Research and Policy Manager

The London Assembly scrutinises the Mayor’s activities by questioning the Mayor about their decisions. The Assembly also investigates issues of importance to London. There are 25 Assembly Members, elected every four years at the same time as the Mayor. The Secretariat works for the Assembly to support its activities. The Communications Team supports the service to promote the work of the Assembly through press office, social media, publicity and events.

We are a team of 12 officers who support the seven Conservative London Assembly Members in scrutinising the work of the Greater London Authority and Mayor of London.

This is a chance to take on a unique role as Research and Policy Manager for the City Hall Conservative Members of the London Assembly. The role specialises in managing a small team of researchers responsible for the provision of research and policy support to the Members of the Group. Working closely with the Head of Office, this position plays an important role in supporting Assembly Members with Assembly business and holding the Mayor of London to account.

You will manage a team of researchers providing research, policy briefings, reports, advice and support to Assembly Members, as well as develop and implement comprehensive, proactive, and effective outreach and communications plans. Evidence of an ability to lead, manage and motivate a team of staff is a must-have for this role. Excellent organisational, research, analytical and problem-solving skills are also essential for this role, and a background in any related policy areas would be an advantage.

What your day will look like:

• Manage day-to-day responsibilities for Senior Researchers within the team and their work.
• Lead delivery, publication and related activity of the elected Members’ reports, reflecting Members’ priorities in relation to major policy areas under the remit of the GLA.
• Develop and implement comprehensive, proactive and effective outreach and communications plans for assigned Assembly Members, working in close coordination with communication, research and support officer colleagues.
• Ensure elected Members receive an excellent research service and policy support, and liaise with relevant external bodies in the public, private sector and/or voluntary sectors to facilitate an ongoing exchange of ideas and information.
• Act as a point of escalation for GLA officers in respect of London Assembly scrutiny activity related to the Group Members’ roles and interests, ensuring an effective and efficient two-way transmission of views and suggestions, to maximise the Members’ positions and impact in the work of the Assembly; and contribute effectively and proactively to the Members’ functions in respect of Mayor’s Question Time, Plenary meeting, committees and other Assembly meetings.
• Assist the Head of Office in leadership and work of the wider team as required, providing effective problem-solving capability and delivery capacity for the team.

Skills, Knowledge And Experience:

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

• Significant experience of successful working in a similar role within a political or comparable high-profile environment, including resolving complex issues effectively and efficiently, and liaising with relevant external bodies in the public, private sector and/or voluntary sectors.
• Evidence of an ability to lead, manage and motivate a team of staff to ensure policies, programmes and strategies are implemented.
• Ability to produce authoritative, clear and concise oral and written reports and research on complex issues for a range of audiences and present them in a way that can be used by Assembly Members to their best advantage.
• Proven experience of policy briefing in a political or public sector organisation; evidence of effective research skills and an ability to enable quick and effective grasp of information from a range of sources on a wide range of policy topics.
• A thorough understanding of current policy issues affecting London, together with knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework in which the GLA works.

The role is based at City Hall, Royal Docks (Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE).

Benefits:

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. 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. Benefits include 30 days’ annual leave, interest-free season ticket loan, interest-free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Eligibility for Sponsorship:

This role does not meet the criteria for external sponsorship. It may meet the criteria for internal candidates in limited circumstances. Please contact the hiring manager if you wish to discuss this further.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

London’s diversity is our 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 are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. This role is open to job sharing and we welcome applications from candidates who wish to work part time. We are a Disability Confident Employer, so candidates who meet the essential criteria will automatically be invited to interview. If you require adjustments to the recruitment process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Additional Information:

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening. All candidates are expected to confirm that the information provided in any application is true and correct. Providing false information, including the use of AI software, will disqualify a candidate.