Strategy and Relationships Manager

​Working for City Hall makes a difference to the lives of Londoners. Our staff are at the centre of long-term planning and development for our great city.
 

Key information
Job title: Strategy and Relationships Manager 
Salary: £66,063 per annum

Grade: 11

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract for 12 Months
Team: Skills and Employment Strategy, Policy and Relationships

Directorate: Communities and Skills

Interview date: 10 and/or 11 April 2025 (may be subject to change)

Location: Union Street

Application closing date: 23 March 2025 at 23:59:00

Communities & Skills
Collaborative, open, inclusive and fair - we work with and through partners to ensure Londoners can shape healthy, empowered and productive lives. Communities and Skills is led by Executive Director, Tunde Olayinka and is comprised of the following units: Civil Society & Sport, Communities & Social Policy, Group Public Health Unit, Skills and Employment and Health, Children and Young Londoners. 

About the team
The team includes a range of responsibilities, including strategy planning, policy development, commissioning of research, communications, governance and stakeholder engagement.  We engage closely with stakeholders and design and develop policies and programmes to meet the Mayor’s manifesto commitments. The team is also responsible for the Inclusive Talent Strategy – the key skills and employment intervention in the London Growth Plan.

About the role

Are you passionate about helping Londoners to access good jobs, further and higher education to lead happier and healthier lives? If so, look no further! 

We are seeking a highly skilled and enthusiastic Strategy and Relationships Manager to join the Skills & Employment Unit. Leading and motivating a team of around 8 policy, strategy, and communications specialists, you will support Londoners and London’s businesses to get the skills they need to succeed.

The Skills & Employment Unit is the largest Unit in the GLA, responsible for all aspects of policy development, relationships, and strategy through to delivery, compliance, and governance. 

This role forms part of the Strategy and Relationships management team, and will work alongside the wider Unit, providing strategic direction and expert guidance on skills and employment policy, strategy and relationship matters.

You will need significant stakeholder management skills, working with the Mayor and Mayor’s Office, the Further Education sector, regional, local and national government and business leaders of all sizes across the capital.
 

What your day will look like

1. Leading strategy and policy development relating to the Mayor’s skills and employment manifesto commitments. 
2. Fulfil the Mayor’s role to promote and deliver skills and employment policy and deliver the manifesto commitments on these policy areas.
3. Manage a multidisciplinary team of officers to develop policy, strategies and strategic communications and events.
4. Work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders at senior level including national government, education providers, London’s boroughs, employers and businesses and communities.  
5. Work closely with other teams within the Skills and Employment Unit and across the GLA, including the Mayor’s Office, Communities and Social Policy, Environment, Health, Economic Development and Education and Youth
6. Work with national government and agencies to advocate for and support the successful implementation of devolved powers and funding as they relate to skills, careers and employment. 

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Experience in successfully leading and managing a high performing team/ staff.
• A successful track record of managing multiple projects and programmes including planning and monitoring delivery against plans, ensuring they are met and manging risk.
• A substantial knowledge of economic development policy with a successful track record of leading the development of skills and employment policy and/ or strategy. 
• Experience of successfully operating at a senior level in a complex organisational or political environment.
• Experience in delivering and coordinating compelling and successful advocacy and communication activity. 

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

How to apply

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 ‘CV and Cover Letters’ section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

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. 

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring manager Imman Laksari-Adams would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at imman.laksari-adams@london.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the glaopdcrecruitment@tfl.gov.uk who support the GLA with recruitment.

Assessment process

Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel. If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview.

The interview/assessment date is: 10/11 April 2025 (may be subject to change).

For further information regarding the interview/ assessment process please read Candidate Preparation Pack.

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

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. 

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Benefits

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.

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.

Additional Information

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.

Find out which DBS check is right for your employee - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Secondment Opportunity
If you are a GLA employee applying for an internal fixed-term position, as an internal secondment opportunity, you must ensure you satisfy the following secondment policy criteria listed below before applying 

• On a permanent contract or a fixed term contract where the time left on the contract at the point at which you apply for secondment is longer than the secondment period;
• successfully completed your probation period and are performing to the required standard for your current role; and
• at least 18 months service with the GLA 

If you do meet the criteria listed above, you will need to complete the Approval for secondment application form and gain line manager approval, before emailing the fully completed form to the Resourcing Assistant who is managing the vacancy. This form must be received by the closing date of the vacancy. Failure to provide this form will mean your application cannot be progressed.

If you are unable to satisfy all of the criteria, unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy as an internal secondment.  For further information, please see Secondment Policy and Procedure.

IMPORTANT: If you are a current GLA employee on a fixed-term contract, which is due to end BEFORE the end date of this vacancy, you DO NOT NEED to complete the Approval for secondment application form as it is not a secondment.

If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application

More Support
If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact resourcingteam@london.gov.uk
 

Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role. Please upload a personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the form, ensuring you address the following technical requirements and competencies in your personal statement. Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images.
 
The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA competency framework.

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.

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 a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.

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, we 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.