The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has appointed Claire Blott as its new Director of Employment, Skills and Inclusion, strengthening senior leadership across one of the region’s most critical policy areas.
She will take up the role on Monday 1 June, following four years as Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy at the Combined Authority.
During her time as Assistant Director, Blott played a central role in shaping the Liverpool City Region’s approach to inclusive economic growth. Her work included supporting the early devolution of the Adult Education Budget, giving the City Region greater control over skills investment, and leading the development of the region’s 10‑year Local Growth Plan, which sets out a long‑term strategy for jobs, productivity and opportunity.
Colleagues say her leadership has been instrumental in aligning policy, commissioning and delivery around shared economic priorities.
In her new role, Blott will oversee the Combined Authority’s:
- Skills and Careers programmes
- Employment Support and Inclusion initiatives
These areas are central to ensuring residents can access good‑quality jobs, retraining and lifelong learning, particularly as the labour market continues to change.
The role brings together responsibility for skills development, employability support and efforts to reduce inequality, ensuring programmes work together to support people at every stage of their working lives.
Blott brings a wealth of experience from a career spanning regional and central government, including senior roles at the Skills Funding Agency and the National Apprenticeship Service. She has worked extensively on large‑scale programme delivery, policy development and partnership building across the public, private and community sectors, giving her a strong understanding of how national policy translates into local impact.
Passionate about improving people’s lives through access to work and learning, Claire said she is looking forward to leading the Employment, Skills and Inclusion portfolio.
In the role, she will focus on ensuring that everyone in the Liverpool City Region, regardless of background or circumstance, can access:
- Good, secure work
- High‑quality training and lifelong learning
- The support needed to progress and thrive
Commenting on her new role, Claire Blott said:
“I’m proud to have spent my career working to improve opportunities and life chances across our City Region, and I’m genuinely excited about this next chapter.
“We’re at a pivotal moment as an organisation – with new powers, partnerships and possibilities – and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum to make sure our 1.6 million residents are supported to live their best lives.”
The appointment comes at an important time as the Liverpool City Region continues to implement its long‑term growth plans, respond to labour market change and make the most of devolved powers over skills and employment.
With her deep policy expertise, delivery experience and passion for inclusion, Blott is expected to play a key role in shaping the next phase of the City Region’s employment and skills strategy.
Image credit: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
