Learning from Experience: Talent, Leadership and the Devolution Agenda

Learning from Experience: Talent, Leadership and the Devolution Agenda

As local government continues to evolve through devolution and wider public sector reform, the importance of leadership, people and skills cannot be overstated. While much of the focus in devolution tends to centre around governance, structures, and funding, the success or failure of reform often hinges on one thing: people.

At Tile Hill, we recently hosted a webinar exploring the role of talent and leadership in devolution, joined by two individuals who have been at the heart of it in different parts of the country: Amanda Mays and Rob Bridge.

Amanda works across the East Midlands Combined County Authority and Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority, while Rob is Chief Executive at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. Together, they brought perspectives from both emerging and more established combined authorities, offering practical insight into what it really takes to make devolution work.

Devolution is about people, not just process

Both Amanda and Rob were clear: setting up or running a Combined Authority isn’t just about organisational charts and formal governance. The real challenge is finding the right people to lead through uncertainty, build purpose across boundaries, and deliver for places.

That starts with talent planning. It’s not enough to simply bring in experienced people, success comes from matching skills to the moment. Amanda spoke about how the capabilities needed to stand up a new Mayoral Combined Authority are very different to those required when it becomes operational. The early days are fast-paced, ambiguous, and emotionally demanding and they call for adaptive leadership, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

“The skills and talent needed in the early stages of setting up an organisation does change over time. Leaders are often expected to build and fly the plane at the same time.” – Amanda Mays

Talent must match the phase of maturity

That evolution doesn’t stop once structures are in place. Rob reflected on his journey at CPCA, where a key challenge has been unpicking legacy behaviours and embedding a more collaborative, regional approach. He shared that creating a new structure does not automatically change culture. Some of the most pressing issues he faced were inherited, long-standing relationship dynamics, old ways of working, and patchy alignment on priorities.

“It’s really easy to think that setting up a new organisation means that process, culture, relationships and ways of working, just clicks into place and everybody starts operating in a particular way. And actually, it doesn’t. There’s a lot that needs to be worked through.” – Rob Bridge

Rob’s point was a powerful reminder that talent strategies must look forward but they must also be honest about the past.

Leadership across systems – not just within organisations

Devolution requires a shift in mindset. Amanda highlighted how leaders within Combined Authorities often hold dual responsibilities, both to their home organisations and to a broader regional ambition. That dual role can be difficult to navigate, particularly where organisational priorities or political direction differ. But it’s essential.

The most effective leaders are those who can operate across systems. Those who can build a collective vision, hold shared purpose, and put collaboration before ego.

This is especially relevant for those considering a career within a Combined Authority. Amanda and Rob agreed that while talent from outside of local government and entrepreneurial mindsets are welcomed and encouraged, candidates must be prepared for the complexity of working in a political, regulated, and highly scrutinised environment. With the same thing applying to those considering the move from within local authorities. 

As Rob noted, “You can have brilliant people join who get frustrated by the governance. But if they take the time to understand it and reframe their focus, they can add real value.”

Reform brings emotional complexity – leaders need to lead through it

Periods of reform create movement. Some people feel energised by the opportunity to shape something new, others feel uncertain about where they’ll fit.

In fact, our recent survey showed that 61% of professionals involved in Local Government Reorganisation are actively reconsidering their careers.

Both speakers acknowledged the emotional impact that devolution and reform can have on teams. In this environment, strong leadership isn’t just about delivery, it’s about building cultures of trust, co-creating purpose, and helping people make sense of change.

Amanda noted how important it is to invest in that emotional resilience early, especially when working in shadow teams before permanent structures are in place. Rob echoed the importance of culture, cautioning against rigid hierarchies in new organisations and advocating instead for openness and shared ownership.

What leaders wish they’d known earlier

Looking back, both Amanda and Rob shared valuable reflections for others navigating similar journeys.

Amanda emphasised the importance of building operational independence early. In her experience, there are risks in relying too heavily on informal arrangements or goodwill, even when pace makes that feel like the easiest option. Bringing in permanent leadership and building sustainable internal capacity pays off in the long run.

Both agreed that relationships are everything. From working with central government to partnering with colleagues across the system, the Combined Authority model relies on shared purpose, consistent alignment, and mutual trust. That doesn’t happen by accident, it takes time, intention, and a commitment to doing the hard work behind the scenes.

Why this matters now

At Tile Hill, we know that organisations going through change need more than structures, they need people. Whether it’s placing interim leaders to create early momentum, supporting permanent recruitment for long-term stability, or advising on talent strategies to support transformation, we work alongside local authorities and combined authorities across the UK to help navigate complex change.

The conversation with Amanda and Rob made it clear: talent isn’t a secondary consideration in devolution, it’s central. And with the right people in place, regions can shape stronger, more confident futures.

Want to learn more?
If you missed the live session and would like access to a recording of the webinar, please get in touch at event@tile-hill.co.uk . We’d be happy to share it with you.