Senior Project and Policy Officer (Rough Sleeping, Specialist & Supported Housing and Domestic Abuse)

This is an exciting time to join the GLA’s Housing and Land directorate to deliver programmes and services for groups of Londoners facing multiple barriers to accessing housing and support.

The Housing and Land directorate is responsible for the Mayor’s plans to deliver new and improved homes and strong communities.  Working closely with boroughs and partners, we manage the Mayor’s housing investment programmes and land and property assets to support the building of affordable homes, job creation and regeneration.

About the team

The Specialist Housing and Services (SHS) unit delivers the following areas of work:

• Rough Sleeping: delivering the Mayor’s work to tackle rough sleeping in London. The team commissions a wide range of frontline services, manages a variety of different projects aimed at reducing rough sleeping and oversees the revenue element of programmes which deliver more accommodation for this group of Londoners. Find out more.
• Specialist and Supported Housing: managing capital investment programmes to deliver specialist and supported housing for groups of Londoners who may be marginalised by the housing market. People experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic abuse, adults with learning disabilities and older people are just some of the groups the team supports. Find out more.
• Housing Mobility: delivering two services which support particular groups of Londoners to move home either within or outside of London, according to their needs. The homes freed up as result of these moves are used to meet other Londoners’ housing needs, including by preventing and alleviating homelessness. Find out more and more.
• Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation: working in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to deliver the Mayor’s duties under Part 4 of the 2021 Domestic Abuse Act to support victims/survivors of domestic abuse and their children in relevant safe accommodation. This includes commissioning and grant funding a range of services and providing capital funding to deliver safe accommodation. Find out more.

We are recruiting for six Senior Project and Policy Officer posts – five permanent and one fixed-term until June 2027 – in three of the teams within the Specialist Housing and Services unit. Three roles in the Rough Sleeping team, two roles working on Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation and one role in Specialist and Supported Housing team.

The roles will support the development and delivery of housing and support in line with the strategic outcomes set out in the Mayor’s Rough Sleeping Plan of Action, Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy, the London Housing Strategy and associated plans. The roles will work on delivery of a range of projects, services and policies that support efforts to tackle rough sleeping, increase the supply of good quality supported accommodation and ensure that victims/survivors of domestic abuse have a safe place to call home.

What your day will look like

The day-to-day activities will vary by the role but across the posts, could include activities such as:

• Working on the design and procurement of new rough sleeping services or undertaking the development and assessment of new schemes in capital and revenue funding programmes.
• Drafting papers, contracts and funding agreements to a high a standard.
• Monitoring the delivery of existing projects and services, supporting partners to deliver agreed outcomes, closely monitoring delivery challenges and identifying lessons learned.
• Leading small projects which pilot new approaches to practice relating to rough sleeping, domestic abuse or supported housing.
• Using research and analysis to inform improved service delivery, policy, strategy and programme development.
• Writing reports to present to senior leaders on programme delivery progress, risks, issues and trends.
• Engaging, and coordinating engagement, with stakeholders including central and local government, and the charity sector on issues affecting people experiencing homelessness, victims/survivors of domestic abuse, and other groups requiring supported accommodation.
• Working in partnership with government bodies to advocate for and develop new funding programmes aligned to emerging needs of Londoners. Supporting the design of new programmes which do emerge.
• Collaborating with colleagues in other GLA teams on cross-cutting issues.
• Delivering programme objectives in line with set governance frameworks and procedures.  

Skills, knowledge and experience

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

• A good understanding of issues and policy relating to rough sleeping, specialist and supported housing, domestic abuse or an equivalent social policy area.
• Experience and understanding of policy and project development and implementation.
• Experience of contract monitoring for homelessness, domestic abuse or other social care services or capital housing programmes.
• Building and Managing Relationships (Level 2).
• Planning and Organising (Level 2).
• Problem Solving (Level 2).

 The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Up to date CV
• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘CV and Cover Letters’ section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

As part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination. 

We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring managers David Orton and Aleena Khushal would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at [email protected] and [email protected].  

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the [email protected] who support the GLA with recruitment.

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

Assessment process

Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.

If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview/assessment.

The interview/assessment date is to be confirmed but will take place in the second half of November.

London's diversity is its 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 we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share. 

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Benefits

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, 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. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

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

Secondment Opportunity

If you are a GLA employee applying for an internal fixed-term position, as an internal secondment opportunity, you must ensure you satisfy the following secondment policy criteria listed below before applying 

• On a permanent contract or a fixed term contract where the time left on the contract at the point at which you apply for secondment is longer than the secondment period;
• successfully completed your probation period and are performing to the required standard for your current role; and
• at least 18 months service with the GLA 

If you do meet the criteria listed above, you will need to complete the Approval for secondment application form and gain line manager approval, before emailing the fully completed form to the Resourcing Assistant who is managing the vacancy. This form must be received by the closing date of the vacancy. Failure to provide this form will mean your application cannot be progressed.

If you are unable to satisfy all of the criteria, unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy as an internal secondment.  For further information, please see Secondment Policy and Procedure.

IMPORTANT: If you are a current GLA employee on a fixed-term contract, which is due to end BEFORE the end date of this vacancy, you DO NOT NEED to complete the Approval for secondment application form as it is not a secondment.

If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact [email protected].