Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Sandwell MBC lies at the heart of the West Midlands Conurbation, adjacent to Birmingham and is part of the area known as the 'Black Country'. Regeneration is at the heart of Sandwell's goal to bring about the radical transformation of social, economic and environmental conditions in the area.

Pivotal to our 2020 Vision is the urban renaissance of Sandwell to create a vibrant, sustainable and dynamic area. This is a complex and long-term task which is being pursued in partnership via the Sandwell Partnership (the local strategic partnership for the area) and with partners in Birmingham and the Black Country.

Regeneration in Sandwell involves taking a comprehensive approach to change. Key decisions have been made which include reversing population loss, transforming the environment and urban form, developing a successful economy alongside healthy urban living, building on the destinct identity of its six towns and developing West Bromwich as the major centre for culture, shopping and business.

Sandwell's regeneration is being pursued directly by the council, but it's also supplemented by various other funding and delivery mechanisms. These include a regeneration zone, a housing market renewal pathfinder (Urban Living), an urban regeneration company (RegenCo), and a new deal for communities partnership (Greets Green NDC).

In summary, there can be few areas in the country which provide such a comprehensive and exciting mix of opportunities for careers in regeneration.

Employment opportunities

There are a wide range of career opportunities for people wishing to contribute to the regeneration of Sandwell. Opportunities exist across a range of work areas within the council and in various local regeneration partnerships and delivery vehicles.

Regeneration of the area requires the contribution of a wide variety of expertise and professional disciplines. These include:

• policy and research professionals, who provide overall strategic guidance and develop the community strategy and overall Regeneration Policy;
• economic development officers, who work on economic policy development and business and community economic development;
• town planners, who work on land-use planning, development control, urban design and environmental improvements;
• architects and transport planners;
• housing officers, who address local housing issues in both public and private sectors;
• neighbourhood and community development officers, involved in developing and implementing our devolved approach to neighbourhood regeneration and service delivery.

Training and career development

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is committed to being a Learning Local Authority. Here learning and development will drive and support continuous improvements in its services to the community of Sandwell. Sandwell Council is committed to ensuring every employee is trained to efficiently undertake the duties for which they are employed. It pursues policies which encourage the take up of both informal and formal training as part of a wider approach to employee development. It also has a post-entry training scheme which encourages participation on appropriate training leading to formal qualifications, recognising the importance this plays in achieving business objectives as well as in individual personal development. All employees of Sandwell Council are eligible to undertake relevant courses of post-entry training.

Employment policies

The Council has a comprehensive range of recruitment incentives. These include:

• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme offering high quality pension benefits based on final pay.
• Generous holiday entitlements, starting at a minimum of 25 days per annum (plus 9 statutory holidays) with the exact amount of leave being based on the employee's grade and length of service.
• A range of 'family friendlyÓ policies including carers' leave, flexible working hours, part-time working, job share as well as term time working.
• Re-location and resettlement expenses of up to £6,500, plus up to 26 weeks lodging allowance in approved cases. 
• A comprehensive equality policy is in place to ensure equality and eliminate discrimination in all its forms.