Delivery Manager - Supplier Readiness & Transformation Fund (DRIVE 35)

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the West Midlands’ most significant industrial transformation programmes, sitting at the heart of the West Midlands DRIVE 35 Pilot – a high‑profile regional initiative working across industry, government and place based partners to deliver tangible economic impact, including investment, jobs, innovation and supply‑chain resilience in one of the UK’s most important manufacturing regions.

As Delivery Manager for the Supplier Readiness and Transformation Fund (SRTF), you will take ownership of a £50 million capital grant programme supporting automotive manufacturers and supply chain businesses through the transition to vehicle electrification.

Operating in a complex, politically sensitive, multi‑partner environment, you will provide visible leadership across the programme, influence delivery partners without direct authority, ensure strong assurance, value for money and impact reporting throughout the grant lifecycle, and lead a small specialist team while working closely with finance, legal, assurance, procurement and policy colleagues to deliver at pace and to the highest standards.

Offered on a 3‑year fixed‑term basis, the role involves leading the end‑to‑end delivery of the programme, ensuring it is well governed, financially robust and outcomes‑focused.

What you will be doing.

• Lead mobilisation and delivery of the SRTF pilot, ensuring alignment with WMCA priorities and regional economic objectives
• Take full ownership of the grant lifecycle, from industry engagement and expressions of interest through appraisal, award, monitoring and evaluation
• Ensure programme objectives are clearly defined and focused on SME growth, supply‑chain development and innovation
• Translate regional and national policy priorities into clear, actionable delivery plans
• Shape and maintain effective governance frameworks, supporting the Programme Board and Appraisal Panel to operate transparently and efficiently
• Design and operate robust appraisal, monitoring and evaluation processes, ensuring fairness, compliance and value for money
• Monitor and report on KPIs including investment leveraged, jobs created and SME participation
• Maintain strong audit trails and assurance documentation, including in relation to subsidy control and funding requirements
• Manage delegated budgets and maintain strong financial oversight of grant awards
• Forecast expenditure, manage variances and ensure grant payments are processed accurately against agreed milestones
• Provide clear, evidence based financial and performance reporting to senior leaders and external stakeholders
• Build trusted, collaborative relationships across public, private and voluntary sector partners
• Work proactively with industry and sector bodies to build a strong pipeline of high-quality projects
• Represent WMCA professionally at meetings, events, consultations and strategic boards
• Lead, coach and develop up to two direct reports, promoting a high-performance and improvement-focussed culture

What’s essential.

• Experience managing programme delivery from inception through to evaluation
• Strong track record of producing high-quality delivery plans, board papers and performance or impact reports
• Experience of budget management and financial planning
• Experience of managing portfolios of projects, including risk, issue and change control
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Ability to manage and prioritise multiple workstreams effectively
• Excellent analytical, organisational and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail
• Advanced MS Office skills, including report writing, presentations and data analysis
• Understanding of grant claims processes, monitoring and performance reporting
• Line management experience

For a full list of essential experience, please see the attached JD.

Location. 

The location for this role is Summer Lane with at least 2 days a week spent in the office.

How to apply. 

Applying for a role with WMCA is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started.

1. Create your Careers Account. Register with your name, email address, and a password.
2. Build your Profile. Upload your CV to help populate your career and education details.
3. Write your Supporting Statement. Make sure to address each of the required essential criteria.
4. Submit your application. Do one final check and once complete, click submit.

Anonymised Applications.

Your uploaded CV won’t be visible after submission. Our process is anonymised, and only the information in your profile is used for shortlisting. Be thorough in each section. It’s your chance to showcase your skills and experience.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

We cannot stop anyone from using AI to help write application content. Used right, it can be a great tool. If you choose to use AI, then use it as a helper rather than relying on it wholly to write your application.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting. For help on how to write a supporting statement, please visit the FAQs section of our careers site.

Reasonable adjustments.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team (careers@wmca.org.uk).

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs). 
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days. 
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.   
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses. 

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Why join WMCA?

WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home.

We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values and Behaviours. 

Fostering an environment where people feel valued, included, supported, and proud to contribute to our region is important to us at the WMCA. Our behaviours are more than statements; they guide how we work, make decisions, and treat one another - they set the standards we hold ourselves to and the experience we want others to have.

• Collaborative - We work as one organisation, building trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and customers to create the biggest impact for our region.
  
  
• Driven - Focussed on impact - leading with clarity, care and courage to deliver meaningful results for the West Midlands. 
  
  
• Inclusive - Every voice matters - we create belonging, fairness and psychological safety so everyone can thrive. 
  
  
• Innovative - We think future and act smarter - embracing curiosity, creativity and continuous improvement to shape the future. 

Creating an inclusive workplace.

WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We’re a Disability Confident Employer with ‘Leader’ status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying

Right to Work in the UK

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).