This is a senior leadership opportunity within SYMCA’s Insight Team, helping to shape how the organisation plans, measures, and delivers its priorities. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that strategic planning, business planning, performance reporting, and outcomes measurement support effective decision-making and the successful delivery of South Yorkshire’s ambitions.

If you think you'd be a great fit for this role but you’re not sure you meet every requirement equally, we'd still welcome your application.

We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking to work part time (4 days a week or more) or as part of a jobshare.

Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter to detail how you meet the criteria as detailed within the role profile (please see role profile attached). Please note, all applications should be made directly via our careers portal. Your cover letter and CV should be no more than two pages each.

As Principal: Corporate Planning and Performance, you will lead the development and delivery of SYMCA’s corporate planning, business planning, performance reporting, and outcomes frameworks. You will work closely with senior leaders across the organisation to ensure that strategic priorities are translated into clear plans, measurable outcomes, and effective performance management.

You will oversee the production of high-quality performance reporting for senior leadership and governance boards, providing insight into organisational performance, delivery progress, risks, and opportunities. A key part of the role will be leading the development of SYMCA’s outcomes framework and ensuring robust reporting against Integrated Settlement requirements.

Working across directorates, you will help align strategy, finance, workforce planning, and performance management to ensure resources are focused on organisational priorities. You will also lead the ongoing development of performance measures, reporting frameworks, and planning processes, ensuring they remain effective, evidence-based, and aligned to long-term objectives.

The role includes leading a team of analysts and specialists, building capability across the organisation, and supporting the continuous development of SYMCA’s insight and performance function.

You are an experienced leader with a strong background in corporate planning, performance management, strategy, or analytical functions within a complex organisation. You are comfortable working at a strategic level and have a proven ability to develop planning and performance frameworks that support effective decision-making.

You have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into clear, meaningful insight for senior stakeholders. You are an excellent communicator, able to present information and recommendations confidently to executive leaders, boards, and partners.

You are experienced in leading and developing teams, creating a collaborative and high-performing culture focused on delivery and continuous improvement. You are skilled at building relationships across organisations, influencing stakeholders, and working collaboratively to deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

You are strategic, proactive, and outcome-focused, with a passion for using evidence and insight to drive organisational performance and support positive outcomes for the people and communities of South Yorkshire.

All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well-placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.

In addition to the above, some of our benefits include -

Holiday Entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro-rata for part time colleagues.

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme – The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in additional to your normal annual leave

Hybrid working – Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts. 

Flexible Hours Scheme – Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi-Scheme which allows office-based employees’ flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time-off in the form of Flexi-Leave or banked Annual Leave.

Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle-to-Work schemes. 

Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on-the-job training and qualifications

Professional Membership Fees – Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management. 

Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority

Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. 

All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements. 

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the process, please contact [email protected] or include within your application form detailing the adjustment and how it will assist in managing any barriers.