Local Government Accountability and Improvement Policy Advisors

We are MHCLG

This is an exciting time to join the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as we support a strong, accountable and effective local government sector that can deliver for communities and underpin the Government's ambitious devolution agenda.

The Local Government Accountability and Improvement division plays a key role in supporting further devolution by strengthening local authorities' ability to deliver for communities, ensuring they have the capacity, capability and accountability needed to deliver local priorities effectively. Working across accountability and the Local Outcomes Framework, improvement, workforce and pay policy, the team helps shape the strategic direction of local government and leads work to address some of the most significant challenges facing councils and making sure local authorities are able to and held to account for delivering local priorities.

As a Senior Policy Adviser, you will work at the heart of this agenda, leading and contributing to policy development across a diverse portfolio. This will include supporting the development and continuous improvement of the local government accountability system; continuing to iterate the Local Outcomes Framework and how its use can be maximised across government; strengthening the Department's understanding of workforce, capacity and capability challenges; leading work on key workforce and pay issues such as equal pay and employment reforms; and supporting our wider improvement agenda.

You will work closely with colleagues across MHCLG, Whitehall, local government and representative organisations, delivering high-quality advice to senior leaders and Ministers and helping shape policies that support a sustainable, high-performing and accountable local government sector.

We are recruiting to fill five Senior Executive Officer (SEO) vacancies to support the Local Government Accountability and Improvement Division.

These are:

2x SEO Senior Policy Advisor Local Government Accountability and Outcomes Framework

Two roles leading on aspects of the overarching Local Government Accountability System and the Local Outcomes Framework. On accountability, work will explore system strategy, evaluating effectiveness and designing and delivering changes to the system to make sure it supports Governments ambitious devolution agenda. On the outcomes framework, work will continue iterating the design and uses of the framework across government and externally including continued development of a digital tool.

Key responsibilities for the post-holder will include:

• Leading on policy development at pace to make sure the accountability system and outcomes framework are in shape to support the broader devolution agenda

• Maintaining key relationships with teams across government who own different parts of the accountability system and policy areas captured in the outcomes framework

• Engaging external stakeholders, including local government, sector organisations and others

• Drafting concise and clear advice, briefing materials and policy documents for ministers, senior officials and eternal stakeholders

• Supporting the team in providing expertise on the accountability system and outcomes framework within the department, across government and externally

• Supporting the team in handling complex and technical correspondence, parliamentary questions and external queries

3x SEO Senior Policy Advisor Local Government Workforce and Capability

Three roles leading on Local Government Workforce and Pay, Local Government Improvement Strategy and Universal Support, and Local Government Leadership policies. These roles lead work to understand and address workforce, capacity and capability challenges and leadership issues across local government, as well as supporting our broader improvement agenda. Postholders will work across government and with councils, the Local Government Association and wider partners to develop evidence-based policy, shape a stronger approach to sector improvement and build the workforce and leadership capability needed for the future.

Roles:

• Local Government Workforce and Pay Policies: Strengthening our understanding of capacity and capability in local government and developing our response to issues, leading on pieces of work in areas such ascross cutting workforce issues,payand implementation of employment reforms.

• Local Government Strategy and Universal Support: Informing our overall strategy tying various offers together to form a vision for the Governments approach to local government improvement, coordinating work and overseeing delivery. Including shaping future approaches to our universal sector support offer (currently delivered via grant to the Local Government Association).

• Local Government Leadership: Helping to develop and deliver a major new programme to strengthen leadership across local government and the wider system of place-based leadership. The role will bring together policy development, programme design and high-profile stakeholder engagement, working across government and with the sector to create a more coherent national offer for identifying, developing and supporting current and future leaders.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering policies and programmes to address capacity and capability challenges across local government, including workforce and pay reform, recruitment and retention, leadership development, and universal and targeted improvement support, to build a resilient, high-performing sector that is fit for the future.

• Lead and contribute tohigh-qualityadvice for senior leaders, the Permanent Secretary and Ministers, drawing from a wide range of sources, and carrying out analysis on the evidence todemonstrateexcellent policy appraisal and development of options.

• Lead and contribute to high quality advice for senior leaders, the Permanent Secretary and Ministers, drawing from a wide range of sources, and carrying out analysis on the evidence to demonstrate excellent policy appraisal and development of options.  

• Work with teams across MHCLG,governmentand external stakeholders to develop a clear set of priorities for local government and support the development of policy that reflects and supports the cross-cutting capacity and capability pressures facing the sector.  

• Ensure positive engagement while building andmaintainingtrusting relationships across the directorate, thedepartmentand Private Offices.

• Support wider priorities within the Local Government Workforce and Capacity team asrequired including working with legal colleagues to progressbyelaws applications from local councilsand provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of State.

For all five roles we are looking for the following essential criteria:

• Be able to use a variety of evidence, expert knowledge and stakeholder input to formulate balanced policy options

• Politically aware strategic thinker with high levels of attention to detail, sound judgment and the ability to solve problems independently

• Be able to form credible and effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

• Have excellent organisational skills and strong written and verbal communication skills

• Fast learner with the ability to build subject matter expertise and ability to work flexibly, at pace, on a range of projects

• A strong interest in helping to create a supportive and inclusive team culture