Head of Financial Scrutiny

Join to apply for the Head of Financial Scrutiny role at LeedsGraphicDesigners.co.uk. The London Assembly and Secretaries review the Mayor’s activities, questioning decisions and investigating issues vital to London. The Assembly comprises 25 elected members, and the Secretariat supports its work throughout the year.

About the Team

The Scrutiny Team supports the Assembly and its Committees by researching the Mayor’s decisions and matters of importance to Londoners. Team duties include background research, organising stakeholder meetings, producing briefings and reports, and drafting recommendations based on investigations. Recent focus areas span from the Mayor’s annual budget to the performance of the Metropolitan Police and London Underground.

About the Role

The Head of Financial Scrutiny oversees around half of the Assembly’s Committees, notably the Budget and Performance Committee and the Audit Panel, and leads a team of approximately ten scrutiny researchers. The role delivers high‑quality scrutiny work across projects, research, briefings, and reports for the Assembly, its committees, and its members. The incumbent plans and delivers comprehensive budget scrutiny during the Mayor’s annual budget cycle and develops broader financial scrutiny initiatives throughout the year.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Budget and Audit Committee teams, ensuring timely delivery of accurate and insightful scrutiny outputs.
• Oversee the development of research projects; edit and approve briefings and documents produced by senior policy advisers.
• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders across London’s GLA, its functional bodies, academic partners, and other scrutiny organisations.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director on senior strategic work to innovate and enhance scrutiny for Assembly members.
• Guide the team in high‑quality data handling, drafting, and presentation of findings.

Required Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Proven experience delivering high‑quality financial scrutiny in a comparable organisation.
• Track record of managing complex scrutiny projects to tight deadlines.
• Experience leading and motivating a team of qualified financial staff.
• Strong editorial skills with final quality control of published scrutiny documents.
• Comfortable working within a political environment and navigating complex stakeholder dynamics.
• A degree plus a financial or economics qualification (or equivalent scrutiny experience).

Behavioural Competencies

All applicants will be assessed against the following competency framework at interview stage:

• Building and Managing Relationships – Identify, engage, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, build alliances, and manage conflict effectively.
• Decision‑Making – Make evidence‑based judgments, assess risks, take accountability, and involve senior stakeholders appropriately.
• Research and Analysis – Gather intelligence from varied sources, validate data, generate actionable insights, and evaluate research feasibility.
• Planning and Organising – Manage resources, set realistic timelines, ensure quality assurance, and translate the GLA’s strategic vision into deliverables.

How to Apply

Up to date CV (max 1.5 MB). Personal statement (max 1500 words) addressing the skills, knowledge and experience outlined above. Documents should be uploaded in Word or PDF format. Do not include photographs or images.

Assessment Process

Selected candidates will be invited to an interview/assessment. Dates will be confirmed in the interview stage.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

London’s diversity is its biggest asset. We welcome applications from all backgrounds irrespective of age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian, minority ethnic communities and disabled candidates who are under‑represented in our workforce. We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

Benefits

GLA staff work hybrid, up to 3 days a week in office. The role offers a competitive salary (pulsed every four weeks), 30 days annual leave, interest‑free season‑ticket and bicycle loans, and a career‑average pension scheme.

Additional Information

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check (DBS) and may be required to provide additional security screening.

Required Notice

Applicants must confirm that information provided in the application is true and correct. Misrepresentation, including deliberate false statements or the use of AI software to generate content, will result in immediate disqualification.