Head of PFI 

The Role

The Head of PFI is a rare opportunity to lead one of Bradford Council's most strategically important portfolios, shaping the future of the city's education PFI estate while delivering lasting value for communities.

You’ll lead the Council team responsible for providing contract and commercial management of the Council’s education PFI contracts, with ten schools operating over two phases.  The Phase 1 contract went live in Aug 2008 and runs for 25 years, ending in 2033. The Phase 2 contract went live in March 2011 and also runs for 25 years, ending in 2036.

Annually, the Council’s expenditure on its education PFI contracts totals approximately £45m and together these are the largest contracts by value administered by the Council.  The lifetime capital value of the contract is circa £1.6BN.  The PFI schools provide daily education for approximately 10,000 students in the district.

Sitting within the Growth directorate, you will lead the education PFI portfolio, working at the heart of complex commercial partnerships that support these schools across the district. You'll set the long-term direction for the service, ensuring contracts continue to deliver excellent outcomes, assets are managed effectively throughout their lifecycle, and the Council is well prepared for the next chapter beyond existing PFI arrangements.

You'll lead major commercial negotiations, oversee high-profile contractual relationships and provide strategic leadership on investment, risk, governance and performance. Working across organisational boundaries, you'll bring together colleagues, partners and contractors to solve problems, build strong relationships and drive continuous improvement.

You’ll have the opportunity to build your own team, with additional direct reports to be recruited following your appointment.  You'll be a trusted adviser to senior leaders and elected members, helping to shape decisions that influence the future of these public assets and educational infrastructure across Bradford. Combining commercial and contractual judgement with political awareness, you'll navigate competing priorities with confidence while keeping long-term value firmly in focus.

Leading a dedicated team, you'll create a culture of accountability, collaboration and innovation, developing capability while ensuring the Council remains a strong and intelligent client. Your leadership will extend well beyond contract and commercial management, helping to shape strategic priorities and supporting the delivery of high-quality public services.

This is a chance to leave a lasting mark on Bradford. You'll play a defining role in providing the right environment for children to learn and fulfil their potential, protecting and enhancing public assets, influencing major strategic decisions and ensuring one of the Council's most significant commercial partnerships continues to deliver for schools, communities and the district for years to come.

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Remuneration

This role benefits from a pensionable market supplement which has been approved to ensure the total reward package of £82,421 per annum remains competitive and supports the attraction and retention of specialist talent. 

The supplement forms part of the employee's contractual remuneration and is included for pension purposes. It is not a temporary recruitment incentive or a short-term allowance.

Like all pay arrangements, the organisation retains the ability to periodically review market positioning to ensure ongoing fairness and competitiveness. Any future review would be undertaken through a formal governance process using relevant market evidence and would not be triggered arbitrarily. The intention of the supplement is to provide stability and confidence to employees, not uncertainty.

Candidates should therefore regard the advertised salary package, including the market supplement, as the established rate for the role and a key part of the organisation's long-term commitment to attracting and retaining people in these specialist positions. In addition, salary will be subject to annual pay review in accordance with National Joint Council (NJC) national conditions and any nationally negotiated pay settlement applicable to local government officer.

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Information

For further details, please click on the role profile, or for more information please contact:

Tim Farr on 07756 293292 or tim.farr@starfishsearch.com or John Pease on 07511 106753 or john.Pease@Starfishsearch.com

Or if you’re ready to go ahead, you can apply here