Housing Policy Manager

We are looking for an experienced policy professional to take on a challenging but rewarding nine-month role at the forefront of solving London’s housing crisis. 

An opportunity has arisen for a fixed term position as a Housing Policy Manager in City Hall’s Housing and Land directorate. We are responsible for the Mayor’s plans to deliver new and improved homes and strong communities.  Working closely with boroughs and partners, the Housing and Land directorate manages the Mayor’s housing investment programmes and land and property assets to support the building of affordable homes, job creation and regeneration.

The position is responsible for a diverse but important portfolio, leading on social housing, housing need and building safety. Ideally you will have experience working across one of these areas, but if not you’ll be able to evidence a track record of getting to grips with new policy briefs and stakeholders quickly. You’ll be joining soon after a Mayoral election and will be responsible for helping to implement the successful candidate’s manifesto, while providing expert advice and guidance. Tackling London’s housing crisis is sure to feature heavily during the election campaign and we’re anticipating a busy post-election period prioritising exciting new projects that can make a difference to Londoners. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a work programme for a small team of senior policy officers and officers leading the GLA’s response to the Grenfell fire. Delivering this will require you to work closely with officers across London boroughs and social housing providers as well as officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. You’ll likely have a track record of navigating complex political organisations and will be ready to adapt your influencing strategy for the political uncertainty 2024 will bring. 

To apply please submit a personal statement setting out how you meet the technical requirements and the behavioural competencies list below. If shortlisted for interview you will also be asked to demonstrate the following behavioural competencies: managing and developing performance; responding to pressure and change; and organisational awareness.  

Appointable candidates who are not successful through this process may be considered for any similar vacancies within the next six months. 

Principal accountabilities

• Contribute to the overall leadership of the Housing Unit, and take responsibility for managing and motivating a team to deliver their principal accountabilities, as set out in their job descriptions to the required performance level and in accordance with the Authority’s policies and Code of Ethics and Standards.
• Take responsibility for the use of resources and the quality of work produced by your team, and any consultants, and ensure that tasks are completed on time and to the appropriate standard.
• Maintain a broad overview of London’s housing issues, seek to anticipate and identify emerging housing issues, new developments and innovations that may impact on the Mayor’s housing strategy and policies, and provide written and oral briefings, high level advice and specialist reports for the Mayor and advisers on these issues.
• Ensure that the Mayor’s housing policies are integrated across all the GLA’s strategic and its functional bodies’ operational areas, in particular developing cross-cutting policies which link the Mayor’s housing policies with his London Plan, Economic Development Strategy and Transport Strategy.
• Establish and maintain lines of communication on policy matters with London and national stakeholders and organisations both in the public and private sectors, and identify opportunities to disseminate the Mayor’s housing policies and views and understood by London’s stakeholders and national policy makers.
• Work in a flexible and creative way in partnership with London’s stakeholders to explore and promote creative solutions to London’s endemic housing issues, and use your communication skills to present possible solutions in a convincing way.
• Realise and promote the benefits of London’s diversity by promoting and enabling equality of opportunities, and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London’s communities.
• Realise the benefits of a flexible approach to work in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job, and participating in multi-disciplinary, cross-department and cross-organisational groups and project teams.
• Deputise for the Head of Housing Strategy as required.

Person specification

Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

• Broad and extensive professional experience, expertise and knowledge of current housing issues and policy, in particular as they affect London, and experience and understanding of policy development.
• Excellent knowledge of the stakeholders and relationships that are key to the development and delivery of strategic housing policies in London.
• A track record of successful line management. 
• An understanding of the GLA’s commitment to equality and diversity. 

Behavioural competencies

Strategic thinking
…is using an understanding of the bigger picture to uncover potential challenges and opportunities for the long term and turning these into a compelling vision for action.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Translates GLA vision and strategy into practical and tangible plans for own team or delivery partners
• Consistently takes account of the wider implications of team’s actions for the GLA
• Encourages self and others to think about organisation’s long term potential
• Informs strategy development by identifying gaps in current delivery or evidence
• Takes account of a wide range of public and partner needs to inform team’s work Decision making
  … is forming sound, evidence-based judgements, making choices, assessing risks to delivery, and taking accountability for results.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Makes sound decisions quickly on behalf of the GLA when a situation requires intervention
• Takes responsibility for team decisions, providing rationale when those decisions are questioned
• Involves senior stakeholders early in decisions that impact them
• Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action 
• Encourages others in the team to make decisions in their own area of expertise, take appropriate risks and learn from experience
• Communicating and influencing
  … is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Encourages and supports teams in engaging in transparent and inclusive communication
• Influences others and gains buy-in using compelling, well thought through arguments
• Negotiates effectively to deliver GLA priorities 
• Synthesises the complex viewpoints of others, recognises where compromise is necessary and brokers agreement

This job is ‘politically restricted’ under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

This role is based at City Hall, in the Royal Docks (Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE).

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

Application Process & Additional Information

Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role.

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

Up to date CV Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

London's diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share. 

In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

On this recruitment campaign, as part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination.

Reasonable adjustment will be made to working arrangements to accommodate a person with a disability who otherwise would be prevented from undertaking the work.

Application closing date: Sunday 7 April 2024 at 23:59

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.