Job Introduction
- Work with senior London Councils staff, senior borough members and officers, TfL as well as other external partners to deliver a London-wide EV infrastructure co-ordination function with a key focus of delivering London’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) programme.
- Manage and provide direction to the direct reports and to the wider EV team in the delivery of effective hands on support to the individual boroughs and partnerships in accordance with the LC policies and practices.
- Take day to day responsibility for progressing London Councils’ work in relation to EV infrastructure in line with London Councils’ wider strategy.
- Liaise and build networks with a range of stakeholders amongst London boroughs, TfL, the Mayor and GLA, press and media, private sector and researchers and consultants.
- Play a key role in supporting individual portfolio holders, members of the Transport and Environment Committee (TEC), the Strategic Lead for Transport and Environment policy and other members of the senior management team at London Councils.
- Work with stakeholders to increase the commercialisation of London’s electric vehicle infrastructure for London boroughs, and support chargepoint delivery and management across London.
- Support London boroughs in procuring, delivering, and commissioning EV infrastructure, develop policy and practice to improve consistency and collate and share data.
Role Responsibility
- Provide leadership, assistance, and guidance to London boroughs on developing electric vehicle infrastructure strategies and support the roll out of electric vehicle infrastructure projects in London in collaboration with TfL and other partners.
- Provide leadership, assistance, and guidance to the EV Team Leaders, Commercial and Policy Officers to deliver a focussed and effective service to the partnerships and London boroughs in the roll out of the electric vehicle infrastructure projects in London in collaboration with the service leads.
- Support the Strategic Lead in ensuring that London Councils senior management team, London councils Leaders and TEC Committees receive high level advice on EV infrastructure delivery and policy and remain fully informed of relevant issues.
- Develop staff, using coaching and other techniques to support the development of team members, providing feedback to staff through feedback conversations and other supervisory activities.
- Manage the EV team local budgets and support Finance Lead and Strategic Lead in the effective use of the funds and ensure receipt of the contracted income.
- Build effective working relationships with member authorities, Government, the London Mayor and GLA, the private sector and a wide range of other partners to ensure that London local governments’ experiences and perspectives around electric vehicle infrastructure delivery and policy are championed and influential in shaping public policy.
- Be an ambassador for the organisation and London local government with a range of audiences. Develop and sustain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders, opinion formers and key contacts in order to advance borough delivery of electric vehicle infrastructure projects and programmes.
- Identify, commission, lead and undertake research to augment London Councils and member boroughs’ advocacy and submissions to influence decisions made by stakeholders, such as Government, the GLA and Mayor, private sector organisations and others as appropriate.
- Manage the preparation of policy reports for consideration by the Executive, TEC, Leaders and Portfolio holders and for submission to other stakeholders as required.
- Provide ministers, members, officers, MPs, peers and others with appropriate briefings on electric vehicle infrastructure delivery and policy on a timely basis.
- Represent London Councils on policy discussions with stakeholders ensuring the needs of member authorities are represented in discussions with Government departments and other external stakeholders.
- Adhere to London Councils corporate policies, procedures, regulations and protocols, ensuring that all work takes account of legal requirements.
- Always take care to uphold health and safety at work for self and others. Always observe London councils Health and Safety policy and related procedures.
- 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.
- Work closely with colleagues in the Communications Division, to develop effective approaches to communicate London Councils’ policies to the government, Parliament, the media and stakeholders.
- Carry out all tasks and allocated work within agreed timescales and budgets.
- Carry out any other duties as appropriate to the post.
The Ideal Candidate
Qualifications and experience
- Substantial senior level experience of developing and implementing public policy programmes;
- Demonstrated experience of successful implementation of large programmes and creativity in policy development;
- Highly sensitive to political constraints and an ability to deliver outcomes within these pressures;
- Experience of successfully managing and delivering programmes both through influencing very senior experts and through partnership working;
- Extensive experience in overseeing and implementation effective and efficient project governance;
- Experience of managing people to achieve high level of performance;
- Experience of working effectively within a complex political environment;
Knowledge and Skills
- Knowledge of electric vehicle procurement, commercialisation, and regulatory policies;
- Excellent programme management skills where delivery is dependent on third parties. This requires outstanding influencing, negotiation as well as organisational skills;
- Demonstrable ability to anticipate and understand the strategic significance of key projects and programmes to London local government;
- In depth knowledge of Local Government, preferably the London local government family, its governmental structure and London Councils’ role within it;
- Knowledge of electric vehicle infrastructure delivery and related policy areas and how this interface with other social, economic and environment policy areas;
- Highly developed oral and written communication skills, with evidence of successful persuasion through clear reports, consultations, briefings, and other documents on complex policy issues;
- Strong influencing and negotiating skills with evidence of success in leading and conducting high level influencing, lobbying, and negotiating with Government, the Mayor and GLA and others;
- Relationship building skills and evidence of the ability to maintain effective relationships with civil servants, London local authorities, public, private and third sector partners, the media, professional advisers, and the academic / research world;
- High level research and analytical skills, and demonstrated experience of implementing innovative solutions to complex problems;
- Ability to lead and manage staff to secure necessary outcomes. Able to provide effective feedback on their performance and identify opportunities for their development through appraisal and other supervisory activities and to coach staff to improved performance;
- Able to represent London Councils and contribute to consultations and negotiations on behalf of London Councils and London local government with a range of organisations;
- Ability to work closely with communications experts to shape effective communications and media activity, and to ensure effective co-ordination of information to member authorities and increase policy influence;
- Proficient in the use of ICT.
Qualities
- Ability to command the respect of senior figures within London Councils by always giving honest, sensitive and appropriate advice.
- Political sensitivity and ability to work effectively with members.
- Willing to carry out duties in accordance with London Councils’ equal opportunity policy, actively promoting equality, and preventing and overcoming disadvantage and discrimination.
- Committed to continuing professional development for self and staff.
- A good team player, with a commitment to working in partnership with colleagues across the organisation.
- Highly motivated, enthusiastic with a “can do” mindset.
Other factors
- Strong personal commitment to London Councils’ Equal Opportunities Policy – and understanding and supportive of the implications of equal opportunities and diversity in London local government’s policy areas;
- This is a politically restricted post, under Section 2 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
Package Description
Direct reports:
1 Commercial Officer
1 Policy and Project Officer
2 Team Managers, with further accountability of up to eight Policy and Project Officers
Key contacts:
London Councils staff; Portfolio Holders; Committees of London Councils;
Senior members and officers in London Boroughs, the Mayor’s Office, TfL and wider GLA family;
National and London wide bodies in the public, private and voluntary sectors;
Senior Civil servants and Government advisers and Ministers
About the Company
Please note that applications will close at 00:00am on the 9th of May; the last chance applicants will have to get applications in will be 23:59pm on 8th of May.
If you have any queries about the role or the system, please get in touch with Katharina.Winbeck@londoncouncils.gov.uk.