Section Leader – Licensing

City of Wolverhampton Council

Section Leader – Licensing

Salary: £44,075 - £49,282 (Grade
7)

Hours: 37 per week

Contract type: Full time, permanent

Work style: Flexible

Previous applicants need not apply.

We’re looking for a skilled and motivated Section Leader to manage a new team in our Taxi Licensing and Compliance service whose responsibilities will primarily cover the administration of licence hearings and Private Hire Vehicle Operator applications. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead on the suitability review of licence holders and applicants in line with legislation and the council’s guidelines.

You’ll be at the heart of our regulatory service, gathering evidence and preparing cases for driver and operator hearings and appeals to Magistrates and Crown Courts.

• Managing a team of officers responsible for processing applications for Private Hire Vehicle Operator licences, as well as preparing hearing reports for licence reviews.
• Overseeing the service’s hearing processes, ensuring that licence applications and reviews are determined in a timely manner, with comprehensive records kept.
• Determining licence applications from private hire vehicle operators and conducting licence hearings.
• Reviewing driver licence holders against legislation, policy and by‐laws.
• Gathering and analysing evidence from multiple sources.
• Planning and managing investigative actions, considering resources, priorities, and proportionality.
• Preparing reports and presenting evidence at Regulatory Committee, Magistrates and Crown Courts for appeals.
• Keeping up to date with licensing legislation and related regulations.
• Maintaining accurate records and ensuring evidential integrity.
• Recommending service improvements and supporting policy updates.
• Promoting the work of the Licensing Service at internal and external meetings.

• Significant experience in a regulatory and customer‑focused environment.
• Strong investigative skills and experience giving evidence in legal settings.
• Knowledge of licensing legislation and enforcement procedures.
• Substantial experience in licence reviews and subsequent decision making in line with licensing legislation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to manage sensitive and challenging situations with professionalism.
• Competence in using ICT systems and maintaining data protection standards.
• A relevant qualification (degree level) or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel in line with the job requirements and to attend court when needed.
• Help shape high‑quality services through effective staff management and development.

For full details of the responsibilities and requirements of this role please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

If you’re passionate about Licensing and want to play a part in shaping an efficient, customer‑focused service, we’d love to hear from you.

For more information or an informal chat about the role, get in touch with Lorraine Jones (Lorrain).

All council roles are allocated to either a fixed, field or flexible work style. Roles with a fixed work style work in a fixed permanent council location. Roles with a field work style are usually allocated where employees are required to be out working in the community with a minimum requirement for 'touch down' space at any council location. Roles with a flexible work style have a flexible base location to meet the needs of the business and employees can work from a mixture of home or any council office, partner/client, or external location, as required to meet service requirements.

We are committed to building a workforce that is reflective of the diverse community we serve. We want to attract the best applications from people of all backgrounds and under‑represented groups because we strongly believe in adding value through diversity, inclusion, and equality. Our employees enable us to deliver services that are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of Wolverhampton residents. Our status as a Disability Confident…