Policy Lead - Hybrid - London

Job Title: Welfare Policy Manager
Location: London - Hybrid
Salary/Rate: Up to £380 Per day - Inside IR35
Start Date: 24/04/25

Job type: Contract 6 months with view to extend

Company Introduction

We have an exciting opportunity now available with one of our sector-leading clients! They are currently looking for a skilled Welfare Policy Manager to join their team for a six-month contract.

Job Responsibilities/Objectives

The Benefit Service requires support to undertake a review into the Council's approach to Tackling Inequality. This review will assess the current functions undertaken by the Council's Financial Support Team and consider the options for delivering an improved Service.

Key functions of the post

Reporting to the Benefits Manager, lead a 3-month project across the two teams to:
* Establish a strong mutual understanding of each others objectives, work, outputs, and outcomes
* Establish a new approach to working together to ensure that residents, officers and members are clear about the respective service offer
* Establish joint reporting on both team's outputs and outcomes
* Inform a collaborative design of a new integrated service model to support residents experiencing financial hardship

This will involve:

* Review of inflows/outflows
* What is the current service offering
* Operational capacity
* Staff development requirements
* Areas of failure demand
* Review of outcome tracking
* Could data be used to improve efficiency/effectiveness of service

Expected outputs

It is expected that, during the duration of the contract, the post holder will deliver:
* A comprehensive review document, covering all aspects highlighted earlier in this document.
* Provide the Officers with a point of contact to input into the review and highlight opportunities for improvements.
* A draft project plan to support Service improvements.
* Proposals for a new integrated team, including draft JDs & growth bid, if required.

Key skills and experience

* Significant experience of Project Management, delivering agreed outputs and benefits on time and in budget
* Experience of planning project activities, estimating resource needs and monitoring progress against a plan
* A track record of delivering at pace in a complex organisation
* Experience of redesigning processes and services to deliver better value at lower cost
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills, and an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders, both within and outside the council. Experience of producing business cases, project briefs and other project documentation.
* Experience of working effectively with a wide range of multi-disciplinary teams, senior managers, and partner organisations.
* A good understanding of the issues Councils currently faces and the landscape across local authority/Corporate services, and the particular governance and accountability requirements
* Knowledge and understanding of equity issues in relation to providing public services.
* Commitment to promoting and implementing the Council's Equal Opportunities policies and anti-discriminatory practice.
* Adopts a can-do attitude by identifying problems/issues and finding solutions

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply now with your updated CV in Microsoft Word/PDF format.

Disclaimer
Notwithstanding any guidelines given to level of experience sought, we will consider candidates from outside this range if they can demonstrate the necessary competencies.

Square One is acting as both an employment agency and an employment business, and is an equal opportunities recruitment business. Square One embraces diversity and will treat everyone equally. Please see our website for our full diversity statement.