Principal Policy & Project Officer - Housing and Planning

London Councils

Location London
Salary £36,673
Team London's Future and Places
  • Closing: 11:55am, 23rd Aug 2022 BST

Job Description

Job Title: Principal Policy & Project Officer

Responsible to: Special Projects Lead (Housing & Planning)

Key contacts: London borough Housing Directors; London Councils staff; Officers in London Boroughs and Greater London Authority family; Relevant national and London wide stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors; Civil servants and Government advisers.

Length: 12 Month Fixed Term contract, becoming permanent subject to funding (suitable for secondment opportunities)

Job Grade: C

Job Purpose:

  • To support the work of the London Housing Directors’ Group (LHDG), a pan-London network of senior housing officers from across London’s 33 local authorities, that is hosted by and works closely with London Councils.

  • To contribute to the successful delivery of housing projects and policy priorities agreed by LHDG, by providing policy research, convening and project management support.

  • To support the successful deliver of LHDG’s shared projects and programmes, supporting the group’s policy work (including leading research projects and identifying innovation), and facilitating collaboration to help Housing Directors ensure that high-quality housing services are delivered on behalf of residents across London.

Principal Accountabilities

  • To support the delivery of joint projects and policy priorities agreed by the London Housing Directors’ Group. 

  • To provide research, information, and advice on policy matters to borough Housing Directors and others, including London Councils’ leading members and staff, as appropriate.

  • To provide project management and convening support to help successfully deliver Housing Directors’ shared programmes and research projects, as well as the management of various forums and group meetings for sharing knowledge and best practice of housing matters.

  • To support effective organising of the professional network by working with London Housing Directors’ Group members to provide information as needed, make connections across local authorities and support their role in delivery services.

  • To deliver stakeholder engagement activity on behalf of the group to help facilitate good working relationships with important stakeholders and partners.

  • To represent Housing Directors and London Councils at external meetings relevant to agreed work priorities. These will include with Government departments, the Greater London Authority, member authorities, and others as appropriate to help develop and sustain positive relationships with key stakeholders and contacts.

  • To support scrutiny of Housing Directors’ shared projects and programmes to help ensure value for money and high performance.

  • To carry out individual research and policy projects.

  • To shape, commission and manage external research commissioned from external providers.

  • To draft clear and influential reports and briefings, as well as communications activity in the form of articles, presentations, speeches, press information and other publications as required on key priorities.

  • To contribute to LHDG and London Councils’ role in keeping London local authorities updated on policy, best practice and funding developments. This includes analysing policy and research papers, government proposals and legislation relevant to local authorities’ housing role and disseminate findings.

  • To attend and contribute to working groups on policy related issues to promote the development, implementation and delivery of London Councils’ key policy priorities.

  • To respond to enquiries from colleagues, Housing Directors and other stakeholders (including councillors and partner organisations) as required.

  • To organise seminars, conferences and other events, in collaboration with colleagues from London Councils’ Communications Division, as appropriate.

  • Working closely with colleagues in the Communications Division, to develop effective approaches to communicating Housing Directors’ priorities and work programme achievements.

  • To support the success of teams, individual team members and London Councils colleagues more widely, both through adopting positive working styles and effective implementation of specific tasks allocated by the line manager.

  • To carry out all tasks and allocated work within agreed timescales and budgets.

  • London Councils is committed to, and champions, equality and diversity in all aspects of policy and employment.  All employees are expected to understand and promote equality and diversity within their work.

  • To take care at all times to uphold health and safety at work for self and others.  To observe London Councils Health and Safety policy and related procedures at all times. 

  • To uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct in line with the expectations of a local government officer and to lead staff to adhere to such standards in order to uphold the reputation of London Councils and local government in London. 

  • To adhere to London Councils’ policies, procedures, regulations and protocols.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications and experience

  • Experience of contributing to public policy development across at least one key policy area relevant to London local government.

  • Experience of successful project working where you were responsible for project outcomes.

  • Experience of organising groups/networks and stakeholder engagement.

  • Experience of working in a political environment.

Knowledge

  • Knowledge of local government, preferably the London local government family, its governmental structure and London Councils’ role within it.

  • Knowledge of one or more social and/or environmental policy areas (housing policy knowledge, or demonstrable track record of quickly learning a new policy area, would be advantageous).

Skills and Abilities

  • Ability to prioritise, plan and manage projects, contributing to and supporting project teams working on complex policy projects and taking personal responsibility your work.

  • Ability to organise, build networks and maintain effective relationships with key contacts.

  • Highly developed communications skills with evidence of success in preparing reports and other documents on policy issues.

  • Research skills to undertake policy and research projects.

  • Ability to represent borough Housing Directors and London Councils at external meetings and contribute to consultations on behalf of London local government.

  • Demonstrable ability to anticipate and understand the strategic significance of key policy issues to London local government.

  • Ability to work closely with communications experts to shape communications and media activity, ensure effective co-ordination of information to member authorities and increase policy influence.

  • Analytical skills sufficient to interpret numerical data and other information.

  • Proficient in the use of ICT.

Personal Characteristics

  • An enthusiasm for finding solutions to policy problems and driving positive change.

  • An inclusive team player;

  • Political sensitivity;

  • Outstanding interpersonal and people management skills to relate effectively to London Councils’ elected members, partners, colleagues and staff;

  • Aspiration to excellence.

Other factors

Strong personal commitment to London Councils’ Equal Opportunities Policy – and understanding and support of the implications of equal opportunities and diversity in London local government’s policy areas

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Tue 23rd Aug 2022

x

Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You’ll need a CV/résumé, but it’ll only be considered if you score well on the anonymous review

Applications closed Tue 23rd Aug 2022