James Tallentire is a Delivery Manager for Stakeholder Engagement at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), specialising in skills and workforce development across key growth sectors. With a particular focus on construction, he works with industry and public sector partners to address skills shortages, develop talent pipelines - including future skills associated with low carbon construction - and support the delivery of the West Midlands Construction Skills Action Plan. By connecting industry insight with policy and investment decisions, James supports the WMCA align regional skills development with ambitious plans for housing, infrastructure, retrofit and net zero delivery that is set to transform the West Midlands.

Before joining the WMCA, James led on communications, marketing and stakeholder relations in the higher education sector, supporting leadership teams at Staffordshire University, Birmingham City University and The University of Manchester, which included promoting pioneering applications in materials science and the built environment. All these institutions share similar commitments to support the economic and social development of their respective regions through applied research, innovation and creating the talent and leaders needed to make positive change happen.