Operational Policy Manager

Interview date: Early March 2025 (exact dates tbc)

About the role Do you want to make a real difference to the way that housing is delivered in London? If so, this may be the opportunity for you.

We are seeking an Operational Policy Manager to play a key role within the recently created Operational Policy & Performance team, which sits within the Greater London Authority's (GLA) Housing and Land directorate.

Housing and Land

The GLA's Housing and Land directorate is responsible for the Mayor's plans to deliver new and improved homes and strong communities. Working closely with boroughs and partners, we manage the Mayor's housing investment programmes and land and property assets to support the building of affordable homes, job creation and regeneration.

About the Team

Housing and Land's programmes include large programmes providing grant and loans to support affordable housing delivery and regeneration, smaller programmes delivering more specialist accommodation, a range of programmes targeted at ensuring building safety, as well as a portfolio of land projects being brought forward to deliver homes and jobs.

The Operational Policy & Performance team work to ensure that the Mayor's housing programmes are delivered successfully by implementing effective policies and processes for both internal colleagues and external stakeholders. We also provide a directorate-level programme function, working with team-level programme teams to coordinate performance, risk and financial management across Housing and Land.

The role

We are looking for a dedicated individual to develop, implement and maintain operational policy across Housing and Land's programmes. We are looking for someone process-oriented, with a passion for making things work well. You will need strong attention-to-detail skills, and a commitment to quality. You will also have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear and concise guidance (both written and verbal) to both our colleagues and our partners. You will need to be able to work collaboratively with others to progress a wide variety of workstreams.

In return, you'll be empowered with real influence to shape policies and processes to improve service delivery, ensure programme compliance, and make a difference. You'll work within a supportive, forward-thinking team, and have the opportunity to work closely with incredibly talented, dedicated people, all working to make London a better place.

Working alongside our existing Operational Policy Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Leading the design, implementation and maintenance of effective operational policy for the delivery of Housing and Land programmes, with a particular focus on affordable housing programmes.
• Leading on new funding programme processes, including, but not limited to: funding contracts, the GLA Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide, Recycled Capital Grant Fund recovery determinations, compliance audit within affordable housing programmes, and investment partner qualification.
• Developing clearly documented policy, procedural and operational guidance in relation to Housing & Land programmes, and conducting workshops and providing training.
• Sharing best practices and ensuring that operational policy is as consistent as possible across the Housing and Land directorate.
• Gathering feedback from stakeholders to ensure that GLA operational policy is as clear and effective as possible.

Person specification This section sets out the assessment criteria against which applications will be assessed. This assessment criteria is taken from the job description.

Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

Please ensure you reflect the following technical requirements in your application:

• Experience of leading on developing new funding programmes, procedures and policies, to ensure delivery of targets for large scale programmes.
• Experience of commissioning or writing complex funding documents, including contracts, formal guidance and process descriptions.
• Demonstrable experience in providing clear advice and guidance to senior managers and operational staff to achieve corporate targets and desired outcomes.
• Experience of working to deliver genuinely affordable homes, either directly or for a funding or enabling partner.

Please ensure you reflect the following competencies in your application:

Organisational Awareness understanding and being sensitive to organisational dynamics, culture and politics across and beyond the GLA and shaping our approach accordingly.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Uses understanding of differences between the GLA and its partners to improve working relationships
• Helps others understand the GLA and the complex environment in which it operates
• Translates changing political agendas into tangible actions
• Considers the diverse needs of Londoners in formulating GLA objectives
• Helps others understand how the media and external perceptions of the GLA influence work

Planning & Organising . thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and 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 analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Clarifies ambiguous problems, questioning assumptions to reach a fuller understanding
• Actively challenges the status quo to find new ways of doing things, looking for good practice
• Seeks and incorporates diverse perspectives to help produce workable strategies to address complex issues
• Initiates consultation on opportunities to improve work processes
• Supports the organisation to implement innovative suggestions

Communicating and Influencing 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
• Advocates positively for the GLA both within and outside the organisation

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines provides further details on each behavioural competency and can be found here: GLA Competency Framework.

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. You will also be able to make use of our office at 169 Union Street.

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

• A personal statement with a maximum of 1,500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria and competencies outlined 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. Your CV and personal statement must be saved with the job reference number in the file name (e.g., CV - applicant name - 012345). Word or PDF format is preferred. Do not include any photographs or images.

Applications submitted without a personal statement will not be considered.

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.

Questions? If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring manager Andrew Williams (Head of Operational Policy & Performance) would be happy to speak to you. Please contact him at .

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact GLA & OPDC recruitment team at .

We will be holding a live one-hour session on Microsoft Teams, which will provide the opportunity for applicants to hear from the hiring manager. This will be held on Wednesday 5 February 2025, at 4.30pm.

Please contact Maisie Stone at for joining details. If you have missed the event, please contact Maisie who will be able to share a recording of the session with you.

We would ask you to attend or watch the session detailed above before reaching out to Andrew or the recruitment team, as the session may answer your questions and will ensure you can maximise any further engagement with Andrew.

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