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- Tasks: Lead strategy and design to create impactful changes for Waltham Forest residents.
- Company: Join the vibrant London Borough of Waltham Forest, a hub of culture and creativity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a fair workplace with excellent pay, well-being support, and career progression.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while shaping strategic initiatives.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in strategy and design with strong stakeholder engagement skills.
- Other info: Flexible working options available to support work-life balance.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent
Working hours per week: 36
Application Deadline: 09/02/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): TBC
Reference: 1982
About Us:
Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.
London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
The Council’s preference is for online application. However, if you have a disability and are unable to complete an online application, please email recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk so we can arrange an alternative application method.
About the role:
The Head of Strategy & Design plays a vital leadership role at the heart of Mission Waltham Forest, our plan for a more equal borough. The postholder will provide clear strategic direction, insight and design leadership to help the organisation make informed choices in a challenging context and deliver meaningful, measurable improvements for residents.
- Leading an expert Strategy and Design service, the postholder will ensure strategy, insight and service design are practical tools driving delivery and transformation through the next phase of Mission Waltham Forest.
- Lead and manage the strategic and operational activities of Strategy and Design teams to deliver good quality and reliable insight, strategy and service design.
- Establish excellent relationships with the Senior Leadership Team, Political Leadership, staff at all levels, peers, external bodies and all stakeholders.
- Lead the use of Strategy, Insight & Design across a wide range of complex change programmes & business critical projects.
- Lead and manage the teams responsible for service delivery, ensuring consistently high-quality outputs to ensure the Council maximises service outcomes in relation to cost.
- Support the Cabinet, Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to achieve the aims and desired outcomes of the Council by identifying, structuring and solving their most critical strategic issues to improve outcomes for Waltham Forest and its residents.
- In all areas of work, ensure effective and high-quality engagement and participatory processes are available and accessible for stakeholders across the borough and organisation, such as community groups, Waltham Forest residents, Senior Officers, and Members.
Terms and conditions:
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;
- Satisfactory declaration of interest;
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives:
- Promoting equality of opportunity
- Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage
- Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels.
- Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all.
Respecting Diversity is a core Council value. To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy.
We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual’s personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below or feel free to discuss this during your interview.
Job Category: Strategy, Policy, and Change
Posting Date: 01/12/2026, 02:42 PM
Apply Before: 02/09/2026, 11:59 PM
Job Schedule: Full time
Locations: Walthamstow, Greater London, United Kingdom
Head of Strategy & Design in Walthamstow employer: Borough of Waltham Forest
Contact Detail:
Borough of Waltham Forest Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Strategy & Design in Walthamstow
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend local events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Head of Strategy & Design role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the London Borough of Waltham Forest and understand their Mission Waltham Forest plan. Be ready to discuss how your skills can help them achieve their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the right fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or family. Get comfortable talking about your experience and how it aligns with the role. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel when it’s time to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the easiest way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about the opportunity. So, hit that ‘Apply’ button and let’s get you on the path to success!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Strategy & Design in Walthamstow
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see how your passion aligns with our mission at Waltham Forest. Make it personal and relatable.
Tailor Your Supporting Statement: Don’t just send a generic statement! Take the time to tailor it specifically to the Head of Strategy & Design role. Highlight your relevant skills and experiences that directly relate to the job description we’ve provided.
Be Clear and Concise: We appreciate clarity! Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to make it easy for us to read and understand your key achievements and qualifications.
Apply Early: Don’t wait until the last minute! We might close the application early if we get enough interest. So, get your application in as soon as you can through our website to ensure you don’t miss out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Waltham Forest
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into the London Borough of Waltham Forest's Mission and values. Understand their strategic goals and how your experience aligns with their vision for a more equal borough. This will help you demonstrate that you're not just a fit for the role, but also for their culture.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As the Head of Strategy & Design, you'll need to lead teams effectively. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past, particularly in delivering high-quality outputs. Be ready to discuss your approach to fostering collaboration and driving transformation.
✨Engagement is Key
The role emphasises effective engagement with various stakeholders. Think about how you've previously engaged with community groups or senior leadership. Prepare to share specific strategies you've used to ensure participatory processes are accessible and impactful.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the role and the organisation. Ask about their current challenges in strategy and design, or how they measure success in their initiatives. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if this is the right fit for you.
