News and Views

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, the county’s strategic economic body, is to strengthen its private sector leadership with the recruitment of four new Board members from the private sector.

Graham Haywood, director of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership says: “We are looking for four outstanding individuals with substantial private sector experience who can work together with the Board and provide strategic leadership, challenge, insight and support.

“We are particularly keen to attract applications from a wide range of gender and ethnic backgrounds to reflect the diversity within the business community across Cumbria.

“Increasing our private sector Board membership is a key recommendation emerging from both a review carried out by management consultants on our behalf, and recommendations by our Scrutiny Panel – so we are now moving forward with that.

“Successful candidates will have significant experience and a successful track record in an ownership or senior managerial capacity within a business organisation active in the Cumbria LEP area.  They will also demonstrate the necessary influencing skills to operate effectively at board level.”

Local enterprise partnerships across the country are set to be given more clearly defined roles, including the delivery of their own Local Industrial Strategies to focus on respective strengths.

The new private sector Board positions offer unique, challenging and rewarding opportunities for experienced, forward thinking business leaders.

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership board member and private sector vice chair Jackie Arnold says:  “I am proud to be a private sector Board member for Cumbria LEP.  It’s a rewarding role and a challenging experience which gives you the chance to help shape and drive forward Cumbria’s economy.

“This is a great time for a few innovative thinkers and commercially driven individuals to join the Cumbria LEP team and maintain the right balance of skills and experience on our Board.”

The roles are envisaged to involve an overall commitment of 2-3 days per month.  Successful candidates will help influence key decisions aimed at delivering growth, jobs and prosperity for Cumbria’s economy.

Board appointments are for an initial period of one year, with the option for re-selection thereafter. After the initial year, it is envisaged that appointments will be for three years.  All Board members sign up to a Code of Practice ensuring there is no conflict of interest in taking key decisions that influence development and investment.

Applicants wishing to put themselves forward as private sector Board members need to provide a current CV with a covering letter setting out relevant skills and experience, as well as details of their business sector, geographic and business size category.  Applicants need to either live or work in Cumbria.

Applications, marked “Board Confidential”, can be emailed to info@cumbrialep.co.uk posted to Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Redhills, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0DT.  An information pack and recruitment timetable is available here.

Ends

For media information please contact Karen Gardner at Osprey Communications on 015394-42436.

Notes for editors

• Cumbria LEP provides a strategic lead for all activities contributing to the growth and vibrancy of the county’s economy and where appropriate takes positive action, using the skills, capability and networks of LEP partners.
• The LEP is keen to work with all partners and stakeholders (private and public) to undertake actions, secure funding and implement initiatives to support sustainability and growth of Cumbria’s economy.
• A copy of the Cumbria Strategic Economic Plan is available at: Click here to download