Specialist, Corporate Strategy x2 (Government Moments / Foresight, Issues & Narrative)

Strategy and Communications sits at the centre of the organisation, bringing together several teams with organisation-wide remits and mutual collaboration opportunities. The work of the directorate’s teams includes delivery of major events, designing and leading public affairs or marketing campaigns, providing data, evidence and analysis, leading cross-organisational programmes, to making sure we plan for and can respond to emerging events or emergencies in our city.

About The Team

We’re a newly created Corporate Strategy team supporting CMT to set direction on how the GLA organises itself to be effective, drive pace on the priorities that matter most to the Mayor, strengthen cross-GLA join-up, and keep a relentless focus on delivering outcomes for Londoners. We work closely and collaboratively across all GLA teams.

About The Role

A Specialist within the Corporate Strategy team, supporting the Corporate Management Team (CMT) to set direction, push Mayoral priorities, articulate trade-offs and strengthen the quality and coherence of strategic advice and products. These two posts are at the same grade and will work flexibly across the team’s priorities. Each post has a primary focus as set out below, and are expected to work collaboratively while providing independent analysis and constructive challenge to strengthen cross-GLA joining-up; and support time-limited sprints to unblock critical issues and improve decision quality.

Responsibilities

• Government Moments: lead the coordination and drafting of inputs into major Government moments and processes (e.g., Budget, Spending Reviews, fiscal statements, Bills and consultations), running disciplined timetables and owning final draft submissions. Ensuring the narrative and core asks are jointly owned with the Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Unit (PASP).
• Foresight, Issues & Narrative: lead horizon scanning, strategic synthesis and narrative development to identify emerging risks and opportunities, escalating issues early into CMT decision cycles, and strengthening the long-term strategic narrative and positioning for London (integrating evidence, missions and statutory strategies). Provide rapid analysis to support priorities and major Government moments.

Day-to-Day Work

The day-to-day activities include:

• Plan, coordinate and draft strategic inputs to major Government moments and processes, maintaining clear milestones, dependencies, responsibilities and sign-off routes.
• Maintain and continuously improve the end-to-end operating model (templates, trackers, quality assurance and lessons learned), ensuring senior ownership of content and implications.
• Work closely with CMT and PASP to clarify objectives, risks, red lines and political drivers – ensuring narrative and core asks are jointly owned with PASP and identify and elevate emerging external opportunities and threats early into CMT decision cycles.
• Lead horizon scanning and strategic synthesis, maintaining an issues/opportunities log and escalating cross-cutting risks and opportunities early into CMT decision cycles with clear recommended actions and follow-up.
• Lead development of London’s strategic narrative and case-making, integrating dynamic evidence with missions, statutory strategies and Mayoral priorities to strengthen coherence and positioning.
• Work with CIU and policy teams to integrate long-term trends (climate, demographics, technology and economy) into strategic choices, investment priorities and delivery design, providing “so what” analysis that strengthens major Government moments.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Ability to identify what matters for CMT and political audiences and frame issues accordingly.
• Strong critical thinking to spot weak logic, evidence gaps and unintended consequences, and the ability to produce short, decision-ready briefs, options and recommendations under pressure.
• Credible influencing skills and constructive challenge, improving the quality of proposals while sustaining productive relationships.
• Strong triage capability, making clear calls on what to elevate and when decisions are required.
• Understanding of London government policy and funding and the ability to build persuasive narrative and case-making in briefings, submissions and strategic communications.
• Demonstrable ability to coordinate cross-organisation work to tight timetables using governance, planning and quality assurance, with experience working closely with senior decision-makers in high-tempo environments.
• Likely experience across central/local government, the GLA, a think tank or consultancy, with comfort operating under pressure.

Additional Criteria – Government Moments

• Demonstrable experience of coordinating cross-organisation submissions or responses to high-stakes external processes (e.g., fiscal events, consultations, legislative processes), including timetable management, quality assurance and senior sign-off.

Additional Criteria – Foresight, Issues & Narrative

• Demonstrable horizon scanning capability and curiosity, spotting emerging trends and translating them into strategic implications, risks/opportunities and compelling narrative for senior decision-makers.

Behavioural Competencies (Level 3)

Shortlisting will be based on the five competencies marked “shortlisting”. The remaining competencies will be tested at interview and/or through further assessment.

• Strategic Thinking: Translates GLA vision and strategy into practical and tangible plans for own team or delivery partners. Consistently takes account of the wider implications of team’s actions for the GLA and Londoners. Encourages self and others to think about the organisation’s long-term potential. Informs strategy development by identifying gaps in current delivery or evidence. Takes account of a wide range of public and partner needs to inform team’s work.
• Research and Analysis: Expands networks to gain new information sources for research and policy development. Identifies and implements methods to ensure intelligence is of a high quality. Encourages others to analyse data from different angles, using multiple perspectives to identify connections and new insights. Tailors research investment in line with likely impact for Londoners and policy priorities. Retains a bigger-picture view, ensuring research recommendations are appropriate and practical for the GLA and its stakeholders.
• Communicating and Influencing: 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.
• Problem-solving: 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.
• Planning and Organising: Monitors allocation of resources, anticipating changing requirements that may impact work delivery. Ensures evaluation processes are in place to measure project benefits. Gains buy-in and commitment to project delivery from diverse stakeholders. Implements quality measures to ensure directorate output is of a high standard. Translates political vision into action plans and deliverables.
• Decision-making: Makes sound decisions quickly on behalf of the GLA when a situation requires intervention. Takes responsibility for team decisions, providing rationale when those decisions are questioned. Involves senior stakeholders early in decisions that impact them. Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long-term impacts, before committing to action. Encourages others in the team to make decisions in their own area of expertise, take appropriate risks and learn from experience.
• Organisational Awareness: 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 and programmes. Helps others understand how the media and external perceptions of the GLA influence work.
• Responding to Pressure and Change: Clarifies direction and adapts to changing priorities and uncertain times. Minimises the pressure of change for the directorate, lessening the impact for the team. Uses change as an opportunity to improve ways of working, encouraging others’ buy-in. Keeps staff motivated and engaged during times of change, promoting the benefits. Takes ownership for communicating change initiatives clearly, ensuring smooth implementation.

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to being an inclusive and equal opportunity employer. The GLA welcomes 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 under-represented in our workforce. We are a Disability Confident Employer and have flexible working arrangements, including job-share options.

Benefits

GLA staff work hybrid, up to 3 days a week in the office and remotely. The role is paid every four weeks, including a competitive salary package, 30 days of annual leave, an interest free season ticket loan, an interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Additional Information

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.