Systems Change Lead - Changing Futures

Do you have significant experience of co-production, participation or lived experience approaches?

Can you influence senior leaders and partners to make lived experience a meaningful part of how public services are designed, delivered and improved?

We are looking for a Lived Experience and Co-production Lead to join the West Midlands Changing Futures Programme.

Changing Futures Phase 2 is a national programme funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government until March 2029. It aims to improve outcomes for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage, including homelessness, substance misuse, poor mental health, domestic abuse and involvement with the criminal justice system.

The West Midlands has been selected to deliver the programme for the first time, bringing together partners from housing, health, social care, local government, criminal justice and the voluntary sector to provide more joined-up, person-centred and trauma-informed support. The programme will focus on driving system change across Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, helping services work more effectively together to improve outcomes for residents and reduce reliance on crisis-led interventions.

Based within the Office for Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), the Changing Futures team plays a key role in supporting public service reform through collaboration, innovation and learning. Working closely with colleagues and partners across the region, the team develops and shares insight, evidence and best practice to inform wider system change and improve outcomes for people facing complex challenges.

This is a regional role with the opportunity to shape how lived experience influences governance, learning, improvement and wider public service reform.

You will be the regional subject matter expert for lived experience and co-production, working across local government, health, housing, criminal justice and the voluntary and community sector.

You will build relationships, provide challenge and advice, bring people together and make sure the insight of people with lived experience informs decisions.

What you will be doing.

• Lead the development and implementation of the regional lived experience and co-production function for Changing Futures.
• Ensure lived experience meaningfully informs regional governance, learning, improvement priorities and systems change.
• Provide specialist advice, guidance and challenge to senior leaders, programme boards and partner organisations.
• Develop and promote frameworks, tools and guidance to support high-quality, consistent co-production across the region.
• Influence policy development, service design, commissioning and system reform through lived experience evidence.
• Identify common themes and emerging issues from lived experience activity across Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton.
• Establish and coordinate the Regional Lived Experience Network.
• Build trusted relationships with people with lived experience, VCSE organisations, statutory partners and local lived experience leads.
• Facilitate communities of practice, peer learning and opportunities for shared reflection.
• Support partners to strengthen their capability and confidence in co-production and participation.
• Create safe, inclusive and psychologically informed opportunities for participation.
• Ensure diverse and underrepresented voices are included.
• Produce insight reports, recommendations and learning products to support decision-making and system improvement.
• Support the programme’s “You Said, We Did, We Learned” approach.
• Ensure lived experience evidence contributes to programme reporting, learning reviews and System Maturity Framework activity.
• Connect learning from Changing Futures with Place Based Budgets and wider public service innovation and reform.
• Manage budgets for regional lived experience and participation activity, ensuring appropriate reimbursement and value for money.
• Represent WMCA within regional and national lived experience and co-production networks.

What’s Essential. 

You will have:

• Significant experience of designing, leading and embedding co-production, participation or lived experience approaches within complex multi-agency or public service environments.
• Experience of working alongside people experiencing multiple disadvantage or significant barriers and inequalities.
• Experience providing specialist advice and guidance to senior leaders, boards, partnerships or organisations.
• Strong knowledge of co-production theory, principles and practice.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches.
• Experience interpreting and applying policy, guidance, regulatory requirements or recognised frameworks to support service improvement, transformation or systems change.
• Excellent facilitation and relationship-building skills, with the ability to bring different organisations and perspectives together.
• Experience analysing qualitative insight and identifying themes, patterns and recommendations.
• The ability to communicate complex information clearly and influence without direct authority.
• A strong understanding of public service systems, including local government, health, housing, criminal justice and the VCSE sector.
• Knowledge of lived experience leadership, participation, engagement and community empowerment within public services.
• An understanding of the legislation, safeguarding, equality, inclusion, information governance and ethical considerations associated with participation and lived experience.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery and work effectively across organisational boundaries.
• Experience working at a regional, system or strategic level across multiple organisations.

Location. 

The location for this role is Summer Lane, Birmingham  with at least X 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.

Please note, we reserve the right to close any vacancy from further submissions when we have received sufficient applications from which to make a shortlist. Please apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role. 

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. Together we build trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and residents to create the biggest impact for our region.
  
  
• Driven - We are focused on outcomes. We perform at our best to unlock productivity and delivery, achieving the greatest regional impact. 
  
  
• Inclusive - We value difference. Creating an environment where people belong, and feel psychologically safe, so we can all thrive and shape a West Midlands built for everyone.
  
  
• Innovative - We are courageous. We embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo to continuously improve and shape the future of the West Midlands.

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).