Senior Project Officer

​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.
 

Good Growth

Good Growth is responsible for delivering and implementing the Mayor’s environment, transport and economic strategies and for the effective implementation of the London Plan. The Directorate is also responsible for regeneration (where the programme is not housing led), enterprise, growth, capital projects and design work.

About the team

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the flagship innovation initiative: the SuDS through Streetworks Market (SSM). The SSM holds the potential of dramatically increasing SuDS by leveraging planned streetworks. This cross-organisational partnership – delivered in partnership with Thames Water – will put forward a market-led approach based on Nobel prize winning economics that will significantly reduce surface flooding risks and positively move the dial on green infrastructure across the city.

Our novel approach sits at the heart of London’s climate resilience agenda, supporting Flood Ready London as one of the London Surface Water Strategy’s key delivery mechanisms. Through the SSM, we are aiming to oversee two initial market rounds, deliver at least 100 projects and ultimately convert 7,000 hectares of impermeable land to SuDS to meet our target of number of properties at risk from a 1‑in‑30‑year storm.

We are advertising for 2 roles that will sit within the SSM team (across Infrastructure and Environment teams) responsible for the development and implementation of the SSM – the UK’s first environmental services market for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS):

1. Senior Project Officer – SSM delivery
2. Senior Project Officer – SSM engagement

The Mayor’s Infrastructure Coordination Service (ICS) is an innovative, award-winning, multi-disciplinary team that drives better collaboration in the planning and delivery of London’s utility infrastructure. The Environment and Energy Unit leads the Mayor of London's work on climate change, energy, carbon reduction, environmental improvement and climate resilience. It develops policy, manages programmes and funding, and helps deliver the Mayor's statutory climate and environmental responsibilities and strategies.

About these roles

You will be part of a new 7-person team to implement the SuDS through Streetworks Market. Working at the intersection of environmental markets, surface water management and infrastructure delivery, you will play a critical role in helping to develop and deliver the SSM.

Both of these roles offer a unique opportunity to work on a high-profile programme with significant visibility across City Hall, government and industry. For both of these roles, whether your background is in sustainability, environmental markets, utilities, infrastructure or a related field, you will be motivated by solving challenging problems, building effective partnerships and delivering tangible outcomes for Londoners.

1. Senior Project Officer – SSM delivery

This role is located in the Infrastructure team. You will be managing the two initial market rounds through which ‘buyers’ – lead local flood authorities, Boroughs and Transport for London – together with ‘suppliers’ – utilities and contractors – trade credits to deliver SuDS projects. This will involve developing relevant market and commercial arrangements, technical guidance and best practice.

This role will be pivotal to ensuring that the SSM’s architecture – SuDS designs, trading platform, contractual arrangements – is in place and functioning successfully for each market round. The successful candidate will be able to navigate technical and delivery aspects pertaining to environmental markets, SuDS design and streetworks.   

2. Senior Project Officer – SSM engagement

This role is located in the Climate Adaptation team in the Environment & Energy Unit. You will manage a number of key relationships with SSM stakeholders. The role will focus on coordinating, influencing and supporting partners, including working with: lead local flood authorities, Flood Ready London, Ofwat, boroughs, regulators, utilities, telecoms, and other infrastructure providers. Particular focus will be placed on managing the SSM Steering, Industry and Observer Groups.

This role will be essential to ensuring that the 40 organisations involved with the SSM are aligned and participating successfully. The successful candidate will be able to translate technical content into compelling messaging, using a range of mediums and tools to successfully influence stakeholders.

Want to engage with the team?

If you would like to find out more about the roles and teams, please do join one of the upcoming webinars that will be listed on the following microsite dedicated to this recruitment campaign: GLA's Infrastructure Coordination Service: New Roles

Interested?

We are organising 30 minute webinars to allow candidates to get a feel for our work. Note that all webinars are going to be presenting the same material. You will have the opportunity to ask questions. Please note that we cannot guarantee your anonymity during the webinar and it is a public webinar. Webinars will not be recorded.

