economic, skills and cultural priorities.

Working alongside the CEO and senior colleagues, the postholder will act as a key external ambassador for Screen Yorkshire, building influential partnerships that strengthen the organisation’s impact and reputation.

Internally, the role will provide strategic leadership across Screen Yorkshire’s Skills, Talent and Film Office functions, including direct management responsibility for key elements of the Skills team, ensuring opportunities, intelligence and relationships are shared effectively across the organisation and that externally-facing skills activity is aligned with industry need.

Key responsibilities

Strategic partnerships

• Develop and implement Screen Yorkshire’s strategic partnership and stakeholder engagement strategy.
• Build long-term relationships with senior representatives across local authorities, Combined Authorities, government agencies, universities, broadcasters, production companies and industry bodies.
• Represent Screen Yorkshire at regional and national forums, conferences and industry events.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration that support Screen Yorkshire’s strategic objectives.
• Act as a senior ambassador for the organisation across Yorkshire and the wider UK screen sector.

Stakeholder engagement

• Develop and manage a structured stakeholder engagement programme.
• Ensure regular communication with key regional and national partners.
• Build relationships with political leaders and senior public sector officers to maximise support for the screen sector.
• Lead the organisation’s engagement with strategic advisory groups and external partnerships.
• Coordinate senior stakeholder visits and partnership events.

Industry engagement

• Lead Screen Yorkshire’s ongoing engagement with the region’s independent production sector, ensuring regular dialogue with producers, production companies and industry freelancers across both scripted and unscripted content.
• Develop trusted relationships with the local production community to understand emerging opportunities, challenges and workforce needs, ensuring Screen Yorkshire’s programmes, advocacy and policy positions are informed by industry intelligence.
• Act as a key conduit between industry and Screen Yorkshire’s Skills, Talent and Film Office teams, ensuring business needs are reflected in programme development, inward investment activity and strategic priorities.
• Design and deliver a programme of industry engagement events, including Screen Yorkshire’s Indie Club networking series, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration and business development across the region.
• Work with partners to strengthen Yorkshire’s production ecosystem, supporting business growth, talent retention and the development of a sustainable and competitive screen sector.
• Represent the interests of the Yorkshire production community in discussions with local, regional and national stakeholders, advocating for policies and investment that support the continued growth of the sector.

Fundraising and income generation

• Lead the development of funding proposals and investment opportunities.
• Identify and secure funding from local authorities, Combined Authorities, regional growth funds and other public sector sources.
• Support the CEO in securing investment from national agencies, trusts and corporate partners.
• Develop partnership agreements and oversee strategic sponsorship opportunities.
• Work with programme leads to ensure funding opportunities align with delivery priorities.

Organisational coordination

Act as the senior relationship lead across Screen Yorkshire’s delivery teams:

• Work closely with the Skills, Talent and Film Office teams to identify funding and other strategic partnership opportunities.
• Ensure intelligence gathered through stakeholder relationships informs programme development.
• Facilitate cross-team working and joined-up planning.
• Support collaborative approaches to business development and external engagement.
• Act as an escalation point for strategic partnership discussions.

Skills leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for the Connected Campus and Employment Liaison functions, ensuring their activity supports Screen Yorkshire’s wider Skills objectives.
• Oversee the delivery and continued development of Connected Campus, ensuring strong partnerships with universities, colleges, educators, broadcasters and industry partners, and that the programme continues to respond to the evolving needs of the screen sector.
• Support the organisation’s employment liaison activity, strengthening relationships with productions, employers and crew to maximise opportunities for trainees, new entrants and local talent.
• Work closely with the wider Skills team to identify workforce needs and ensure employment and progression opportunities are effectively connected to Screen Yorkshire’s skills programmes.
• Provide line management and support the professional development of staff within the skills department, providing clear direction, mentoring and performance management.
• Ensure that Connected Campus and employment liaison activity contribute to funding outcomes, partnership objectives and organisational impact reporting.

Strategic development

• Contribute to organisational strategy as a member of the Senior Management Team.
• Identify emerging policy, economic and industry opportunities.
• Provide intelligence on regional and national developments affecting the screen sector.
• Lead or contribute to strategic projects on behalf of the organisation.
• Support Board reporting and strategic planning.

Governance and reporting

• Maintain effective governance across strategic partnerships.
• Prepare reports, briefings and presentations for the Board, funders and stakeholders.
• Monitor partnership performance and funding outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with funding requirements and partnership agreements.
• Support organisational evaluation and impact reporting.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Significant senior leadership experience within the screen industries, creative industries or a comparable sector.
• Demonstrable success in developing strategic partnerships across public, private and education sectors.
• Evidence of having secured significant external funding through public sector investment, grants or partnership funding.
• Strong understanding of regional economic development and public sector funding landscapes.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and decision makers.
• Knowledge of developing business cases, funding proposals and strategic plans.
• Ability to represent an organisation at senior external level.
• Understanding how to work across complex partnership environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Essential knowledge

• Strong understanding of the UK screen industry.
• Familiarity with Yorkshire’s screen sector and wider creative economy.
• Understanding of skills development, workforce planning and talent pipelines.
• Knowledge of local and regional government structures and funding mechanisms.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion within the creative industries.

Personal attributes

• Strategic and commercially aware.
• Influential and politically astute.
• Exceptional relationship builder.
• Collaborative leadership style.
• Entrepreneurial approach to partnership development.
• Highly organised with excellent judgement.
• Comfortable operating across both strategic planning and practical delivery.