Principal Project Officer

Greater London Authority

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity be join a small team in the Greater London Authority that is responsible for delivering the Skills Bootcamps for Londoners programme.

The Skills Bootcamps for Londoners programme aims to help Londoners aged 19+ to progress in work by giving them access to in-demand skills training and a guaranteed interview for a more sustainable, higher-skilled job and higher wages over time. The programme supports key sectors of the London economy and it is aligned with the commitments made in the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners strategy and the Skills Roadmap for London.

We are looking for a Principal Project Officer to lead on the management of a portfolio of Skills Bootcamps contracts, manage a small team to secure high performance of their contract portfolio, support with commissioning new bootcamp delivery and develop the programme, and deliver key programme management functions.

This is a varied role, involving tasks such as:

-Drafting a Prospectus and commissioning documents to launch a competition for award of funding to external delivery partners to deliver Skills Bootcamps

-Meeting with Skills Bootcamps providers to review their performance, quality assure their delivery and advise on meeting contractual requirements.

-Supporting a direct report with drafting a paper to seek a decision from Senior Managers on a contractual change for a Skills Bootcamps provider grant agreement.

-Leading and contributing to sector focused cross-GLA discussions to develop collaboration and synergies across our programmes and share industry knowledge and insight.

About the team

The Skills and Employment Unit’s Academies, Bootcamps and Capital Delivery Team are responsible for the delivery of a number of high-profile programmes to support Londoners into Good Work, and to support businesses with skills requirements, particularly those operating in London’s key sectors such as health and social care, green, digital, creative, hospitality and others. The team is predominantly comprised of project, programme and contract managers.

Principal accountabilities

• Manage the programme delivery and development of existing and new Skills and Employment programmes of activity which meet Mayoral Manifesto commitments in line with planned performance and outputs to time, budget commitments and quality specifications. This will include direct delivery and monitoring the activities of delivery partners and their sub-contractors, identifying, and reporting on risks and issues as appropriate.
• Manage the development, implementation, and day to day delivery of Skills or Employment project business cycle from project development to contract completion including contract and partner negotiations, contract management, audit, quality assurance and compliance processes for the GLA.
• For all projects and programmes in own portfolio, undertake ongoing and proactive management, monitoring, verification, recording, analysis and reporting of:
• Financial, outputs and outcomes performance, to ensure achievement of target outputs and outcomes and programme objectives within budget and while maintaining overall value for money.
• Quality assurance and compliance, including through regular monitoring and audit of the activities and supporting evidence of delivery partners and their sub-contractors.
• The validity, accuracy, and eligibility of claims, including ensuring external funding bodies’ management information and monitoring requirements are met.
• Progress against milestones, and financial and outputs and outcome targets, ensuring delivery and quality concerns are raised and tackled promptly.
• Risks and issues, to ensure awareness and understanding of these and implementation of appropriate and timely mitigations
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders and key partner agencies responsible for leading or contributing to projects within the Skills & Employment team’s Programme
• Effectively line manage, lead, and develop a small team to deliver the objectives of individual projects or programmes and ensure that team resources are planned and allocated effectively to meet anticipated demand and respond to changing priorities
• Realise the benefits of London’s diversity by promoting and enabling equality of opportunities, and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London’s communities

Application

Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role. Please upload a supporting statement with a maximum of 1500 words to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the form, ensuring you address the following technical requirements and competencies in your supporting statement. Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and supporting statement documents are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g. “CV – applicant name – 012345)

This role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL)

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.

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.

In addition to a good salary package, we 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.

Application closing date: 1st February 2024 at 23:59

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

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 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.