Boylan was appointed chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in January 2017. Prior to that he was chief executive of Stockport MBC from 2010. While at Stockport, Boylan led the council’s £1bn programme of investment in infrastructure and town centre regeneration. Previous roles include deputy chief executive of both the Homes and Communities Agency and Manchester City Council, where he led the regeneration division and helped shape strategic regeneration programmes across the city. As chief executive of the GMCA, Boylan chairs the Greater Manchester Wider Leadership Team and has responsibility for policy and strategy and a wide range of Greater Manchester-wide services including fire & rescue, waste, transport economic development and planning. He also is jointly accountable for the Greater Manchester strategic plan for the transformation of health and social care. Since November 2018, he has also undertaken the role of chief executive and director general at Transport for Greater Manchester.