• Friday 30 October 16:00 - 16:30 ( register here )
• Tuesday 3 November 16:00 - 16:30 ( register here )
• Monday 16 November 16:30 - 17:00 ( register here )

What your day will look like

• Providing support across the SSM’s workstreams and contributing to the successful delivery of targets.
• Working with SSM market participants and providing support to Buyers and Suppliers in the run up, during and after each Market Round.
• Developing strong relationships with key stakeholders, including: Flood Reay London, lead local flood authorities, utilities, contractors and regulators.
• Where relevant, developing external comm, managing external consultants and procurement processes to deliver high-quality technical work, ensuring KPIs are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard.
• Producing reports, case studies and best-practice guidance that capture lessons learned and influence infrastructure delivery across the sector.
• Analysing technical and commercial data, as well as developing relevant governance and delivery models, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Representing the GLA at meetings, workshops and industry events, championing collaborative approaches to infrastructure connections and housing delivery.
• Preparing briefings and updates for senior management, programme boards and the Mayor's Office, ensuring risks, issues and opportunities are clearly communicated.

Skills, knowledge and experience

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

• Experience in a relevant field: surface water flooding issues and SuDS, sustainability, infrastructure delivery, construction, utilities, regulation, environmental markets or similar policy areas.
• Degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g. environmental studies, sustainability, civil engineering).
• Experience of successfully operating in a complex political environment and an ability to prepare timely, clear and concise reports, presentations and briefings on complex, technical, and/or sensitive issues for a range of different audiences.
• Project management skills and experience, including evidence of successful delivery to time and budget.

Behavioural Competencies

Building and Managing Relationships

… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Develops new professional relationships
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected
• Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals

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 2 indicators of effective performance

• Works with a view to the future, prioritising own and others’ work in line with GLA objectives
• Briefs and prepares team to accomplish goals and objectives
• Communicates the GLA’s strategic priorities in a compelling and convincing manner, encouraging buy-in 
• Balances own team’s needs with wider organisational needs
• Identifies synergies between team priorities and other relevant internal agendas

Planning and Organising

..is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time to a high standard. 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables
• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and milestones
• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work
• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team’s work is delivered to a high standard
• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met

Problem Solving

…is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of view points and finding creative workable and timely solutions. 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully
• Proposes options for solutions to presented problems
• Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving
• Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems
• Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving

Research and Analysis

… is gathering intelligence (information, opinion and data) from varied sources, making sense of it, testing its validity and drawing conclusions that can lead to practical benefits.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Proactively seeks new information sources to progress research agendas and address gaps in knowledge
• Grasps limitations of or assumptions behind data sources, disregarding those that lack quality
• Analyses and integrates qualitative and quantitative data to find new insights
• Translates research outcomes into concise, meaningful reports
• Identifies relevant and practical research questions for the future

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

This role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL).

How to apply

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

1. Personal statement with a maximum of 500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.
2. Up to date CV.
3. Confirmation of where candidates first saw the job role advertised (unmarked). This information is purely for internal information gathering and will not affect the application.

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 essential criteria 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 Gabriele Caprotti would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at gabriele.caprotti@london.gov.uk.

To find out more about the Infrastructure Coordination Service and what it is like to work in the team, we encourage prospective applicants to visit our team microsite: GLA's Infrastructure Coordination Service: New Roles. The microsite provides an overview of the team’s work, current priorities and impact, as well as details of two online information webinars where you can hear more about the roles and ask questions directly to members of the team.

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/assessment.

The interview/assessment date is: weeks commencing 23rd/30th November.

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. 

More Support

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

The GLA is proud to be a Level 2: Disability Confident employer. We are committed to becoming a more inclusive and accessible organisation and creating a truly inclusive and accessible workplace and culture for our disabled staff. We have named Disability Equality as a key corporate priority within our EDI Strategy. We welcome and encourage applications from disabled applicants. Should you wish to opt into the scheme, please let us know during your application.

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 500 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.